EDD benefits for SAG-AFTRA members after strike - can we file now or wait for 12/5 vote?

You should definitely file now! The strike being declared over by leadership is what matters to EDD, not the membership ratification vote. I work in the industry (not SAG though) and several of my actor friends filed this week with no issues. The key is how you answer the question about being on strike - since it's officially ended, you should mark "No" when asked if you're currently on strike. Make sure to indicate you're available for work but haven't been called back yet.

IM SORRY BUT THATS WRONG ADVICE!!! My husband is SAG-AFTRA and we talked to our union rep yesterday. The official guidance is that we ARE STILL ON STRIKE until the membership votes to ratify on Dec 5!!! If you say the strike is over and then get called out for misrepresentation, you could be disqualified and have to pay everything back!!! BE CAREFUL

I think there's some confusion here that needs to be cleared up. According to the EDD guidelines for union workers, once your union leadership has announced the end of a strike, you're generally eligible to apply for benefits even if the contract hasn't been formally ratified yet. The key factor is whether you're "available for work" - if productions are starting to resume and you're willing and able to accept work, you should file. However, your eligibility might depend on your specific situation. If you were offered work but refused it, that could affect your claim. I'd recommend being 100% honest about your situation when filing - mention the strike has been declared over by leadership but is pending membership ratification.

i filed yesterday and got a confirmation number but when i checked this morning it still says pending review. probably gonna take a while with all the sag people filing at once lol

After trying for 3 days to get through to EDD (kept getting the 'too many callers' message), I finally used a service called Claimyr and got connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. The rep confirmed that SAG members CAN file now, but you need to make it clear that 1) the strike has been DECLARED over by leadership, 2) you're available for work, and 3) you haven't been called back yet. She said they're processing these claims case-by-case. If you're still having trouble getting through to EDD, check out the demo video: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and their website is claimyr.com. Totally worth it to get a definitive answer directly from EDD!

I'm also SAG and filed last week. My claim was initially pending but just got approved yesterday! My certification is scheduled for this Sunday. When I called (took forever to get through), the EDD rep told me that they're processing SAG claims now but there might be a special review process because of the unique situation with the strike being over but not officially ratified. Just be completely honest about your situation and answer all questions truthfully. If asked, I explained that our union leadership has officially ended the strike effective immediately, but the membership vote is scheduled for December 5th. I also made it clear that I'm available for work but haven't been called back yet.

My cousin works at Warner Bros (not an actor) and he said they're already starting to schedule productions again, so from the studios' perspective the strike is definitely over. That might help your case with EDD since it shows the industry is returning to work. Just my 2 cents.

Just wanted to follow up - I checked with my actor friends and they said the key was answering "No" to the question "Are you currently on strike?" and "Yes" to "Are you able and available to accept work?" Then in the additional information section, they explained that the SAG-AFTRA strike has been called off by leadership but they haven't been called back to work yet. All of them got their claims approved within 3-5 days. Hope this helps!