EDD benefits for drastically reduced work hours - Do I qualify?

Yes, you absolutely qualify for partial unemployment! This is exactly what UI partial benefits are designed for. When you certify each week, you'll report your reduced work hours and earnings, and EDD will calculate a partial benefit payment based on your regular weekly benefit amount minus a portion of your earnings. Apply ASAP through UI Online since benefits aren't retroactive before your application date. Make sure you have your employment history for the past 18 months ready when you apply.

omg same thing happened to me last year!! they cut me from 38 hrs to just 12!! its called "partial unemployment" and yes u can get it! better than nothing

It DEPENDS on how much you're still earning!!! If your part-time earnings are too high, you might NOT qualify for ANY benefits! EDD has this stupid formula where they deduct part of your earnings from your weekly benefit. So if you would qualify for $450/week normally but still earn $400 at your part-time job, you might get NOTHING or just a few dollars. This SYSTEM is completely BROKEN!!!

I went through this exact situation in 2025 when my retail job cut everyone to 18 hours after the holiday season. Here's what you need to know: 1. File your claim immediately - don't wait 2. When you certify each week, report ALL hours and earnings accurately 3. You must be available for full-time work (this is important - you can't restrict yourself to only part-time) 4. You must continue looking for full-time work and document your job search 5. Keep track of any weeks where you earn too much to receive benefits - you can still certify those weeks as it keeps your claim active One thing that really helped was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD agent when I had questions about my partial benefits. They have a service that helps you bypass the phone waiting system. Check out their demo: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. It saved me from constantly getting the "too many callers" message when I needed to ask specific questions about my reduced hours situation.

Yes, I used that service when my claim had issues. It works, but honestly, try calling the EDD yourself first right when they open at 8:00 AM. Sometimes you can get through without help. But if you keep getting the "too many callers" message for days, Claimyr can definitely help. Regarding your situation, just make sure your employer correctly reports your reduced hours. Sometimes they'll tell EDD you "voluntarily" reduced hours which can cause problems.

wait i'm confused... is this the same as SDI? i thought that was only for when ur sick?

Make sure u check ur benefit amount when it comes! My cousin got partial unemployment last yr and EDD messed up the calculation. he had to call like 50 times to get it fixed!!

Update: I applied yesterday and got my confirmation number. The UI Online portal shows my claim is processing. I'm still a bit confused about the certification part - do I just report my actual hours worked each week? I'm worried about making mistakes since I've never done this before.

When I had reduced hours last year, I qualified for benefits some weeks but not others because my schedule kept changing. Just certify accurately every two weeks and the system will calculate if you get anything for each specific week.

Be prepared for EDD to MESS UP your claim!!! I had reduced hours and they kept putting my certifications as "pending" for NO REASON!!! Took WEEKS to fix and I almost got EVICTED waiting for payments!!!

One more important thing: if your employer officially notifies you about the reduced hours, save that documentation. It can help if there are any questions about whether the reduction was voluntary or not. And make sure you keep good records of your work search activities - EDD has been doing more eligibility interviews for partial claims lately.