EDD certification during vacation - will my claim stay active?
I just started a new UI claim after being laid off from my manufacturing job. I have a family wedding coming up in May and I'll be out of town for 7 days. I know I need to keep certifying, but I'm confused about how to handle this on my bi-weekly certification. Do I mark that I wasn't 'able and available' for that week? Will this completely end my claim or just mean I don't get benefits for that specific week? I've looked through the EDD website but can't find a clear answer about temporary travel. I don't want to accidentally commit fraud, but I also don't want to lose my entire claim over a short trip. Has anyone dealt with this before?
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Anastasia Sokolov
This is actually a common question! When you're on vacation or temporarily unavailable to work, you should still complete your certification truthfully. On question #2 that asks if you were able and available for work, you should answer "No" for the specific week you're traveling. You'll then need to provide a reason - select "Other" and briefly explain you were out of town. This will NOT end your entire claim - you just won't receive benefits for that specific week. Your claim remains open, and you can continue certifying as normal when you return. Just make sure you're available for work immediately upon your return.
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Diego Rojas
•Thank you so much for the clear explanation! That's a huge relief. I was worried I'd have to start the whole claim process over again just for taking a week off. So when I come back, I just resume normal certifications?
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StarSeeker
BE CAREFUL!!! I did this last year and checked NO for available to work when I went to my cousin's wedding. EDD sent me a FORM to fill out asking WHY I wasn't available for work!!! Had to explain myself and wait WEEKS for them to process it. The system is RIGGED to find any excuse to deny benefits!!!
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Diego Rojas
•Oh no, that sounds stressful! Did they eventually approve your claim after you explained? I'm getting nervous now about how to handle this.
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Sean O'Donnell
What the previous poster experienced is actually normal procedure. When you mark "No" for availability, EDD will often send you a DE 4365 form to explain why you weren't available. This is standard - just fill it out honestly explaining you were temporarily out of town for personal reasons. As long as you're available for work before and after your trip, and you're actively looking for work during the weeks you are available, your claim will remain active. You simply won't be paid for the week you're unavailable. Remember to resume your work search activities as soon as you return. The EDD just wants to verify you're not claiming benefits while permanently unavailable for work.
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Diego Rojas
•Thanks for the detailed explanation. So even if I get that form, it's just part of their normal process? That makes me feel better about being honest on my certification.
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Zara Ahmed
lol i didnt know about this when i went to vegas last summer for 5 days. i just said i was looking for work that week anyway 😬 probably not the right thing to do but nothing happened
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Anastasia Sokolov
•Just FYI to anyone reading this thread - what you described is technically certification fraud, which can result in penalties, overpayment assessments, and even potential disqualification from future benefits. Always answer certification questions honestly, even if it means missing a week of benefits.
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Luca Esposito
If you're having trouble getting clear information about this situation, you might want to try calling EDD directly. I had the same question last year and needed to speak with a representative for clarification. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD agent quickly when the phone lines were jammed. They have a video demo here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. The agent explained exactly how to handle vacation time on my certification, and it saved me a lot of worry about potentially messing up my claim.
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Diego Rojas
•Thanks for the suggestion. I might try that if I get that form the other poster mentioned and need clarification on how to fill it out properly.
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Nia Thompson
i got a question tho, what if its just a weekend trip? like if im gone sat-sun but those arnt normal work days for most jobs, do i still have to report that? or is it only if the trip covers weekdays?
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Sean O'Donnell
•Good question. If your trip only covers Saturday and Sunday, and you wouldn't normally work those days, you would still be considered "able and available" for work for certification purposes. The question specifically asks if you were able and available for work each workday - so if you're only away on non-workdays, you can answer "Yes" to that question.
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Mateo Rodriguez
This happens to me every year when I visit my mom for Christmas. I just mark "no" for the week I'm gone and don't get paid for that week. Then when I'm back home I mark "yes" again and payments continue normal. Been doing this for years with no problems at all!
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Diego Rojas
•Exactly what I needed to hear - real experience from someone who's done this multiple times. Thanks for sharing!
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StarSeeker
Just wondering - if you're going on vacation, how are you really looking for work? Honest question. Don't they want you to be applying to jobs while collecting? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm still new to unemployment.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•That's actually why you mark "No" for being available that week. By law, to receive benefits for a week, you must be able, available, and actively seeking work. Taking a vacation means you're temporarily not meeting those requirements, which is why you don't receive benefits for that specific week. The system is designed to accommodate temporary unavailability without terminating your entire claim.
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Diego Rojas
Update: I just completed my certification and marked "No" for the week I was on vacation. As expected, I didn't get paid for that week, but my claim is still active and I got paid for the other week in the certification period where I was available. Thanks everyone for the advice! The DE 4365 form did come, I filled it out honestly explaining I was at a family wedding, and everything processed normally after that.
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