EDD claim after 1099 contract work - can I reopen my W-2 unemployment when contract ends?
Hey everyone, I was laid off from my marketing job last month and I've been collecting unemployment benefits since then. Yesterday I got offered a temporary contract position (1099) that would last about 6 weeks. I understand that once I start the contract work, I'll need to stop certifying for EDD benefits. But what happens AFTER the contract ends? Can I simply reopen my original unemployment claim that was based on my W-2 job? Or am I completely out of luck because I took the 1099 work? I don't want to turn down this opportunity, but I'm worried about messing up my existing claim if I can't go back to it when the contract ends. Has anyone been through this before? Thanks in advance for any advice!
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Santiago Diaz
Yes, you can reopen your existing claim after your 1099 contract work ends, as long as your benefit year hasn't expired. Your benefit year lasts 12 months from when you first filed. When your contract ends, just log into UI Online and select "Reopen Claim." Make sure you report any earnings during your contract work on your certification for those weeks. You'll get $0 for the weeks you're working, but your claim stays active and you can resume benefits when the contract ends.
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Riya Sharma
•Thank you! That's such a relief to hear. So I just need to make sure I report my earnings correctly during certification, even though I know I won't get benefits for those weeks? And then when the contract ends I just hit "Reopen Claim" in UI Online?
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Millie Long
be careful i did this and messed up my cerfitications. make sure ur reporting EXACTLY what u earn each week not what ur paid. if ur paid all at once at end of contract but work 6 weeks u gotta report each week earnings separately or edd will consider it fraud
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Riya Sharma
•Omg that's scary! Thanks for the warning. So I need to calculate what I earned each specific week even if I get paid in one lump sum at the end? That sounds complicated...
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KaiEsmeralda
I've been through this exact situation. Yes, you can absolutely reopen your claim after your 1099 work ends as long as you're still within your benefit year (12 months from initial filing). Here's what you need to do: 1. When you start your contract work, you'll still need to certify but report your earnings for those weeks 2. You won't receive benefits during the weeks you report earnings that exceed your weekly benefit amount 3. After your contract ends, log into UI Online and click on "Reopen Your Claim" 4. Answer the questions truthfully about your contract work 5. Start certifying again once your claim is reopened One important thing: make sure you're keeping track of your earnings by WORK WEEK (Sunday through Saturday) not by when you get paid. This is especially important with contract work since payment schedules can be irregular.
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Riya Sharma
•This is super helpful information, thank you for breaking it down! I'm a bit worried about calculating the exact earnings per week since my contract isn't hourly - it's project-based. I'll need to figure out how to divide the total payment across the weeks I work.
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Debra Bai
I tried doing something similar and EDD flagged my account for an eligibility interview. Had to wait WEEKS to get through to someone to fix it. They make it impossible to reach anyone!!
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Gabriel Freeman
•Have you tried using Claimyr? I was in a similar situation - impossible to get through on the EDD phone lines for weeks. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with an EDD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Totally worth it after I wasted so much time trying to get through myself.
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Laura Lopez
Quick question - does anyone know if taking the 1099 work affects how much benefit you get when you go back on unemployment? Like do they recalculate your weekly amount or something?
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Santiago Diaz
•No, taking 1099 work doesn't change your weekly benefit amount on your existing claim. Your WBA was calculated based on your W-2 earnings during your base period (the 12-15 months before you filed). The 1099 earnings don't factor into that calculation for your current claim. When your benefit year ends though, any new claim would be based on your more recent earnings, including any reportable 1099 work.
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Victoria Brown
When I was on unemployment in 2022, I took a 3-month contract job and thought I could just restart my claim when it ended. Big mistake! My claim had SO MANY problems afterward. The EDD computer system got confused by my work history, and I had to go through THREE eligibility interviews before they finally sorted it out. Just be prepared for delays and have some savings to fall back on just in case there are issues restarting your claim. The EDD systems are NOT designed to handle people moving between W-2 and 1099 work smoothly.
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Riya Sharma
•That sounds nightmarish! Did you have to provide any special documentation about your 1099 work when you reopened your claim? I'm definitely going to make sure I have some extra savings just in case there are delays.
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Victoria Brown
•YES! Keep EVERYTHING - contract, invoices, proof of payment, dates worked, etc. I had to upload all of this during the interviews. And keep detailed records of when you worked each day during your contract period. That was the main thing they needed verification on - that I wasn't double-dipping by working and collecting benefits for the same days.
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Santiago Diaz
One more important thing to understand: If your 1099 contract work is in the same field as your previous W-2 job, EDD might question whether you're "available for full-time work" during this period. When you reopen your claim, make it very clear that the contract was temporary and that you remained available for and seeking permanent full-time work throughout. This helps avoid unnecessary eligibility interviews.
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Riya Sharma
•That's a good point I hadn't considered. My contract is in the same industry but it's definitely temporary. I'll make sure to emphasize that when I reopen the claim. Thanks for all the advice everyone!
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Samuel Robinson
whatever u do DON'T STOP CERTIFYING during ur contract work!!!! just report ur earnings. if u stop certifying completely u might have to file a whole new claim instead of reopening!!!
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KaiEsmeralda
•This isn't entirely accurate. While continuing to certify and reporting earnings is ideal, if you do stop certifying, you won't need to file a new claim as long as you're within your benefit year. You'll just need to reopen your existing claim. However, stopping certification completely might lead to additional questions when you reopen.
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