EDD claim confusion - report gig work (DoorDash) or entertainment industry as last employer?

Ugh, I was afraid of that. Will my DoorDash earnings make me ineligible though? I'm making way less with deliveries than I was in productions.

This is terrible advice that could get the original poster in serious trouble. EDD cross-references with tax records, and unreported income is one of the main reasons people get hit with overpayment notices and penalties. Please don't spread misinformation that could harm others financially.

Thank you! That's super helpful. I didn't even think about the interstate claim aspect. Do you know if I need to do anything special to initiate that?

This is exactly my situation! Thanks for sharing your experience - makes me feel less alone in this mess. So they did approve you even with the gig work? That's reassuring.

Yes, they did! The key thing they wanted to know was that I was still looking for work in my regular industry and that the gig work was just temporary. Make sure you emphasize that on your application.

I was in the same boat trying to resolve an issue with my claim last month. After days of failing to get through on the regular line, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD representative in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Saved me so much frustration since I needed to explain my entertainment industry work situation to someone who actually understood the rules.

Thank you for the detailed explanation! This helps a lot with understanding the process.

This is 100% accurate. When I had my eligibility interview, they were very interested in my job search efforts within the industry. Make sure you keep records of any applications, networking, or industry-specific job searching you're doing.

Thanks for breaking it down so clearly! Question about the work search requirements - do you know if I need to be looking for jobs in Nevada, or can I still focus on entertainment jobs in California since that's my industry and I plan to return?

Since entertainment is your established field, you can focus your job search on that industry. However, you should include some Nevada-based opportunities if they exist in your field. The key is demonstrating you're making reasonable efforts to find suitable work based on your skills and experience, not necessarily just any job in your current physical location.

Unfortunately, unemployment rules ARE complicated, especially for entertainment industry workers with multiple income sources and interstate claims. Getting it wrong can lead to serious financial consequences, including having to repay benefits plus penalties. It's better to understand the process correctly from the start.

This is such valuable advice about documentation! I've been pretty informal about tracking my job search efforts so far, but you're absolutely right that I need to get more organized about it. Do you know if there are any specific forms or templates that work well for tracking entertainment industry job applications? I know it's different from typical job searches since a lot of networking happens through word-of-mouth and industry contacts rather than formal online applications.

@Savannah Glover I totally get what you mean about entertainment industry job searching being different! When I was dealing with my claim during the strikes, I created a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Contact/Company Name, Type of Contact email, (phone, in-person networking ,)Position/Project Type, and Follow-up Actions. For industry-specific stuff, I included things like reached "out to costume designer Sarah from last season s'crew or" applied "through Production HUB for upcoming Netflix series. EDD" seemed to accept these more informal networking efforts as legitimate job search activities as long as I could show consistent effort and document what I was doing. The key is just being thorough and treating every professional contact as a potential job search activity.

For entertainment industry job searches, I recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production Name, Contact Person, Method of Contact (email, phone, networking event), Position/Type of Work, and Follow-up Notes. Since so much happens through networking, include informal contacts too - like "spoke with Sarah from Costume Designers Guild meeting about upcoming Netflix project." EDD accepts this kind of documentation as legitimate job search activity. You can also screenshot any online applications to industry job boards like StaffMeUp or Entertainment Careers, and save emails from your agent or union about potential opportunities. The key is showing consistent effort over time, even if the entertainment industry hiring process is more relationship-based than traditional job applications.

For entertainment industry job searches, I've found it helpful to create a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Contact/Company Name, Position/Project Type, How I Applied (email, through agent, networking event, etc.), and Follow-up Actions. Since so much of our work comes through relationships and referrals, I also include a "Contact Source" column to track whether it was through a union job board, industry Facebook group, personal referral, etc. EDD accepts this type of documentation as long as you can show consistent, genuine efforts to find work in your field. The key is being able to demonstrate that you're actively pursuing opportunities appropriate to your skill level and experience, even if they're not traditional "apply online" situations.

I keep a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, contact/company name, method of contact (email, phone, in-person networking), position/project type, and follow-up notes. For entertainment industry networking, I include things like "discussed upcoming pilot season opportunities with [Producer Name] at [Event]" or "submitted portfolio to [Studio] for consideration on future projects." The key is being specific enough to show genuine job search effort while acknowledging that our industry works differently than traditional applications. EDD understands that entertainment job searching often involves relationship-building and spec work, so don't worry about having formal rejection letters for everything - just document your legitimate efforts to find work in your field.

@Savannah Glover For entertainment industry job searches, I d'recommend creating a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Person, Type of Contact email, (phone, networking event, etc. ,)Position/Project, and Follow-up Status. Since so much happens through networking, include informal contacts too - like spoke "with John Smith gaffer (at) industry mixer about upcoming commercial shoot. EDD" accepts this type of documentation as legitimate job search activity. I also save screenshots of job board searches on sites like EntertainmentCareers.net and StaffMeUp, even if I don t'apply to specific postings, to show I m'actively monitoring opportunities. The key is showing consistent, regular effort rather than perfect formal applications.

For entertainment industry job searches, I keep a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Method (email, phone, in-person networking), Position Applied For, Contact Person, and Follow-up Date. Since so much of our industry runs on relationships and referrals, I also include a "Source" column to note if it came from a union job board, industry contact, or networking event. EDD accepts this kind of detailed log as proof of work search efforts. The key is being specific - instead of just "contacted ABC Studios," write "emailed Jane Smith at ABC Studios re: wardrobe assistant position on upcoming pilot, referred by John Doe." It shows you're making targeted, professional efforts in your field rather than just going through the motions.

I don't know of any official EDD templates, but I've found it helpful to keep a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Person, Method of Contact (email/phone/in-person), Position Applied For, and Follow-up Notes. For entertainment industry networking, I also include informal contacts like "spoke with [Name] at [Event] about upcoming projects" - EDD accepts these as valid work search activities as long as you can show you're actively pursuing leads in your field. The key is being able to demonstrate consistent effort over time rather than having perfect formal applications.

I don't know of any official EDD templates for entertainment industry job searches, but I created my own simple spreadsheet when I was dealing with this. I track: Date, Company/Production, Contact Method (email, phone, in-person networking), Position/Project, and Follow-up notes. For entertainment industry networking, I also include things like "Attended IATSE Local 705 meeting - spoke with 3 costume designers about upcoming projects" or "Reached out to Costume Designer X about potential openings on their next show." The key is being specific enough that EDD can see you're making genuine efforts in your field, not just going through the motions. Even informal networking counts as legitimate job search activity in our industry!

I don't have a specific template, but here's what worked for me during my entertainment industry job search while on UI: I kept a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, company/production name, contact person, method of contact (email, phone, networking event), position applied for, and follow-up dates. For entertainment work, I included informal contacts too - like "spoke with Sarah from XYZ Productions at industry mixer about upcoming pilot season" or "submitted resume to casting director John Doe via mutual contact." EDD accepts these types of industry-standard networking activities as valid work search efforts. The key is being specific about what you did and when. You can also include things like updating your reel, joining industry Facebook groups, or attending virtual industry panels - anything that shows active engagement in finding work in your field.

@Savannah Glover For entertainment industry job searches, I ve'found it helpful to create a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Person, Method of Contact email, (phone, in-person networking ,)Position/Project, and Follow-up Status. Since so much happens through industry contacts, I also include a Source "column" like (referred "by [name] or" met "at [event] .")Even informal conversations at industry mixers or coffee meetings with contacts should be logged - EDD recognizes that entertainment job searching often works differently than traditional applications. The key is showing consistent, ongoing effort to find work in your field. You can also include things like updating your reel, attending industry workshops, or reaching out to past colleagues about upcoming projects.

I don't know of specific EDD templates for entertainment industry job searches, but I created my own simple spreadsheet that works well. I track: Date, Company/Production, Contact Name, Position/Project, How I Applied (email, through rep, networking event, etc.), and Follow-up Notes. For entertainment work, I also include columns for Project Status and Expected Start Date since our industry timelines are so unpredictable. The key is showing consistent effort - even if it's just reaching out to your agent, checking union job boards, or following up on leads from industry contacts. EDD understands that entertainment job searching is different from traditional industries, so as long as you can demonstrate regular, documented efforts to find work in your field, you should be fine.

I don't know of any specific EDD-approved templates, but I created my own simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Method (email, phone, in-person networking), Position/Project Type, and Follow-up Notes. For entertainment industry networking, I also include informal contacts like "spoke with [Name] at [Event] about upcoming projects" - EDD accepts these as legitimate job search activities as long as you document them properly. Some people use apps like JobHero or even just a detailed notebook, but the key is consistency and being able to show you're actively pursuing opportunities in your field.

Great question about tracking entertainment industry job searches! I've found that a simple spreadsheet works well - include columns for date, contact/company name, type of contact (email, phone, in-person networking), position or project discussed, and follow-up needed. For our industry, I also track things like: crew calls I've responded to, union job postings I've applied to, industry events attended, referrals I've asked for, and even informal coffee meetings with other department heads. EDD accepts these "networking" activities as valid job search efforts as long as you can show they were genuine attempts to find work in your field. The key is being specific - instead of writing "networking event," write "attended Local 705 mixer, spoke with 3 costume supervisors about upcoming projects." I keep everything in both digital and printed format just in case.

I don't know of any specific EDD-approved templates, but I created my own simple spreadsheet that's worked well for tracking entertainment industry job searches. I include columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Person, Position/Project, How I Applied (email, referral, union board, etc.), and Follow-up Notes. For networking contacts, I note the event or referral source and what was discussed. The key is showing consistent effort across different channels - formal applications, industry networking, union job boards, and even reaching out to past collaborators about upcoming projects. EDD understands that entertainment hiring is relationship-based, so documenting your networking efforts is just as important as formal applications.

For entertainment industry job searches, I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Person, Method of Contact (email, phone, networking event, etc.), Position/Project Type, and Follow-up Notes. Since so much happens through industry contacts, include informal networking too - like "talked to John at craft services about upcoming pilot" or "reached out to Sarah (costume designer) about potential openings." EDD accepts this kind of documentation as legitimate job search activity, especially for creative industries where traditional job postings are rare. The key is showing consistent effort and being able to demonstrate you're actively pursuing work in your field.

For entertainment industry job searches, I've found it helpful to create a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Person, Method of Contact (email/phone/in-person networking), Position/Project Type, and Follow-up Actions. Since so much happens through networking, I also include informal contacts - like "spoke with John at craft services about upcoming pilot" or "reached out to costume designer from last show about potential referrals." The key is showing consistent effort across multiple channels. Some people also screenshot job board searches (like StaffMeUp or EntertainmentCareers.net) to show they're actively looking, even if they don't apply to everything. EDD understands that entertainment work is different from traditional employment, but they still want to see you're making genuine efforts to find work in your field.

I don't know of any specific EDD templates for entertainment industry job searches, but I created my own simple spreadsheet that worked well during my claim period. I tracked: date, company/production name, contact person (if any), method of contact (email, phone, networking event, etc.), position applied for, and follow-up actions. For entertainment industry networking, I also included informal conversations at industry events or coffee meetings with contacts - EDD accepted those as valid job search activities as long as I could show they were genuine efforts to find work opportunities. The key is being able to demonstrate consistent, good-faith efforts to find employment in your field. You might also want to include any union job board checks or entertainment job sites like StaffMeUp or EntertainmentCareers.net in your records.

For entertainment industry job searches, I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Date, Company/Production, Contact Person, Method (email, phone, in-person networking), Position/Type of Work, and Follow-up Date. Don't forget to include industry-specific activities like checking EntertainmentCareers.net, ProductionHUB, StaffMeUp, or even reaching out to costume supervisors you've worked with before. EDD accepts networking activities as valid job search efforts, but you need to document who you contacted and when. Keep screenshots of job board searches and save copies of any emails or messages you send. Since so much happens through word-of-mouth in our industry, even documenting a phone call with a coordinator about upcoming projects counts as legitimate job search activity.