EDD claim denied - employer in Texas but I work remotely in California

This is actually a common issue with remote work arrangements. Your employer should have been paying UI taxes in the state where you physically performed the work (California) regardless of where their HQ is located. Multi-state employers are supposed to register in each state where they have employees working. Your best option is to file an appeal with California EDD - you'll need to submit form DE 1000M explaining your work situation. Include documentation showing you performed work in California (home address on pay stubs, etc). Don't file in Texas as they'll likely deny you too since you didn't physically work there.

omg i had the EXACT same thing happen!!! my company was in florida but i worked from san diego. took me like 2 months to get it sorted out but i DID get my benefits eventually. definitely appeal with california, dont mess with texas lol

This is a jurisdictional issue that happens ALL THE TIME with remote workers! The employer is 100% in the wrong here. They MUST pay UI taxes in the state where the employee physically performs work. I dealt with this myself and also with several clients (I'm a tax advisor). Here's what you need to do: 1. File the appeal with CA EDD immediately using form DE 1000M 2. Gather evidence of your work location (lease agreement, utility bills, etc) 3. Contact your employer's HR and inform them they need to register with CA EDD 4. Request they amend their quarterly tax filings to include CA The appeal process can take 4-6 weeks, but you should eventually be approved. The lawyer option is valid but expensive and time-consuming.

my cousin works in hr and says this happens alot. they should paid taxes in both states. def appeal!!!!

Trying to reach EDD to sort this out is gonna be a nightmare, I bet you already know that. When I had a similar issue (my employer was based in Nevada), it took me 15-20 calls A DAY for a WEEK before I could talk to someone who actually knew what to do. I finally got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it basically waits on hold for you and calls you back when an EDD rep is about to pick up. Saved me hours of frustration. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km With something complicated like your situation, you really need to talk to someone who can look at your specific case details.

I work for an employer with operations in multiple states, and I can tell you definitively that your employer was supposed to pay UI taxes in California. This is a common compliance issue. Your appeal has a very good chance of success, but be prepared for it to take some time. Regarding the lawsuit option - while you could potentially sue, I'd recommend exhausting the administrative remedies first (the appeal). The lawsuit would likely take much longer than the appeal process and cost you significantly more. Only consider this if your appeal is denied. One important thing: make sure to document ALL communications with both EDD and your former employer regarding this issue. These records will be crucial for your appeal.

This happend to me but reverse!!!! I worked in texas for california company and texas said no way jose and california said ur not here so no benefits!!!! I appealed and won after like 2 months. Worst time of my life tbh. The system is RIGGED against workers. The whole time my ex-employer was like 'not our problem' even tho THEY messed up the tax stuff! Be prepared to FIGHT for every penny!!!! Good luck!!!!

To answer your question about certifying during the appeal - YES, you should absolutely continue to certify for benefits every two weeks even though your claim is currently denied. If your appeal is successful (which seems likely based on what you've described), they will pay you retroactively for all the weeks you properly certified. If you don't certify, you won't receive those back payments even if you win your appeal. Regarding timeline - appeals are currently taking 4-6 weeks to process, but once approved, payment is usually released within 3-5 business days. If you're having financial difficulties while waiting, you might want to look into emergency assistance programs through local community organizations.

One more important point: Your employer is supposed to register with every state where they have employees physically working, even if it's just one remote employee. This is actually a significant compliance issue for them. When you file your appeal, make sure to clearly explain that you performed 100% of your work in California. The appeal judge will likely rule in your favor since this is a straightforward jurisdictional issue. If your employer contests the appeal (some do to avoid paying the back taxes), be prepared to provide evidence of your work location. This could include: - Your home office setup - California address on paystubs - Work correspondence showing your location - Any company communications acknowledging your remote work status The appeal hearing itself will likely be conducted by phone, and you'll have the opportunity to present your case directly to the judge.

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! My employer is based in Portland but I've been working remotely from San Jose for the past year. When I got laid off last month, I filed with CA EDD and they're giving me the runaround too. It's so frustrating that companies can just ignore their tax obligations like this and leave us scrambling when we need benefits the most. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - I had no idea about the DE 1000M form or that I should keep certifying during an appeal. This whole remote work situation has created so many gray areas that seem to hurt workers more than help us. Thanks for posting about this, it's making me feel less alone in dealing with this mess!

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago! My company was headquartered in Denver but I worked remotely from Sacramento. The whole process was incredibly stressful, but I want to give you some hope - I eventually got all my benefits including back pay. Here's what worked for me: I filed the DE 1000M appeal immediately and gathered every piece of documentation I could find showing I worked in California. The key evidence that seemed to make the difference was my signed remote work agreement that specifically listed my California address as my work location, plus screenshots of company Slack messages where my manager referenced me being "in California." The appeal took about 5 weeks, but once it was approved, I got a lump sum payment for all the weeks I had been certifying. One thing I wish I had known earlier - you can also request expedited processing if you're facing financial hardship. There's a separate form for that. Also, don't let your former employer intimidate you if they try to contest the appeal. In my case, HR tried to argue that since I "could have worked from anywhere" it didn't count as California employment, but the judge shut that down immediately because my actual work location was what mattered, not theoretical possibilities. Stay strong - you've got a really solid case here and the law is definitely on your side!

I'm going through something very similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My employer is based in Phoenix but I've been working remotely from Los Angeles for 18 months. Got laid off two weeks ago and CA EDD initially denied my claim for the exact same reason - no UI taxes paid in California. After reading all these responses, I'm feeling much more confident about filing the DE 1000M appeal. I have my remote work agreement that specifically states my LA address as my work location, plus tons of work emails with my California address in the signature. One question for those who've been through this - did any of you have issues with your former employer trying to fight the appeal? My HR department has been pretty unresponsive when I've tried to contact them about this situation, and I'm worried they might contest it just to avoid dealing with the tax implications. Also huge thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here. It's such a relief to know this isn't some rare edge case and that there's actually a clear path forward. The stress of losing your job is bad enough without having to become an expert in multi-state employment law!

I'm a newcomer here but this thread is incredibly timely for me! I just got laid off from a remote position last week - my company is based in Seattle but I've been working from my home in San Francisco for the past 3 years. I haven't filed for unemployment yet but after reading all of this, I'm realizing I might run into the exact same issue since my employer probably only paid UI taxes in Washington. This is such valuable information - I had no idea this was even a thing that could happen! It's really eye-opening (and honestly pretty infuriating) to learn that so many companies are apparently not handling their multi-state tax obligations properly, leaving us to deal with the mess when we need benefits. I'm going to proactively gather all my documentation showing I worked in California before I even file my initial claim. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this thread might have just saved me weeks of confusion and stress!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm a newcomer to this community but unfortunately dealing with a similar situation. I was laid off from a remote tech job last month - company is headquartered in Denver but I've been working from my apartment in San Diego for almost 2 years. I filed with CA EDD three weeks ago and just got the dreaded call yesterday saying my claim was denied because my employer never registered or paid UI taxes in California. Reading through everyone's experiences here is giving me so much hope though! It sounds like the DE 1000M appeal form is definitely the way to go. I have my remote work agreement that specifically lists my San Diego address, plus I found old emails where my manager mentioned me being "our California team member" when introducing me to clients. One thing I'm curious about - for those who successfully appealed, did you also contact your former employer to let them know they needed to register with CA EDD? I'm debating whether to reach out to HR about this or just focus on my appeal. Part of me thinks they should know about their compliance issue, but another part of me worries about rocking the boat while my case is pending. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's such a relief to know there's a clear path forward and that others have successfully navigated this mess!

As someone new to this community, I'm amazed at how helpful and supportive everyone is being with this complex issue! I'm not dealing with this exact situation myself, but I work in HR for a tech company and I have to say - reading through all these experiences is really eye-opening about how many employers are apparently not handling their multi-state compliance correctly. For what it's worth, your employer was absolutely supposed to register and pay UI taxes in California from day one of your remote work arrangement. This isn't a gray area at all - it's a clear legal requirement that they failed to meet. The fact that so many people in this thread have dealt with identical situations and won their appeals shows this is unfortunately becoming a common problem as remote work has expanded. I really hope your DE 1000M appeal goes smoothly! Based on everything I'm reading here, you have a very strong case. It's frustrating that workers have to fix their employers' compliance failures just to access benefits they've rightfully earned. Wishing you the best of luck with the process!