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Isabella Silva

EDD eligibility for annual 2-week temporary layoff with only partial holiday pay

My company does this thing where they shut down operations completely for 2 weeks at the end of December. They only pay us for Christmas Day and New Year's Day (so basically 2 days out of 10). Been working there for about 3 years now. The rest of the time we're just supposed to... not get paid I guess? My supervisor said 'most people use vacation time' but I've already used most of mine for family stuff earlier this year. Can I file for unemployment for those 8 unpaid days? Or is it not worth the hassle since it's such a short period? I'm already stressing about rent in January. Has anyone dealt with this kind of temporary shutdown before?

Yea u can file 4 those days. Companies do this to save $$ but u dont have to suffer. Just make sure when u certify u report the holiday pay for those 2 days.

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Thanks! Do you know if there's a waiting period? Like will I even get benefits for just 8 days of unemployment?

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Yes, you absolutely qualify for unemployment during a temporary layoff like this. This is considered a "reduction in hours" or temporary layoff, which is a valid reason to claim UI benefits. There is a one-week unpaid waiting period for first-time claims in California, but since you're out for two weeks, you'd still get benefits for the second week. When you file, make sure to indicate that this is temporary and you have a return date. Also, be sure to report the holiday pay for the two days you're being paid. Report the days you were scheduled to work but didn't due to lack of work available. You should file as soon as you know the dates of the shutdown, don't wait until it actually happens.

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This is super helpful, thank you! So if I understand correctly, I'd only actually get benefits for the second week because of the waiting period? Still better than nothing I guess.

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Omar Farouk

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Actually is the waiting period still one week? I thought they changed that during covid. I had to do this last year for my company's 10-day shutdown and I got paid for the full period minus the holidays. Call EDD to confirm but I think the waiting period might be waived now.

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CosmicCadet

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I've been through this exact situation with my employer for the last 5 years. Yes, you can and should file for unemployment. Some important tips: 1. File your claim as soon as you know the dates - don't wait until the shutdown starts 2. When you certify, be very clear about which days you worked and which you didn't 3. Accurately report your holiday pay for the two paid holidays 4. Indicate that you're on temporary layoff with a specific return date 5. Be prepared to verify that you're able and available to work during those days The one annoyance is that you'll have to deal with the waiting period (first week unpaid), but you'll still get benefits for the second week. For me it's usually around $450 for that week which definitely helps.

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Thanks so much for the detailed breakdown! $450 would definitely make a difference for my January budget. Do you think I need to call EDD to explain the situation or is the online application clear enough for these temporary situations?

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Chloe Harris

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My company does the same thing! Been dealing with this holiday shutdown for years. The first time I tried applying online it was super confusing and my claim got stuck in pending for weeks. Trying to call EDD was a complete nightmare - busy signals for days!!! 😡

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Diego Mendoza

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If you need to actually reach EDD by phone, I highly recommend trying Claimyr. I was in the same situation last year with a holiday shutdown claim stuck in pending. I couldn't get through on the phone for days, then found this service that connects you with an EDD agent. Worked perfectly and fixed my issue in one call. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Definitely worth it when you're stuck and need to talk to someone right away, especially during these temporary layoff periods when thousands of people are calling at once.

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wait i'm confused...if u have a regular job and ur just temporary off for a few days does that actually count for unemployment? I always thought unemployment was just for when u completely lost ur job not for temporary stuff

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CosmicCadet

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Unemployment benefits can be claimed for partial unemployment too, not just when you completely lose your job. This includes reduced hours, temporary layoffs, and furloughs. As long as the reduction in work is due to lack of work (not your choice), you can typically claim UI benefits for those periods. This is exactly what temporary layoffs during company shutdowns fall under.

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Omar Farouk

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Make sure when you file that you clearly indicate this is a temporary layoff with a specific return date. I work in HR and I see tons of issues where employees on temporary layoff mark themselves as completely separated from the employer, which causes problems with the claim. Also, don't forget to look for the option to backdate your claim to the first day of the layoff when you file!

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That's good to know about marking it as temporary! Do you know if I should select "laid off/lack of work" as the reason? Or is there a better option for temporary situations?

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Omar Farouk

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Yes, "laid off/lack of work" is the correct reason to select, and then there should be an option to specify that it's temporary with an expected return date. Make sure to have that return date ready when you file.

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Sean Flanagan

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THEY DO THIS EVERY YEAR TO SAVE MONEY!!! Companies should be REQUIRED to pay employees during these "convenient" shutdowns. Why should taxpayers foot the bill for unemployment when billion-dollar corporations just don't want to pay staff for two weeks? It's RIDICULOUS! I had the same thing at my last job and even with unemployment I still fell behind on bills every January.

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Yeah, it does feel like they're pushing the cost onto the state instead of covering it themselves. But at least knowing I can file for UI helps a bit.

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preach!! my company does the same thing... save $$ for themselfs and we gotta deal with edd headaches

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One more important tip: If you plan to file for the holiday shutdown, do it ASAP. EDD gets overwhelmed with claims during December/January because so many companies do these temporary layoffs. The sooner you file, the better chance of getting your benefits processed before the backlog gets too bad.

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That makes sense. I'll go ahead and file this week then. Thanks for the advice!

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Dmitry Petrov

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I went through this exact same situation last year with my employer's holiday shutdown. Just wanted to add a few things that helped me: 1. Keep all documentation from your employer about the shutdown dates - emails, notices, etc. EDD sometimes asks for proof it's temporary 2. If you have any unused vacation days, your company might let you use them for some of the unpaid days instead of taking the full hit 3. The online application actually handles temporary layoffs pretty well now - just make sure to select "temporary layoff" and put in your expected return date The whole process was way less stressful than I expected. Got my benefits for the second week without any issues. Good luck!

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Sean Doyle

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This is really helpful, thank you! I didn't even think about keeping documentation from my employer. Do you remember roughly how long it took to get your benefits approved once you filed? I'm trying to plan my budget for January and wondering if I should expect any delays.

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Steven Adams

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I've been through this same situation multiple times over the years. Definitely file for unemployment - temporary layoffs absolutely qualify! A few things that really helped me: 1. File your claim about a week before the shutdown starts if possible. This gives EDD time to process it before you actually need the benefits. 2. When you certify for benefits, be super precise about which days you worked vs didn't work. For the holiday pay days, mark those as worked and report the exact amount you received. 3. Keep a copy of any company communication about the shutdown dates and return date. I've never been asked for it, but it's good to have just in case. 4. The waiting period situation has changed a few times, so definitely check the current rules when you file. Even if there is one, getting benefits for the second week still makes a real difference. The whole process is pretty straightforward for temporary layoffs now compared to a few years ago. The online system handles it well and you shouldn't need to call unless something gets stuck. Good luck with your claim!

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Ava Johnson

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This is such great advice! Filing a week early is really smart - I hadn't thought about getting ahead of the processing time. I'm definitely going to do that. Quick question though - when you say "mark those as worked" for the holiday pay days, do you mean I should report them as full work days even though the company is shut down? Or just indicate that I received pay for those specific days? Want to make sure I don't mess up the certification process.

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