EDD eligibility with only 4 months at seasonal job after 8.5 year employment gap?

Yes, you can absolutely qualify with 4 months of work! EDD looks at your base period, which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. Since you'll be filing after your seasonal job ends (I'm guessing around May?), your base period would include Jan-March 2025 plus the previous three quarters. Since you didn't work in those previous quarters, your benefit amount will be calculated solely on your earnings from this job. The weekly benefit amount is roughly 60-70% of your weekly wages up to the maximum ($650 currently). So if you earned decent wages these 4 months, you should be eligible, but the total benefit period might be shorter than someone with a full year of wages.

they dont even check ur job history from 8 yrs ago, just recent stuff. u need to make at least $1,300 in ur highest quarter to qualify at all. or $900 in highest quarter + 1.25x that amount total in base period. so dont worry about the gap!!

The previous answers are correct about eligibility, but I want to add that your benefit amount might be lower than you expect. With only 4 months of work, your total claim balance will be smaller than someone with a full year's wages. Your weekly benefit amount will be based on your highest quarter earnings, but the total claim balance is based on all base period wages. Also, make sure when your employer ends your seasonal work that you get something in writing stating you were laid off due to "lack of work" or "end of season." This is REALLY important because EDD will consider you eligible only if you're unemployed through no fault of your own. If your employer codes it as something else, you could face issues.

I was in almost the same boat last year!! I took 6 years off for kids then worked 5 months seasonal at a tax prep company. I got unemployment after but the amount was pretty small (like $240/week) because they only had those few months to calculate from. Better than nothing tho. Just make sure you do your work search requirements every week or they will flag your account!!

Yep they wanted me to apply to at least 3 jobs a week and record all of them in the certification. Even tho I told them I was going back to the same company the next season. It was annoying but I just did it to keep getting paid lol

Another important thing to consider: when you actually file your claim, you'll need to call EDD to explain your work history gap. Their online system often automatically disqualifies people with unusual work patterns, but a phone agent can review and override this. I spent THREE WEEKS trying to get through on their phone lines earlier this year. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Once I actually spoke to someone, they easily fixed my claim and approved it despite my unusual work history. Just something to keep in mind when you're ready to file!

THE EDD SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO DISQUALIFY PEOPLE!!! I had a similar situation where I only worked 5 months after years at home with kids and they DENIED me saying I "voluntarily quit" my previous job from YEARS AGO!!! Had to appeal and wait 8 WEEKS for a hearing. Eventually got approved but they make everything SO DIFFICULT on purpose. Just prepare for a battle and DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!!!

Quick update on the work search requirements that were mentioned: if you have a definite return-to-work date with the same employer within 8 weeks, you can actually request a work search exemption. You'll need to indicate this when you file your claim and your employer will need to confirm it. It's called a "definite recall" exception. If your return date is further out than 8 weeks, you'll still need to conduct work searches, but you can often satisfy this by checking in with your seasonal employer about returning, taking relevant training courses, or networking in your industry - these all count as work search activities. Just make sure to document everything properly when you certify.

one more thing dont forget u will have a 1 week waiting period where u dont get paid at the start its super annoying but thats how it works

Thanks everyone for all your helpful advice! I feel much more prepared now. To summarize what I've learned: I should qualify with my 4 months of work, my benefit will be based only on these recent wages, I'll need to do work search activities (but checking in with my seasonal employer can count), and I should get documentation about the seasonal nature of my layoff. Really appreciate all your insights and personal experiences!

Just wanted to add one more tip based on my experience - when you do file your claim, make sure to mention that you were out of the workforce for childcare reasons during those 8.5 years. EDD has specific provisions for people who left work for family care, and it can help explain your work history gap without any negative impact on your claim. Also, if you have any documentation from your seasonal employer about the temporary nature of the position (like your original job posting or hiring paperwork that mentions it's seasonal), keep that handy too. It all helps build your case that this is legitimate unemployment through no fault of your own. Good luck!