EDD payments bi-weekly or weekly? Confused about California unemployment payment schedule
I just got approved for unemployment in California last week and I'm trying to budget my finances. Do EDD unemployment benefits get paid weekly or every two weeks? My friend in Nevada gets paid weekly but someone told me California is different. Just want to make sure I know when to expect the money since I need to pay rent soon. This is my first time on unemployment so I'm still figuring out how everything works. Thanks!
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Miguel Silva
California EDD pays unemployment benefits bi-weekly (every two weeks). You'll certify for two weeks at a time through UI Online, and payment is typically issued within 24-48 hours after you complete your certification if there are no issues with your claim. So you'll be getting two weeks' worth of benefits in each payment, not weekly payments.
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Ava Garcia
•Thank you! So if I just certified yesterday for the first time, I should expect payment in the next day or two? And then I'll certify again two weeks from now?
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Zainab Ismail
its every 2 weeks in CA. you certify for 2 weeks at once and get paid for both weeks in one payment but on your account it shows each week separate
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Connor O'Neill
•not always true! sometimes they make u certify weekly if theres an issue with your claim or if u just started. happened to me last month when my claim had that stupid pending issue. I had to certify every week for like a month before it switched to bi-weekly!!
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Ava Garcia
Thanks everyone for the responses! Just to make sure I understand correctly - once I certify, how long does it usually take for the money to show up on the EDD debit card? I certified yesterday but don't have the card yet.
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Miguel Silva
•If it's your first payment, it typically takes about 7-10 days to receive your EDD Debit Card in the mail after your first payment is processed. The card will come loaded with your first payment(s). Future payments will be automatically added to the same card every two weeks after you certify. You can also set up direct deposit to your bank account through the Money Network once you get your card and create an account.
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QuantumQuester
They SAY every two weeks but half the time the system glitches and doesn't let me certify on time!!! Then you call and they say "oh just keep checking UI Online" BUT YOU CAN NEVER GET THROUGH TO A REAL PERSON WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG!!! Been dealing with this for 3 months now and it's RIDICULOUS!!!
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Yara Nassar
•Have you tried using Claimyr? It's the only way I could get through to an actual EDD rep when my certification dates got messed up. They basically call EDD for you and connect you when they get through. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and the website is claimyr.com. Totally worth it when you're desperate to fix certification issues.
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Keisha Williams
Everyone keep in mind that even though payments are bi-weekly, each week is considered separately for eligibility purposes. So if you work part-time during one of those weeks, only that week's benefit amount is affected. The other week remains the same. That confused me at first because I thought they just averaged the two weeks.
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Ava Garcia
•Oh that's really good to know! I might pick up some gig work next week, so I'll make sure to report it correctly. Does anyone know if I need to wait until both weeks are over before certifying, or can I do it as soon as the certification period opens?
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Paolo Ricci
You can certify as soon as UI Online shows the weeks available for certification - usually early Sunday morning at the end of your bi-weekly period. Don't wait or you might delay your payment. And yes, definitely report any work/income accurately to avoid overpayment issues. I learned that the hard way!
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Zainab Ismail
•this is true i always do mine sunday at midnight when it first opens lol. payments usually hit my account by monday night or tuesday morning
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Ava Garcia
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! This makes much more sense now. I'll keep an eye out for my EDD card in the mail and make sure I certify every two weeks as soon as it becomes available. Really appreciate all the advice!
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Keisha Williams
•Just remember to answer the certification questions honestly - especially the one about looking for work. You need to be making at least 3 job contacts per week and be ready to provide those details if they ask. Good luck!
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