EDD payments bi-weekly or weekly? Confused about California unemployment payment schedule

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.

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

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.

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!!!

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.

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!

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!

Welcome to the unemployment journey! Just wanted to add that you should also download the EDD mobile app if you haven't already - it makes certifying way easier than using the website, especially on certification days when the site gets overloaded. Also keep all your job search records organized from day one, even if they don't ask for them right away. EDD can request them at any time and it's better to be prepared. The bi-weekly schedule becomes pretty routine once you get used to it!

One thing I wish someone had told me when I started - if you're worried about rent timing, you can usually set up direct deposit to your bank account once you get your EDD debit card. It's faster than waiting for the card to arrive in the mail for future payments. Also, Bank of America ATMs don't charge fees for the EDD card if you need cash quickly. The first payment taking 7-10 days is the hardest part, but after that it gets much more predictable with the bi-weekly schedule.

Another tip for budgeting - your payment amount will be the same every two weeks (unless you have part-time work to report), so once you get your first payment you can plan your finances around that exact amount. Also, if you're tight on money waiting for that first payment, some food banks and local assistance programs don't require you to already be receiving benefits - just proof that you've applied. It helped me get through that initial waiting period when I was stressing about groceries and bills.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who's been on EDD for about 6 months now - the bi-weekly schedule really does become second nature after the first few cycles. One thing that helped me a lot was setting up calendar reminders for certification days so I never miss them. Also, if you're concerned about that initial wait for your debit card, you can actually check your payment status on UI Online even before the card arrives - it'll show "Paid" when the money has been processed, which gives you peace of mind that everything is moving along correctly. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, but once you get into the rhythm it's pretty straightforward!

As someone who just went through this same confusion a few months ago, I totally get the stress about not knowing when money will hit your account! One thing I wish I'd known earlier is that you can actually track your claim status really closely through UI Online. After you certify, you'll see the status change from "Submitted" to "Paid" usually within 24-48 hours like others mentioned. The EDD card wait is definitely nerve-wracking, but once you get it, everything becomes much smoother. Also, don't panic if your first certification seems to take a bit longer - mine took about 3 days to show as "Paid" but every one after that has been super consistent. The bi-weekly rhythm becomes totally routine after a month or two!

Hey @Ava Garcia! I just went through this exact same situation a couple months ago so I totally feel your confusion. California EDD is definitely bi-weekly - you'll certify for two weeks at once and get paid for both weeks in one lump sum. The tricky part is that first payment wait since you have to get the debit card in the mail, but after that it's pretty predictable. One thing that really helped me was setting up text alerts through UI Online so I'd get notified when my payment status changed to "Paid." Also, if you're really tight on cash waiting for that first payment, don't be afraid to reach out to local food banks or 211 (dial 2-1-1) for emergency assistance resources - they often help people who are waiting for benefits to kick in. The whole process becomes much less stressful once you get through that initial waiting period!

One thing I learned the hard way - make sure you have your routing and account numbers ready when you get your EDD card so you can set up direct deposit right away through the Bank of America EDD website. It's SO much faster than waiting for the physical card to arrive in the mail for future payments. Also, keep screenshots of your UI Online certification confirmations just in case there are ever any issues - I had a glitch once where my certification didn't show up in the system and having that screenshot helped when I called EDD. The bi-weekly payments really do become predictable once you're in the routine, but those first few weeks are definitely stressful while you're figuring everything out!

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact situation about 4 months ago! The bi-weekly schedule was confusing at first, but it's actually pretty convenient once you get used to it. One tip that really helped me - download the EDD mobile app AND bookmark the UI Online desktop site, because sometimes one works better than the other, especially on busy certification days. Also, if you're worried about budgeting during that initial card wait, consider calling 211 for local resources - many communities have emergency assistance programs specifically for people waiting for their first unemployment payment. The hardest part is definitely that first 1-2 weeks of uncertainty, but after you get your first payment and establish the routine, it becomes much more manageable. You've got this!

Hey everyone! I'm also pretty new to this whole EDD process and this thread has been incredibly helpful. Just wanted to share that I called EDD yesterday to ask about the payment schedule and they confirmed it's definitely bi-weekly in California. The rep also mentioned that during your first few weeks, they sometimes do additional verification checks which can delay that initial payment by a few extra days, so don't panic if it takes a bit longer than the usual 24-48 hours. She recommended keeping all your documents handy (ID, Social Security card, etc.) just in case they need to verify anything. Also learned that you can check your payment history and see exactly how much each bi-weekly payment will be once your claim is fully processed. Hope this helps other newcomers like me who are trying to figure out the timing!

As someone who just started the EDD process last month, I can confirm it's bi-weekly in California! One thing that really helped me during that nerve-wracking first payment wait was setting up notifications on my bank account so I'd know immediately when the direct deposit hit (once I got my card and set that up). Also, I found it helpful to create a simple spreadsheet tracking my certification dates and payment amounts - it made budgeting so much easier once I could see the pattern. The waiting period for that first payment is definitely stressful, but everyone here is right that it becomes very routine after a few cycles. Pro tip: if you're using a credit union, ask them about small emergency loans for people waiting on unemployment benefits - some offer short-term assistance specifically for this situation. The bi-weekly schedule actually works out well for budgeting once you adjust to it!

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been navigating EDD for about 8 months now - the bi-weekly schedule really is the standard in California, and while that first payment wait is absolutely nerve-wracking, it does get so much easier! One thing I wish someone had told me early on is to take advantage of the "Contact EDD" feature in UI Online if you have specific questions about your claim - sometimes you can get answers through their messaging system faster than calling. Also, for budgeting purposes, I found it helpful to treat each bi-weekly payment as covering exactly 14 days of expenses, which made it easier to stretch the money between payments. The consistency of the bi-weekly schedule actually becomes a blessing once you're used to it - you always know exactly when your next payment is coming. Hang in there during that initial waiting period, it really does get more predictable!