EDD says I didn't earn enough for UI despite 4 years as school bus driver - seasonal layoff issue

This happened to me too as a substitute teacher! The issue might be that they're looking at the wrong base period. For unemployment, they look at a specific 12-month period that's actually NOT the most recent 12 months, it's further back. If you had any unpaid leave during that specific period, it can affect your eligibility. Also, school district employees have special rules - they need to check a box saying you don't have 'reasonable assurance' of returning to work. Double check that you answered that question correctly on your application. Technically, if you're guaranteed to go back in September, they might be denying you based on that.

The SAME EXACT THING just happened to my wife who drives for a private school bus company!!! She was DENIED for 'insufficient wages in base period' even though she's been with them for 3 YEARS!!! IT'S COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS!! When she finally got through to someone after trying for A WEEK, they said something about quarters and a different calculation period. I don't understand why they make this so complicated!!!! It's like they WANT to deny people!!

School employee here with experience in this exact situation. There are two likely issues: 1. Base Period Problem: EDD uses your earnings from months 3-15 before you file (not the most recent quarters). For example, if you filed in June 2025, they're looking at January-December 2024 earnings. If you had reduced hours during that period or took unpaid leave, it could affect eligibility. 2. School Employee Classification: As a school employee, EDD applies special rules during scheduled breaks (summer, winter, spring). If your employer reported you as having "reasonable assurance" of returning after summer break, you may be disqualified regardless of your application answer. You need to speak with an EDD representative to determine exactly which issue is affecting your claim and request a wage investigation if your earnings aren't showing correctly.

hey so i had something similar happen last yr. turns out my employer had reported me under the wrong SSN for one quarter so my wages weren't showing up right. call your school district payroll office and ask them to check if all ur wages were properly reported to edd. sometimes its a simple fix but u gotta call edd anyway to get them to update it.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to EDD? I was in the same boat - couldn't get through for DAYS. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. This issue definitely requires talking to someone directly because it sounds like either a wage reporting problem or a misapplication of the school employee rules. Either way, you need to speak to an actual person who can look at your specific claim details.

maybe the problem is that ur working for a school? i think theres special rules for school employees during summer breaks. something about reasonable assurance of going back to work? check if ur employer told EDD u have a job waiting after summer. if they did, ur probably not eligible even tho u answered different on ur application. their info overrides yours.

Just to clarify something important: Even if your employer incorrectly reported that you have reasonable assurance of returning to work, you can still potentially qualify for benefits by proving otherwise. You'll need to request an eligibility determination interview with EDD. During this interview, explain that while you expect to return in fall, you do not have a guarantee/contract for return employment (assuming that's true). Regarding the insufficient wages issue, request a wage investigation. Under California law, you have the right to contest their wage calculation. You'll need to provide proof of earnings (W-2s, paystubs) for the quarters in question. These are two separate issues that could be occurring simultaneously, which is why speaking directly with EDD is crucial.

Does anyone know if the appeal process for wage issues takes forever too? I'm in a similar situation (different job but also seasonal) and wondering if it's even worth fighting or if I should just look for summer work instead. Last time I appealed something with EDD it took like 2 months to resolve...

UPDATE: I finally got through to an EDD rep! Turns out it was BOTH issues people mentioned. 1) My employer did incorrectly indicate I had reasonable assurance (which I don't - our contracts are year-to-year). 2) The FMLA leave I took did affect my base period earnings enough to make me barely miss the threshold. The agent was actually really helpful and is setting up both a wage investigation AND an eligibility interview. She said that resolving the reasonable assurance issue is likely the faster path to getting benefits approved. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! I'll update again once it's resolved completely.

@profile3 I actually used Claimyr like you suggested! It worked exactly as advertised - I was connected to an EDD rep in about 15 minutes. Completely worth it after days of frustration trying to get through on my own. Now I'm just waiting for my eligibility interview which is scheduled for next week. Fingers crossed!