EDD self-employment reporting for Amazon Flex - need employer number and availability question

You don't need an employer number for self-employment income. You should report Amazon Flex as self-employment income during certification. For the employer field, just put "Amazon Flex" or "Self-employed" and leave the employer number blank or put your own SSN if it requires something. As for eligibility, you're still eligible as long as you're able and available for full-time work and actively looking. Having inconsistent gig work doesn't disqualify you - you just need to report any earnings during weeks you worked. Make sure you're keeping detailed records of your Amazon Flex income by week for when you certify.

just fyi i did door dash while on unemployment last year and i just wrote 'doordash - self employed' and left the employer # section blank. never had any issues!!

The Amazon Flex situation is tricky with EDD. I was in the same boat a few months ago. Here's what you need to know: 1. For employer number, write "Self-employed" and use your SSN if it requires a number 2. For the work availability question - this is important - you ARE still eligible as long as you're looking for full-time work. Having gig work with inconsistent availability doesn't make you ineligible 3. Make sure you're accurately reporting your gross earnings (before expenses) for each week you certify 4. Keep track of your mileage and expenses separately for tax purposes The key thing EDD cares about is that you're AVAILABLE and LOOKING for full-time work. As long as you're doing that and reporting any income you actually earn, you're following the rules.

This exact situation caused me HUGE problems with EDD!!! They flagged my account and said I was refusing work because I wasn't picking up all available gig blocks. Had to wait 6 weeks for an interview and my payments were all pending. The system is so broken for gig workers!!!!

I do instacart + i just put self employed. for the number i use my ssn. no big deal they know what to do with it

When I tried reaching EDD to ask about this exact situation with DoorDash, I could never get through to anyone for WEEKS. Kept getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an EDD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The agent confirmed that gig work with variable availability doesn't make you ineligible as long as you're looking for full-time work and reporting any earnings. Saved me so much stress!

The correct way to handle this: 1. For employer information, put "Amazon Flex" or "Self-employed" - the EDD is familiar with gig workers 2. For employer number, you can leave it blank or use your SSN if the form requires an entry 3. Report your GROSS earnings (before expenses) for each week you earned money 4. You remain eligible as long as: - You're able and available for full-time work - You're actively looking for full-time employment - You're meeting the work search requirements The availability of gig work you CAN'T access (like blocks you can't get) does NOT make you ineligible. This is a common misconception. Only report earnings you actually receive. Keep detailed records of your earnings by certification week (Sunday-Saturday). If you're ever called for an eligibility interview, explain that the nature of Amazon Flex means you don't have guaranteed hours and can't rely on it for full-time income, which is why you're seeking regular employment.

btw make sure ur reporting the right amount on ur certification! its ur gross pay BEFORE amazon takes out expenses not what hits ur bank account

One more important thing - keep a mileage log for your Amazon Flex work! This won't matter for EDD reporting (you report gross income), but it will help reduce your taxable income when you file taxes next year. The self-employment tax hit can be pretty significant otherwise.

I'm in a similar situation with Uber Eats! Just wanted to add that if you do get called for an eligibility interview (which hopefully you won't), be prepared to explain your work search activities in detail. I had to show them my job applications, emails from employers, etc. to prove I was genuinely looking for full-time work and not just relying on gig income. Also, one thing that helped me was keeping a simple spreadsheet with columns for: date, gig earnings, job applications submitted that week, and any interviews. Makes it super easy to reference during certification or if they ever question your eligibility. The key is showing you're treating the gig work as temporary income while actively pursuing permanent employment.

I'm currently in the same boat with Amazon Flex and was really stressed about how to handle the EDD certification. This thread has been incredibly helpful! Just to add my experience - I called EDD last week using that Claimyr service someone mentioned and was able to get through to an agent who confirmed a few key things: 1. For gig work like Amazon Flex, you report it as self-employment income 2. You can put "Amazon Flex - Self Employed" for employer and your SSN for the employer number 3. The agent specifically said that inconsistent availability of gig work blocks doesn't affect eligibility as long as you're actively seeking full-time employment One thing the agent emphasized that I hadn't seen mentioned yet - make sure you're reporting earnings for the actual work week (when you did the deliveries), not when Amazon processes the payment. Sometimes there's a delay between when you work and when you get paid, so keep track of earnings by the actual delivery dates. I've been keeping a simple Google doc with three columns: Date of Work, Gross Earnings (including tips), and Notes (like how many blocks I completed). This way I can easily total up earnings for each certification period. The peace of mind from having everything organized is worth the few minutes it takes each week!