Fired from temp school position - EDD says I don't have enough wages but no final paycheck yet

I went through something similar last year. From what I understand, EDD uses your base period earnings (which is roughly the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file) to determine eligibility. If your previous claim ended in December 2024, there might be a gap in your wage history that's affecting this new claim. A few things to do: 1. File your claim anyway even without the separation paperwork - you can explain your situation in the comments section 2. Make sure to report your final paycheck once you receive it 3. Request a wage investigation if you believe there's an error in their calculation Also, have you checked if you might qualify for alternate base period calculation? That might help if your recent wages were higher.

The message about not having enough wages is concerning but might be fixable. EDD typically needs you to have earned at least $1,300 in one quarter or $900 in your highest quarter and 1.25 times that amount in the entire base period. If your previous claim just ended in December 2024, you might be in what's called a "lag period" where your most recent earnings haven't been reported yet or aren't being counted in the standard base period. You should absolutely file a claim even without the separation paperwork. The EDD will contact your employer to verify your separation. For the reason for separation, select "discharged" and explain what happened. As for your final paycheck, California law requires employers to provide your final wages immediately if you're fired (or within 72 hours if you quit). You might want to contact the Labor Commissioner's Office about that delay.

dont worry to much abt the "not enough wages" thing, my sister got the same message but when she actually submitted the claim and put in all her recent jobs it worked out fine. the online system is wierd sometimes.

I got stuck in EDD limbo last year when I was let go from a contract position. The "not enough wages" message is frustrating but doesn't necessarily mean you can't get benefits. The key is getting through to an actual EDD representative who can review your specific situation. I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone using the regular number - constantly busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD rep in about 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD rep was able to look at my specific situation, use my more recent wages in the calculation, and approve my claim even though the online system initially rejected it. Might be worth trying if you keep hitting roadblocks with the online system.

im in the EXACT same position!!! i was a para-educator for only 5 months and got let go 2 weeks ago. the not enough wages thing is SO FRUSTRATING. keep us updated if you figure anything out

To answer your question about alternate base period: It's a calculation method EDD can use when you don't qualify under the standard base period. The standard base period uses wages from months 3-15 before you apply, while the alternate base period uses months 1-12 before you apply. So if your recent work was in the past few months, the alternate base period would be more likely to include those wages. But you usually have to specifically request this calculation - the online system doesn't automatically check it. This is why getting through to a representative (as someone mentioned above) can be crucial. They can manually review your case and apply the alternate base period if needed.

The EDD system is GARBAGE!!! I had the EXACT same message after getting laid off from a 6-month contract job and it was WRONG. The EDD computers don't have the most recent quarter's earnings because employers are slow reporting them. What makes me FURIOUS is that they just DENY you automatically instead of telling you about the alternate base period option!!! You literally have to KNOW to ask for it! How are regular people supposed to know all these technical terms?!? And good luck getting anyone on the phone to help - I called 47 TIMES in one day and never got through. The system is DESIGNED to discourage people from getting the benefits they're entitled to!!! And your employer is 100% breaking the law by withholding your final check. In California they MUST pay you immediately upon termination. Report them to the Labor Commissioner ASAP!!!

A few more points that might help: 1. When you file your claim, make sure you list ALL employers you've worked for in the past 18 months, including the previous job before your unemployment ended. 2. If the online system isn't working for you, try filing by phone or mail. Sometimes the system works differently when a representative inputs your information. 3. For your final paycheck issue: Send a written demand to your employer (email is fine, but keep a copy). If they don't pay within a few days of receiving your demand, you can file a wage claim with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. California allows for 'waiting time penalties' - they may have to pay you an additional day of wages for each day they delay, up to 30 days. 4. Regarding eligibility for unemployment after being fired: As long as you weren't fired for misconduct, you should still qualify. Being let go because they're 'going in a different direction' sounds like a lack of work issue, not misconduct.

my cousin worked at a school district and wen they fird her they made her wait 3 weeks for her check!!! turns out thats illegal in CA, you should google "California final paycheck law" and show them, they have to pay u right away not when they feel like it

To answer your earlier question - when I finally got through to EDD using Claimyr, I didn't need any special documentation to fix the wage issue. The rep could see all my wage information in their system (even stuff that wasn't showing up in my online account). They just applied the alternate base period calculation and that fixed everything. I would recommend having these things ready when you call though: - Your last day of work - Rough estimates of what you earned each quarter for the past 18 months - Details about why you were let go - Your previous claim information And yes, definitely pursue that final paycheck! The EDD may not have your most recent wages on record yet, which could be part of why you're getting that 'not enough wages' message.

update us on what happens! im having similar issues with my claim and need all the help i can get

Just wanted to add something important about temp/substitute positions in schools - make sure when you file your claim that you specify you were working as a temporary employee, not a regular school employee. This matters because there are special rules for school employees that might affect your eligibility timing. Regular school employees often can't collect unemployment during scheduled breaks or between school years, but temp workers like TAs and substitutes are usually exempt from these restrictions. The EDD rep you talk to needs to know this distinction. Also, since you mentioned this was a 4-month position, keep any documentation you have about the temporary nature of your employment (emails, job posting, contract if you had one). This will help establish that you weren't a regular school employee subject to the between-terms restrictions. Good luck with your callback! The fact that you were dismissed with "zero notice" for going "in a different direction" definitely sounds like a layoff situation, not misconduct, so you should be fine on that front.