First EDD payment much lower than expected - normal or problem?
So I just got my first unemployment payment from EDD and I'm kinda shocked at how little it is. I was making about $4,800/month as a marketing specialist before getting laid off last month (company downsizing - ugh). My first benefit payment hit my account yesterday and it's only $350 for the week! That's less than half of what I was earning before. Is this normal? I thought unemployment was supposed to replace a good chunk of your income. Did I do something wrong during the application process? I reported all my income correctly as far as I know. My rent alone is $2,300 and I don't know how I'm supposed to make it work on this amount. How do other people survive on these payments? Is there anything I can do to increase my benefit amount or is this just what I'm stuck with?
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Javier Garcia
Unfortunately, that's probably correct. California EDD has a maximum weekly benefit amount of $450 (going up to $550 in 2025), regardless of how much you were earning before. The system is designed to provide basic support, not to match your previous income. The calculation is roughly 50% of your earnings up to that maximum. Your $350/week sounds about right based on your previous earnings, though you might want to double-check their calculation using your base period earnings.
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NebulaNomad
•Wow, that's pretty brutal. I had no idea there was such a low cap on benefits. $450 max even if you were making way more? That seems so unfair! Is there any way to appeal this or apply for additional assistance? I'm going to struggle big time with this amount.
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Emma Taylor
first time is always less!! they hold back $ the first week its called a 'waiting period' check ur next payment should be more
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Javier Garcia
•That's not quite accurate. The first week is a 'waiting period' where no benefits are paid at all. It's essentially a deductible week. Any payments after that should be the full weekly benefit amount if you certified correctly. The amount won't increase from week to week unless there's an adjustment to your claim.
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Malik Robinson
I WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING!!! It's ridiculous how little they give you compared to what you were making before. I was bringing home $5200/month in tech and my EDD payments were barely enough to cover my rent. The whole system is designed to force you to take ANY job even if it's way below your skill level. I ended up having to drain my savings while looking for something decent. The max benefit amount is a JOKE in California with our cost of living!!!
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NebulaNomad
•It really is shocking. I don't know how anyone survives on this in California. Did you find any other resources or assistance programs that helped while you were searching for a new job?
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Isabella Silva
I know it's frustrating, but here's some clarification on how EDD calculates your benefits: 1. They look at your highest-earning quarter during your base period (usually the 12 months before the quarter you filed) 2. Your weekly benefit amount is approximately 50% of your average weekly earnings up to the maximum 3. The current maximum is $450/week, which will increase to $550 in 2025 One thing to check: Make sure all your wages were properly reported. You can view your claim details in UI Online to see what quarterly earnings EDD has on file. If there's a discrepancy, you can contact EDD to have it corrected. Also, while the base unemployment amount is fixed, you might qualify for other assistance programs like CalFresh (food assistance) or rental assistance programs through your county.
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NebulaNomad
•Thank you for explaining this so clearly. I'll definitely check my claim details to make sure all my wages were counted correctly. I hadn't thought about other assistance programs - I'll look into CalFresh right away. Every bit helps right now.
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Ravi Choudhury
Have you certified for both weeks yet? Sometimes the first payment only includes one week if you certified late or something. Just a thought.
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NebulaNomad
•I did certify for both weeks on time. The payment says it's for one week, so I think that's the correct weekly amount. I'm just surprised at how low it is.
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CosmosCaptain
After trying for DAYS to get through to EDD to ask about my payment amounts (kept getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message), I finally used Claimyr.com to connect with an EDD rep in under 20 minutes. They actually explained my benefit calculation and fixed an issue with my quarterly wages that weren't being counted properly. Ended up getting my weekly amount adjusted and backpay for the difference. Worth checking out if you need to speak with someone - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. Seriously saved my sanity.
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Freya Johansen
•Is this legit? I've never heard of this service before. Did you have to give them personal information? I'm always cautious about third-party services when it comes to my unemployment claim.
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CosmosCaptain
•Totally understand the concern! They don't access your EDD account at all - they basically just connect your call to EDD and help you skip the hold times. You still talk directly with an EDD rep. I was skeptical too, but it worked for me when I couldn't get through on my own after trying for over a week.
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NebulaNomad
Update: I checked my UI Online account and all my wages seem to be reported correctly. It looks like $350/week is just what I qualify for based on the calculation. I'm definitely going to look into CalFresh and other assistance programs. Thanks everyone for the advice and commiseration. The reality check hurts, but at least I understand the system better now.
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Isabella Silva
•Good on you for checking everything. One more tip: make absolutely sure you're doing your work search requirements correctly each week (saving records of jobs applied to, networking activities, etc.). The last thing you want is to have weeks disqualified for not meeting requirements. And remember that unemployment is meant to be temporary - focus energy on your job search to minimize how long you need to rely on these benefits. Wishing you the best of luck!
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