How much money can you make and still collect unemployment in California?

Oh wow okay this actually makes sense now. So the $112.50 is like a buffer zone essentially. That explains why my payment was reduced - I must have gone over that threshold without realizing it.

wait does this apply to gig work too? like uber or doordash? asking for a friend lol

Yes it applies to any earnings including gig/self-employment income. For self-employment you report your net earnings after business expenses, which is actually one of the few cases where you don't report gross.

This is super important, thank you. I think I may have made this exact mistake. Should I call EDD to correct it or just be more careful going forward?

If it was just one week I'd honestly just make sure you do it correctly from now on. If the amounts were significant or EDD sends you any notice about a discrepancy, then definitely call to clarify before it becomes an overpayment issue.

ugh overpayment notices are THE WORST. got one last year for like $800 and it was their system glitch not even my fault

Okay I might actually need this. I have a specific question about whether my freelance expenses can offset what I report and I can't find a definitive answer online.

seconded on claimyr, used it when my claim was in adjudication and needed to ask about a specific week. way better than sitting on hold for hours

I'm always a little suspicious of things like this but if it actually gets you to a real person I guess it doesn't matter how you get there

@6 totally get the skepticism, I felt the same. But when you literally cannot get through any other way and your benefits are on the line it's worth trying

is this true?? I always assumed if I earned too much I shouldn't even bother certifying that week. been doing this for 2 months

Yes definitely certify every week even if you earned over your WBA! If you miss certifying you could break your claim and have to reopen it which causes delays. The system is designed for you to certify regardless and it'll just calculate $0 for that week automatically.

oh man. I think I missed a couple weeks because of this. is my claim broken now??

You'd need to either call EDD or log into UI Online and check your claim status. If there's a gap in certifications you may need to request a waiver or reopen. Don't panic yet but do check it soon.

Not a dumb question at all! Technically yes - weeks where you earn over your WBA and receive $0 in benefits don't count against your maximum benefit amount. So theoretically your claim period can stretch out. But your claim still has the standard 52-week benefit year expiration regardless, so there's a time limit even if you haven't exhausted your dollar amount.

oh interesting. so the weeks don't roll over indefinitely even if you don't use them all

Exactly right. You have one benefit year (12 months from when you filed) to collect whatever you're entitled to. After that year ends your claim expires whether you collected everything or not.

Using the formula: 25% of $380 = $95 disregard. If you earn $200, subtract $95 = $105 deducted from your $380 = you'd receive $275 in benefits. Plus your $200 earnings = $475 total for the week. That's actually better than just collecting the $380 alone! Part-time work while on UI almost always leaves you better off financially as long as you report correctly.

Wow when you lay it out like that it seems obvious. Why doesn't EDD just explain it this clearly on their website??

because that would make things too easy lmao. the whole system feels designed to be confusing on purpose

seriously though. I've been avoiding the extra shifts out of fear and I could have been earning more this whole time

THIS is exactly what I needed to know. So I can legitimately deduct my Adobe CC subscription, client-related travel, stuff like that?

Adobe CC subscription gets a little tricky because it's a recurring cost not tied to a specific project. You'd prorate it. Direct project costs are cleaner to deduct. If you're unsure about a specific expense I'd honestly recommend calling EDD and asking - better to confirm than guess and get hit with an overpayment later.

Makes sense. I'll probably use Claimyr to actually get someone on the phone since I've seen that mentioned a few times in this thread. Worth getting the definitive answer straight from EDD.

Wait so if I got a severance package when I was laid off, does that count against my unemployment?

Severance paid as a lump sum upon separation typically gets allocated across weeks starting from your last day of work. So yes, depending on how much it was, it could delay when your unemployment benefits begin. You report it when you file your initial claim and EDD figures out the allocation. This is different from ongoing earnings while collecting.

I had no idea about this. I didn't report my severance when I filed because I thought it was separate from wages. Should I be worried?

If it was significant, you might want to call EDD to clarify your situation before they flag it as an undisclosed payment. Voluntary disclosure tends to go way better than getting caught in an audit.

All wages including tips are reportable. For servers and bartenders, that includes cash tips. I know lots of people underreport tips on taxes but for UI purposes you're supposed to report actual earnings including gratuities. EDD takes overpayment recovery pretty seriously.

yeah figured as much. just wanted to confirm. I've been reporting everything including cash just to be safe

That's the right move. The peace of mind is worth it compared to getting an overpayment notice months later.

This is exactly why I started using Claimyr. It's specifically designed for getting through to EDD when the regular lines are jammed. Check out claimyr.com - there's also a YouTube demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 that shows exactly what happens. After weeks of failed calls I finally got through and got answers to questions I'd been sitting on for a month.

okay I just watched the video. this is interesting. does it work for all EDD lines or just the main number?

It works for getting through to EDD agents who can actually pull up your claim. For specific claim questions that's what you need anyway.

alright I'll give it a shot. at this point anything that saves me three hours of hold music is worth it

Good luck! When you call, specifically ask about filing a 'late certification request' and explain you had a misunderstanding about whether to certify weeks where you earned over your WBA. Frame it as good faith error rather than neglect. EDD agents are generally understanding about this kind of mistake when you proactively reach out.

Thank you, writing this down. The terminology really does matter when talking to them.

hope it works out for you. EDD can be surprisingly reasonable when you're upfront about stuff

This is so important and nobody tells you this upfront. I almost made this mistake too.

EDD really buries this information. The certification questions are confusing enough that people answer them wrong and don't even realize it.

The earnings formula (25% disregard) works the same way whether you're on standby status or regular UI. The main difference with standby is that you're exempt from the standard job search requirements - you don't have to apply to 3 jobs per week because you're expected to return to your employer. But the earnings offset calculation is identical.

Oh thank goodness, that simplifies things. I was worried standby had different rules for everything.

One standby-specific note - if your employer's recall date gets pushed back, you may need to contact EDD to extend your standby period. There are limits on how long standby status can continue before EDD expects you to start an active job search.

I hear the frustration but the math actually still works in your favor even with a lower WBA. If you earn $100 over that $50 disregard, you lose $50 in benefits but gain $100 in wages - still $50 ahead. The partial benefit system is genuinely better than not working at all, even if the disregard amount feels small.

yeah logically I know that. it's more the principle of it. working should be worth it and sometimes the net gain feels barely worth the effort of juggling the reporting

the reporting part is what stresses me out honestly. i'm always worried I'm going to make a mistake

This is encouraging to hear! I'm still in the middle of figuring out my freelance reporting situation but knowing it can work smoothly is helpful.

Just take it week by week and double-check your math before certifying. Once you do it once successfully it gets way less scary.

congrats! honestly the first successful partial UI certification feels like you cracked a code

This is a good point that doesn't get said enough. I've seen people lose their benefits because they told an EDD interviewer they were building a freelance business and 'not really looking for full-time work.' That's an automatic disqualification trigger.

Noted. I am genuinely looking for full-time work, the freelance is just income while I search. Good to know the framing matters.

Exactly - and keep your job search log current regardless. Standby folks are exempt but everyone else doing partial UI should still be logging their 3 job contacts per week and keeping records in case EDD ever questions your availability.

Ha, that's unfortunately often true. The EDD website has the information but it's scattered across like 15 different pages and written in bureaucratic language. Forums like this fill the gap.

Agreed - and shoutout to everyone who answered my original question. Actually feel like I understand my situation now instead of just guessing and hoping for the best.

Wait I didn't know this existed. Going to look this up right now.

It's a bit hidden but it's there. Search 'EDD UI benefit calculator' and it should come up. Just remember it's an estimate - actual payment depends on what EDD processes.

Bookmarked this comment, thank you

Used it finally after seeing it mentioned earlier in this thread. Got through to someone at EDD who answered my partial wages question in about 10 minutes. Would have saved me weeks of stress if I'd found it sooner.

Good to hear it actually works. I've been burned by 'EDD shortcuts' before that turned out to be useless.

Yeah I was skeptical too but this one's legit. The video demo makes it pretty clear what you're getting.