How much unemployment will I get if I make $400 a week in California?

Thank you! So if my highest quarter was around $5,200 that puts me at roughly $240-280 a week? That's going to be tight but at least I have a ballpark now. Do they pay biweekly or weekly?

California EDD pays based on your weekly certifications but deposits are typically processed within a few days of certifying. Most people get paid every two weeks when they certify for two weeks at once. Just make sure you're certifying on time through UI Online or by phone.

also worth knowing your benefit year lasts 52 weeks so you have up to 26 weeks of benefits available at your WBA amount

Oh wow I didn't even know employers could fail to report wages. How did you fix that?

Had to submit a bunch of pay stubs directly to EDD to prove my earnings. Took an extra week or so but they corrected it. Keep your pay stubs if you have them!

same thing happened to my cousin, she had to fax in her stubs which felt very 2003 but it worked lol

Wait this actually works? I've tried calling EDD like 3 times already and just get the 'high call volume' message and get disconnected

Yeah it legitimately connected me to a live agent. Honestly I was skeptical but when you need answers about your actual benefit amount it's worth it

I've heard of this before. Anything that helps you get through to EDD is gold at this point lol

California EDD gives you the option to have 10% federal tax withheld from your benefits. You choose this when you file your initial claim. If you didn't select it, you'll owe taxes on your unemployment income when you file your return. I'd recommend opting in for withholding to avoid a surprise tax bill.

omg I didn't select that!! can i change it now

Yes you can update your tax withholding preference through your UI Online account settings. Do it before your next payment processes.

THIS. I forgot about this my first time and owed money at tax time. Always opt for withholding if you're unsure

So it's actually calculated off the quarter earnings not just my weekly rate? That makes sense I guess

Exactly. So if you had any weeks you didn't work or earned less in that highest quarter, it could affect your WBA slightly. Consistency in your highest quarter is what matters most.

This is the most useful explanation of the formula I've seen anywhere on this forum. Bookmarking this thread

Three weeks?? I was hoping it would be faster than that. Is that normal?

Unfortunately yes. There's usually a 'waiting week' built in where you certify but don't get paid for that first week. Then processing. Budget like you won't see anything for 2-3 weeks minimum after filing.

the waiting week thing is so frustrating. like you lost your job you clearly need the money NOW

I hadn't even thought about that. Is CalFresh pretty easy to apply for?

The application is online through BenefitsCal.com. Unemployment income counts toward the limit so once you're getting EDD payments it might affect eligibility but for the gap period before your first payment it could help

Good call. A lot of people don't realize you can receive CalFresh while on unemployment depending on your household size and expenses

$238 is actually helpful to know as a real example, thank you. Did your claim go through pretty smoothly?

mostly yeah. took about 12 days for my first payment. the weekly certifications are easy once you get used to the questions

That tracks with the formula estimates. Good to have an actual data point from someone at that wage level

I did pick up a few extra shifts here and there but nothing crazy. Would like $200 in extra pay make a difference?

At the margins it might add $5-10 to your weekly benefit amount. Not huge but every bit counts. EDD calculates based on all reported wages so it should be automatic if your employers reported correctly.

Good point about secondary income. A lot of people forget about that when estimating their WBA

Where exactly in UI Online is the award letter? I set up my account but haven't found it yet

Once your claim is approved there should be a 'Claim Summary' section and also an inbox/notifications area. The formal Notice of Computation (DE 429Z) is what shows your WBA. Should arrive by mail too but the online version is faster

The DE 429Z is exactly right. That's the document you'd want to keep for your records and reference if you ever need to dispute your benefit amount

Okay I'm definitely saving that link. My claim has been sitting 'pending' for 10 days and I want to know what's happening

That's exactly the situation for it. Pending status with no explanation is incredibly frustrating and a live agent can actually look at your claim and tell you specifically what's going on

yeah trying to get answers from EDD without talking to a human is basically impossible. at least with a real agent they can see notes on your account

Yes - California EDD has an earnings disregard where you can earn up to 25% of your WBA without any reduction. Above that threshold, your benefit is reduced dollar for dollar. So if your WBA is $240, you can earn up to $60 in a week with no impact. Anything over $60 reduces your payment for that week. You still have to report ALL earnings when you certify though.

Oh interesting so there's a small buffer. Good to know for people who pick up gig work while job hunting

The 25% disregard is one of those things EDD really should advertise better. A lot of people don't take part time work because they think any income kills their benefits when that's not actually the case

Severance can affect your claim depending on how it's structured. If it's paid out as a lump sum or continuation of salary, EDD may consider it wages for that period and delay your benefit start date. If it's a true separation payment with no strings, it often doesn't affect benefits. It's actually one of those situations where calling EDD to clarify your specific situation is worth it.

Ugh okay I should probably call them then. Good to know this is even a variable

Severance stuff is SO confusing. My coworker and I got laid off same day same company and had completely different severance situations affecting our claims differently

Oh right the job search requirements - how many employer contacts do I need per week?

Currently California EDD requires a minimum of 3 job search activities per week. This can include submitting applications, attending job fairs, doing interviews, etc. Keep a log with dates, company names, and positions because EDD can request it during an audit

The job search log thing tripped up my brother in law. He was doing the activities but not keeping records and when EDD sent him an audit notice he had almost nothing documented. Ended up being a whole mess to sort out

This is really reassuring, thank you. The certifying every week part seems like the most important thing to not mess up

100% the most important thing. Missing a certification week is a huge headache to fix and can delay payments significantly. Set a calendar reminder for your certification day

The certification schedule is tied to your social security number last digit I think? Mine always opens on Sunday. Just know your day and never skip it

This is the most accurate description of the base period I've seen in this thread. The 'first four of last five completed quarters' part trips a lot of people up

Okay so for filing now in 2025 my base period would be roughly Jan 2024 through Dec 2024? And I'd look at which three months I earned the most?

Exactly right. Q1 2024 (Jan-Mar), Q2 2024 (Apr-Jun), Q3 2024 (Jul-Sep), Q4 2024 (Oct-Dec) - find the highest earning quarter among those and that's the key number in your calculation

I did do the ID.me part already, it was a little annoying but got through it. Does that mean my account setup is complete?

If ID.me is done and your claim is submitted you should be mostly good. Just watch your email and UI Online inbox for any follow up requests from EDD. They sometimes ask for additional documentation

The ID.me step being mandatory now does reduce fraud but man does it add friction for legitimate claimants who just want to know if they can pay their rent

An employer dispute goes to adjudication - EDD investigates whether your separation was for a qualifying reason. If you were laid off (not fired for cause or quit voluntarily) you should be fine. It doesn't change your WBA calculation if you're approved; it's a yes/no on eligibility. If adjudication finds against you, you'd be disqualified entirely and would need to file an appeal within 30 days.

Okay so the dollar amount is separate from the eligibility question. That makes sense. My employer was making noises about 'performance' when really it was clearly a budget layoff

Document everything about your separation circumstances. Emails, any written notices, the exact language used. If it goes to adjudication having documentation of the real reason for separation is very helpful

That range of $225-265 is really helpful and good to have confirmed by an actual agent! How long did Claimyr take to connect you?

Honestly much faster than I expected. I had been trying to get through on my own for days. The whole process is explained on their site and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 if you want to see how it works before using it

Having a confirmed dollar range from an actual EDD agent is genuinely the most useful data point in this whole thread

Will do! I'll come back and post my actual WBA when I get my Notice of Computation. Hoping it lands around $240. Thanks everyone for all the info - went from totally clueless to feeling like I actually understand my situation

Good luck! Certify on time, keep your job search log, and you'll be fine

Rooting for you. The first claim is always the most stressful because you don't know what to expect. It gets easier once you know the rhythm of the system