How much unemployment will I get if I make $700 a week in California?

Wait so the max is $450? I thought I read somewhere it was higher than that. I really need to double check this before I file.

yeah i think the max went up recently, its worth looking at the EDD website directly to get the current number before assuming

You're both right to double-check - I'd recommend going directly to edd.ca.gov for the most current maximum weekly benefit amount since these figures do get updated. The formula itself stays consistent though.

OK so it's the highest quarter divided by 26? That actually makes it easier to calculate. My highest quarter was probably Q3 last year when I got some overtime so it might come out a bit higher than $350.

this math seems off to me? i got way more than that calculation would suggest when i was making similar money. maybe they changed the formula

The formula has been adjusted a few times. EDD does sometimes use a slightly different multiplier depending on your wage bracket. Best to use the EDD benefits calculator at edd.ca.gov/unemployment/UI-Calculator.htm to get a personalized estimate before you file.

I used that calculator last year and it was pretty close to what I actually got. Within like $20 of my real benefit amount.

Ugh I'm already dreading dealing with EDD's phone system. I've heard horror stories. Will check out that Claimyr thing if I run into issues, thanks.

the weekly certification thing is SO important. i missed one week and it threw my whole claim into pending status for like 3 weeks

Never heard of Claimyr but honestly anything that gets you through to an actual EDD agent sounds worth trying. Their phone lines are a joke.

Yeah it's genuinely a relief to have an option like that. When your money is on the line you can't just keep getting busy signals indefinitely.

EDD uses your GROSS wages (before taxes) for the benefit calculation. So if your gross was $700/week, that's the figure they use. Your net take-home doesn't factor into it.

ohh ok that actually makes my benefit amount higher than I thought then. good to know

Correct - and EDD gets your wage info directly from your employer's records, so you don't have to worry about calculating it exactly yourself. They pull it from your employer's quarterly tax reports.

First payment typically takes 3-5 weeks after you file, assuming no adjudication issues. There's a mandatory one-week waiting period built in, and then processing time. If your separation reason is straightforward (layoff, not a quit or termination for cause) it usually goes smoothly. Keep filing your weekly certifications every week even while waiting.

3-5 weeks?? That's terrifying honestly. I have maybe 2 weeks of savings. Is there anything I can do to speed it up or at least check on the status?

You can check your UI Online account on myedd.edd.ca.gov for status updates. If it gets stuck in adjudication or shows any issues, that's when you really need to call EDD directly. Which is where using something like Claimyr becomes really helpful - I mentioned it above but it genuinely helped me get through when I was panicking about a delayed payment

Saving the Claimyr link. Hopefully I won't need it but good to have as backup. My UI Online just shows pending right now which I guess is normal?

That's actually really helpful to know, thank you! So around $374 is probably realistic for me too. Better than nothing but yeah I'm going to need to be really careful with my budget.

Yeah it's not easy. I picked up some part time work while collecting - you can actually do that with California EDD as long as you report your earnings honestly on your weekly cert. They reduce your benefit by a formula but you still come out ahead compared to not working at all

Good point about the partial benefits thing. A lot of people don't realize you can work part time and still collect partial UI. Don't just refuse gig work or part time shifts thinking it'll mess up your claim.

There are actually legitimate reasons two people with the same salary could get different WBAs - if your base periods are different (one of you had a recent raise or overtime in certain quarters), or if one of you had wages from a second job that counted, the highest quarter amounts would differ. That said, I completely understand the frustration when EDD can't explain it clearly.

I guess that could explain it but EDD should make this WAY clearer. I spent hours trying to figure it out.

The EDD system was not designed with user experience in mind, that's for sure. Everything is opaque by default

That's a good point - I did have a slow period earlier in the year where I had some weeks I didn't work full hours. Hoping my best quarter still comes out to a good number.

Yeah the CalJOBS system and EDD will both show you your recorded wages when your claim processes. You can actually verify what they have on file against your own pay stubs if something looks off.

I didn't know you could check what wages EDD has on file for you. That's actually really useful info.

$40 a week off adds up to a significant amount over a claim period. Did you get the back pay for the weeks you were underpaid while waiting for the correction?

Yes eventually I did get the corrected amount including back pay for the weeks affected. But it took calling EDD multiple times and submitting documentation from my employer. The phone situation was brutal - I honestly couldn't get through for like a week straight before I tried Claimyr. Once I actually got an agent on the line they fixed it same day.

This is such a good point. Errors in employer-reported wages do happen and catching them early saves a lot of headache. Keep your last several pay stubs from your old job until your claim fully resolves.

Tips that were reported on your W-2 as taxable income should count toward your wages for EDD purposes since EDD pulls from your employer's reported payroll taxes. However, cash tips that were never reported don't count. If your partner's employer properly reported all tip income to the IRS, it should be included.

Interesting - her employer does handle tips through the payroll system so hopefully that means they're included. Thanks for the info

Yeah this is a gray area that trips up a lot of hospitality workers. Worth verifying once the award letter comes in.

Oh wow I did not know California doesn't tax unemployment! And the federal 10% withholding option is really good to know about. I'll set that up immediately when I'm approved so I don't get hit with a surprise bill.

Same, I would have had no idea about this. Adding it to my mental checklist for when I get my award letter.

my friend had to pay back like $600 at tax time cause she didn't do the withholding. definitely set it up from the start

This is so helpful, thank you for sharing! $385 sounds about right based on what others have said. Feeling slightly less panicked now.

Really appreciate these real examples. Numbers from actual people are way more reassuring than trying to decipher the EDD formula.

Totally. And remind your neighbor or yourself - the job search requirement is 3 verified employer contacts per week logged in CalJOBS. Don't skip that, it's auditable and failing it can trigger a disqualification.

EDD's own website is notoriously hard to navigate. This is basically the reason forums like this exist lol

Agreed. And when the website is confusing and the phone line is impossible to reach, it feels like you're just supposed to figure it out alone. At least there's some community here.

Great question. EDD uses wages subject to SDI (State Disability Insurance) deductions, which are generally the same as your gross wages before voluntary deductions like health insurance premiums. So the $700 gross figure is typically what would be used, not your reduced taxable amount. Your W-2 box 16 (state wages) is usually the most reliable number to reference.

Perfect, that's what I was hoping to hear. So the health insurance premium pre-tax deduction doesn't reduce my calculated benefit. Good to know.

These practical tips are gold. Especially the screenshot one - I never would have thought to do that but it makes total sense as a backup if something gets disputed.

The CalJOBS logging tip is huge. I was planning to do it all at the end of each week on Sunday. Definitely changing that habit.

Yeah EDD's system flags job search entries that all get logged at the same time on the same date. It looks suspicious even if you genuinely did do all your contacts that day. Log them in real time and you'll never have an issue.

Speaking of issues - even with perfect documentation, sometimes claims get stuck or flagged anyway. Keep the Claimyr number handy (claimyr.com) for those moments because waiting on hold with EDD for 3+ hours hoping to get through is just not realistic when you're already stressed

Yes it does change. California EDD uses what's called the earnings disregard formula - you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction. Earnings above that threshold reduce your benefit dollar-for-dollar. So if your WBA is $380, you could earn up to $95 in a week with no reduction, and anything above that comes off your benefit. You still need to report ALL earnings honestly on your weekly cert regardless.

So basically if I make too much in a part time job I might not get much benefit that week but I should still certify and report it all correctly?

Exactly right. Always certify, always report accurately. Failing to report earnings is considered fraud and the penalties are severe - they can disqualify you, require repayment of everything received, and add penalty weeks on top of that.

The partial benefit thing really is worth it financially though. Do the math each week but usually working part time and collecting a partial benefit is better than just collecting full benefit alone.

The myEDD portal goes down fairly regularly, especially Sunday nights and Monday mornings when everyone is doing their weekly certs. Try filing at an off-peak time - mid-morning Tuesday through Thursday seems most reliable.

Good to know. I've been trying right at 8am Monday which is apparently the worst possible time lol. Will try Wednesday morning.

If you're having technical issues that are truly preventing filing and you're worried about your effective date, that's worth a call to EDD to document. Your claim date being delayed due to documented system issues can sometimes be adjusted. Another case where getting through to a live agent (via Claimyr or otherwise) actually matters.

Good luck! Make sure to file your first weekly certification starting next week even before you're approved - some people wait and then lose that week of benefits. The week after your filing date counts even during the pending period.

So glad you updated! Keep us posted. Following this thread since I'm in the same boat.

You've got this. The first 3 weeks of waiting are the hardest. After that it becomes pretty routine. Good luck with the job search!