How much will my California EDD unemployment be? Trying to figure out my weekly benefit amount

Wait so the max is really only $450 per week? That seems really low compared to what I was making. Is there any way to get more than that or is $450 the hard ceiling for everyone in California?

Unfortunately yes, $450 is the current cap regardless of how high your wages were. California's max WBA hasn't kept pace with cost of living which is a frustration a lot of claimants have. Some states index their max to average wages but California doesn't. Your WBA will be calculated and shown on your award notice once the claim processes.

this is why i always tell people to have savings lol unemployment is never going to replace your full income especially in california where everything costs so much

Oh I didn't know they had a calculator! Going to look that up right now. Thank you so much this is actually super helpful.

The calculator is decent but sometimes it's off slightly from what EDD actually determines because of how they round figures and factor in certain wage types. Still gives you a good ballpark though.

does the calculator work if you had multiple employers during the base period? i had three different jobs last year

I've been trying to call EDD too and can never get through. I'll check out that Claimyr thing, thanks for the tip. Did the agent give you a definitive number or just an estimate?

They gave me the actual calculated amount that ended up matching my award letter exactly. The agent could see everything in the system. Definitely worth it if you need real answers fast rather than waiting on the letter.

gonna look into claimyr too bc i have been calling edd for two weeks straight and haven't talked to a single human being yet

I was skeptical when someone mentioned this to me but I tried it and it actually works. Got through to EDD in a way I never could on my own. The agent confirmed my weekly amount AND answered a question about my base period I'd been confused about for days.

The formula is actually the same whether you worked part time or full time - it's based on your actual quarterly wages regardless. Part time workers will naturally have lower quarterly earnings which results in a lower WBA, but the calculation method itself doesn't change. There's no separate formula for part-timers.

ok that makes sense. so it's literally just about how much you earned not how many hours you worked per week

Exactly right. Two people could both work 20 hours a week but if one earns $15/hr and one earns $30/hr their WBA will be different because their quarterly wages were different. Hours don't directly factor in, dollars do.

Oh wow I didn't know that could happen. I did get a couple of bonuses last year that were pretty substantial. Should I preemptively send in my pay stubs or just wait to see what the award letter says?

I'd wait for the award letter first - no point creating extra paperwork if the numbers match. But keep your pay stubs from the last 18 months handy just in case you need to dispute anything.

this happened to me!! my WBA was like $80 less than i expected and when i looked into it one of my employers had underreported my wages. took almost 3 weeks to get corrected but it did get fixed eventually

You're partially right but the calculation is a bit more specific than that. It's roughly 60-70% of your average WEEKLY wage during your highest earning quarter, and the result is your weekly benefit amount. Also there's the $450 weekly cap to factor in. So someone making $3000/month would get approximately $450/week because their weekly average of ~$750 would calculate to more than the cap.

ohhh ok so the cap is really the thing that matters for most full time workers in california. that's kind of frustrating honestly

yeah the cap is basically a flat rate for anyone who made decent money. california really needs to update that number its been the same for a while

This is really helpful context. So if I get a part time job that pays less than my WBA, can I still collect partial benefits for the weeks I work part time? Or do I have to be completely unemployed?

Great question - yes, California EDD has partial claim provisions. If you work part time and earn less than your WBA, you can report those earnings on your weekly certification and receive a reduced benefit for that week. You have to report every dollar you earn honestly though. The partial benefit formula subtracts 25% of your earnings from your WBA, so it's actually pretty favorable.

To add to that - the partial claim rules are one of California's better UI features. Definitely take any part time work you can find and don't avoid it thinking you'll lose all your benefits. Report everything accurately and you'll be fine.

Self employment income generally does NOT count toward your base period wages for regular UI purposes in California. Regular UI is based on W2 wages reported by employers to EDD. Your freelance/1099 income won't be included in the calculation. However, this also means you only need those W2 wages to meet the minimum earnings threshold for eligibility.

ok good to know. my W2 income should be enough on its own i was just curious. thanks

Just to be precise about what counts - only wages where your employer paid into California's UI tax system count toward your base period. Standard W2 employees have this automatically. Independent contractors and self-employed individuals are in a different category entirely for UI purposes.

10 days is actually not that bad. I was worried it would take weeks. Did your claim go straight through or did it get held up in adjudication at all?

Mine went straight through thank goodness. I know some people end up in adjudication which delays everything. Fingers crossed yours is the same!

mine took almost 3 weeks for the award letter and then i had separate questions about the base period calculation that i couldn't get answered without reaching someone at EDD. eventually got through using Claimyr at claimyr.com - the agent walked me through exactly how my quarters were calculated which was super helpful

I've been at my current job for about 2.5 years so I think the standard base period should cover me just fine. But this is good to know for other people in this thread.

Yeah for someone with steady employment it's rarely an issue. More relevant for people who just entered the workforce, returned from a break, or had significant time between jobs.

the alternate base period saved my claim when i filed two years ago. i had been in school for a semester and my standard base period barely had any wages in it. definitely worth knowing about

Oh wow I had no idea about this. Thank you for bringing it up. So I should fill out DE 4S to have state taxes withheld? And for federal I just need to set aside money myself or can I request withholding from EDD for that too?

For federal you'd use form W-4V to request voluntary withholding. EDD can withhold 10% for federal. Honestly most people just prefer to manage it themselves but both options exist. The main thing is just DON'T forget that this income gets reported on your taxes.

This is really important advice. I'd suggest setting aside at least 25-30% of your benefits in a separate account if you're not doing withholding. Better to have extra at tax time than a surprise bill.

YES it has been terrible for me too. keeps logging me out randomly

The EDD website has been intermittently having issues. Try clearing your cache and cookies, and if you're using Chrome try switching to a different browser. Also avoid trying to access it during peak hours like Monday mornings when everyone is filing their weekly certifications simultaneously.

switching browsers actually helped, thanks. still annoying tho

Wait seriously? So I basically just lose that first week of benefits? That seems unfair given that I was laid off through no fault of my own.

Yeah it's frustrating but it's how California UI works. The waiting week isn't compensable but you still have to certify for it. Think of it as week 1 of your benefit year that just doesn't come with a payment.

i didn't know this when i filed and i didn't certify for my waiting week and EDD made me call in to sort it out. do NOT skip certifying for the waiting week even though you won't get paid for it

That sounds incredibly stressful. How did you eventually get it resolved? Did you just wait or did you proactively do anything to push it through?

I submitted a written statement through UI Online explaining the circumstances and attached some emails from my supervisor confirming the layoff. I also tried calling EDD repeatedly to check status and eventually used Claimyr to get through to an actual agent who confirmed my documents had been received and told me the case was moving. Having that confirmation really helped my anxiety during the wait.

Employer disputes are unfortunately common and they almost always delay the WBA determination too because EDD won't finalize the benefit calculation until they resolve the eligibility question. The advice to document everything from day one is spot on.

This is the summary I needed. $1,800/month is tight for a mortgage and two kids but it's workable for a few months while I job search. Thank you everyone in this thread, you've all been incredibly helpful. I feel way less panicked now than I did this morning.

Good luck with the job search. Definitely use your time on benefits wisely - CalJOBS registration is required and you need to complete at least three job search activities per week and log them. Don't let that slip because EDD does periodically audit job search records.

Also remember you can check your UI Online account regularly - once your claim processes the award notice info typically populates there digitally before the physical letter arrives. And if you run into any issues with the claim or need to speak to someone, the Claimyr approach at claimyr.com others mentioned is genuinely the most reliable way to reach an EDD phone rep right now given how hard it is to get through on regular lines.

The WBA EDD shows you is gross - before any withholding. If you've set up tax withholding through DE 4S or W-4V, your actual deposit will be less. If you didn't set up withholding, your deposit should match the WBA amount but you'll owe taxes when you file your return. California unemployment benefits are subject to federal income tax (reported on 1099-G) but are NOT subject to California state income tax, which is a small silver lining.

oh interesting i didn't realize CA unemployment isn't taxed at the state level. good to know

Yep this is correct. Federal yes, California state no. So when people say set aside money for taxes, really it's the federal portion you need to worry about.

Just did it and got a number that seems to line up with what people have been telling me in this thread. Feeling way more prepared now. Thank you for nudging me to actually just go do it!

glad it helped! the waiting is the worst part of all this. hope your claim comes through fast

just tried it too, really helpful tool. wish EDD made it more visible on their main page instead of buried

Already set up direct deposit to my own bank when I filed, good to know that was the right call.

Perfect, you're ahead of the game then. Most people figure that out after their first payment lands on the debit card they didn't ask for.

100% agree on the direct deposit recommendation. the EDD debit card worked but i switched to direct bank deposit after my first payment and it was much smoother

Glad it helped someone else too! This community has been really supportive. Good luck with your claim.

thank you! going to check out that Claimyr thing too just in case i need to reach EDD at some point. the horror stories about not being able to get through are stressing me out preemptively

It's genuinely useful to have as a backup - claimyr.com - especially during the first few weeks when you have questions about your new claim that you want answered before the award letter arrives. The video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 shows exactly what to expect. Hope your claim goes smoothly!