How to reactivate EDD claim with remaining balance after irregular contract work?

You need to reopen your claim, not file a new one. Log into UI Online, and on your homepage there should be an option that says 'Reopen Claim.' If your benefit year hasn't expired (which is 12 months from when you first filed), you can access those remaining funds. Just follow the prompts to reopen, answer the eligibility questions, and you should be able to start certifying again. The system will pick up with your remaining balance. Make sure you have your work history for those months you weren't claiming ready, as they'll ask about that.

i had the EXACT same thing happen with my restaurant job. took some gigs bartending private events but now thats dried up. on the homepage theres a tiny blue button that says reopen claim. easy to miss. took me like 5 tries to find it lol

Just to add some clarification - what you're experiencing is completely normal for those with irregular or contract work. The technical term for what you need to do is 'reactivate a dormant claim.' Your original claim becomes dormant when you earn over your weekly benefit amount (WBA) for a certain period. As others mentioned, you'll see a 'Reopen Claim' button on your UI Online homepage. Once you click that, you'll need to: 1. Update your employment information since you last certified 2. Answer standard eligibility questions 3. Verify your contact information 4. Submit the form After submission, you should be able to certify for benefits again within 1-2 days. And yes, there is typically a one-week unpaid waiting period when you reactivate, unless that was already satisfied during your initial claim period (which it sounds like it was in your case). If you're having trouble finding the option online, I'd recommend trying to contact EDD directly. I know the phone lines are frustrating, but there's a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that can help you get through to an EDD representative faster. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. I used it when I had a similar issue with my claim and was able to speak with someone same-day.

Are you sure there's still money left? When I had unemployment last year I thought I had funds left but turns out I was looking at the wrong screen. Check under 'Claim Summary' not the homepage to see your TRUE remaining balance. Lots of people think they have money left when they don't.

THE EDD SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE YOU!!! They make it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to figure out how to reopen a claim because they don't want to pay you! I had the EXACT same situation and called 47 TIMES before getting through. When I finally spoke to someone they acted like it was so simple but the website is deliberately confusing. They'll probably try to disqualify you for some random reason too. Document EVERYTHING and take screenshots of EVERY page when you reopen!!

I think I'm having a similar situation!!! I was getting unemployment after being laid off from my teaching job, then got some substitute teaching work that paid more than my weekly benefit amount, but now summer break started and no more subbing jobs available... I tried to reopen my claim but got an error saying 'cannot process your request at this time' and now I'm totally confused about what to do next. Has anyone seen this error before??

I want to highlight something important that hasn't been mentioned yet: When you reopen your claim, make sure you're prepared to meet the current work search requirements. Unlike during the pandemic when these were relaxed, you now need to document at least 3 work search activities per week. These can include applying for jobs, networking, updating your resume, attending job fairs, etc. EDD has been conducting more eligibility interviews lately, especially for reopened claims, so keep good records of your work search efforts.