How to register with CalJOBS works for California EDD unemployment requirements

Oh thank goodness they get it automatically! I was worried I'd have to call EDD to confirm and we all know how that goes lol. So any resume works, even if it's pretty basic?

agreed the resume requirement trips a lot of people up but yeah even a one page resume satisfies it

Wait I thought you only had to register with CalJOBS if EDD specifically told you to? Like not everyone has to do it?

This breakdown is really helpful thank you. So I don't need to actively apply for jobs through CalJOBS itself to satisfy the EDD requirement, right? I'm already doing my job searches independently.

this is correct. caljobs registration and actively using caljobs are two different things. edd just wants to see you're in the system

I messed this up initially and my claim got flagged. Make sure the resume you upload actually has your name and contact info on it, mine got rejected because I uploaded a generic template I forgot to fill out completely lmao

Adjudication just from a CalJOBS registration issue?? That's terrifying. Good to know Claimyr exists in case something like that happens to me.

ugh adjudication over something so minor is so frustrating. the EDD phone system is absolutely broken

I've heard of Claimyr too, my coworker used it when her claim got stuck and said it worked well for getting through to an actual person at EDD

Not everyone gets the requirement at the same time. It depends on your claim type and how EDD processes your file. Some people get the notice right away, some get it weeks in, some are placed on standby status which exempts them. Check your UI Online account for any pending issues or notices.

ok I just checked and there's nothing flagged on my account so I think I'm ok? but now I'm paranoid

Same situation here, been claiming for two months with no CalJOBS notice. I think if EDD needed it from you they would have flagged it by now. Don't manufacture problems lol

Oh that's a really useful tip about the PDF size! I was going to upload a Word doc. Does it accept .docx files at all?

it claims to accept docx but in my experience PDF is way more reliable. just convert it first

the timeout issue is real. I recommend doing the registration in one sitting with all your info ready to go rather than trying to save and come back to it

I was actually laid off permanently so standby doesn't apply to me, but this is good info for anyone reading who might be in that situation

wait so if you're on standby you don't have to do the job search stuff at all?? how do you apply for standby status?

You apply through UI Online under the claim management section. Your employer typically needs to provide a return-to-work date within 60 days. EDD reviews and approves or denies it. It's not automatic.

standby status was a lifesaver for me when my company did a temporary shutdown. highly recommend if you qualify

The browser tip is SO helpful, I was using Safari and having weird issues. Switching to Chrome now

chrome worked way better for me too. safari on the edd and caljobs sites is always a disaster

Using the built-in resume builder is actually good advice from an EDD compliance standpoint. The system definitively marks your profile as having a resume when you use the builder, whereas uploaded files sometimes don't trigger that flag properly in older versions of the interface.

lmaooo the EDD notices are written by people who have clearly never had to actually use the system they're describing

100% agree. I called EDD just to get clarification on a similar notice and even the agent I spoke with gave me confusing information about whether CalJOBS and AJCC registration are the same thing or different things. (They are the same thing btw, AJCC is just the umbrella term for the physical job centers and CalJOBS is the online portal

This is exactly my experience too! The notice I got mentioned AJCC and I had no idea that meant I needed to go to caljobs.ca.gov. Very frustrating communication from EDD.

Smart advice! Taking a screenshot right now as I'm going through the process

Great point. Also screenshot or print your CalJOBS profile page showing your resume is listed as active. That's the specific thing EDD checks.

does the caljobs system send you any confirmation email? or just the on-screen confirmation?

wait is it 3 contacts per week now?? I thought it was 1 per week. oh god

Yes, the current requirement is 3 job search activities per week for most claimants. This was updated after the pandemic-era suspensions ended. Check your Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award letter, it should specify your requirement.

I've definitely not been logging 3 contacts per week. my whole claim might be screwed

If you haven't been meeting job search requirements you should contact EDD to understand your options. In some cases if you had a good faith misunderstanding of the requirement there's a process to address it, but you want to handle it proactively rather than wait for EDD to discover it.

Oh I definitely would have skipped those since they seemed optional! Filling them in now

good tip. I also made sure to put in realistic wage expectations rather than leaving it blank. not sure if that matters for edd compliance but figured it couldn't hurt

I'm going to try this because I've genuinely given up on ever getting through to EDD through normal channels

how long does it take to actually get connected once you use claimyr?

In my experience it was about 2 hours but I've seen people say anywhere from 1-4 hours depending on call volume. Still way better than never getting through at all.

I didn't know there could be an in-person component to this! So far I've only gotten the notice about CalJOBS online registration. Hopefully it stays that way.

The in-person orientation is called a Re-Employment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) appointment. Not everyone gets one, it's somewhat random but tends to target people who've been claiming for several weeks. If you get a notice you absolutely must attend or contact EDD immediately to reschedule.

wait I got a letter about RESEA a while back and I thought it was optional... is it not optional??

It is NOT optional. RESEA is mandatory and missing it without rescheduling can result in disqualification from benefits. You need to call EDD or the number on that letter ASAP if you haven't responded yet.

It really is. And EDD provides almost no proactive guidance, you have to figure most of this out yourself or from forums like this one

100% agree, this forum has been more helpful than anything EDD has communicated to me directly

this is good advice. the site glitches constantly. I log back in every couple days just to confirm my stuff is still there

I'll definitely do a follow-up check. Thanks for the tip!

For EDD compliance purposes, the initial registration is the main requirement. However if you do gig or part-time work you need to report those earnings on your weekly certification regardless of CalJOBS. The CalJOBS profile is more about your job seeker status, not tracking your earnings.

That said, keeping CalJOBS updated is generally good practice especially if you do want to use it as an actual job search tool. But from a pure EDD compliance standpoint the initial complete registration is what triggers the requirement being met.

ok that's a relief, I was worried I'd have to update it constantly

Thank you!! I was looking all over for where to upload the resume and couldn't find it. Going to check the sidebar now

they keep moving things around on that site and it's infuriating

this is really reassuring to hear about the proactive reporting thing. going to try to reach EDD this week about my job search issue

does proactive reporting actually work? I feel like EDD doesn't care and disqualifies people regardless

It genuinely does make a difference in my experience and from what I've read. EDD has formal discretion in how they handle good faith compliance failures vs. willful non-compliance. It doesn't guarantee anything but it's significantly better than waiting.

Agreed, I self-reported a job search issue once and the agent noted my account and it never turned into an adjudication. Proactive communication with EDD is always the right move even when it's hard to get through to them.

Great news! Make sure to check back in 48 hours to confirm everything still shows correctly in the system. Good luck with your claim!

congrats! the system is terrible but you got through it

Glad it worked out. And now you know about Claimyr if you ever hit a snag that requires actually talking to someone at EDD!

Yay! Glad this thread was helpful. The CalJOBS registration really isn't explained well by EDD anywhere so threads like this are honestly essential.