How to report retroactive pay from old employer on EDD certification?

Yes, you need to report this as wages for the week you RECEIVED it, not when you earned it. EDD certification asks about wages when they were paid to you, not when the work was performed. So if you got that $70 check this week, you'll report it in this certification period. There's a section where you can add additional information to explain it's retroactive pay from 2023.

Actually, this depends on whether it's considered "wages" by EDD definition. Retroactive pay adjustments might be classified differently. When I had a similar situation (got backpay from prevailing wage adjustment), I called EDD directly and the rep told me how to specifically report it. Better safe than sorry!

Oh no, now I'm really worried. I've been trying to call EDD for 2 days but keep getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and it hangs up. Is there any specific section on the certification form where I should explain this situation? I really don't want to make a mistake.

Here's the official answer according to EDD guidelines: Retroactive pay adjustments should be reported as wages for the week you receive them, not when you earned them. On the certification form question "Did you work or earn any money, whether you were paid or not?" - answer YES. Report the gross amount (before deductions). In the comment section at the end of certification, briefly explain "$70 retroactive pay adjustment from 2023 employment." This small amount will likely reduce your weekly benefit amount for just this certification period using their partial benefit calculation formula.

idk why everyones making this so complicated. just put it down as wages for the week u got paid. thats all. edd dont care when u did the work they only care when u get the $$

this happened to my sister last yr and she just reported it as wages for that week. they never said anything about it so i guess it was fine?? the edd website is SO confusing

Actually I just looked this up in the EDD Claimant Handbook to be sure. For retroactive pay increases (like your situation), you report it for the week you RECEIVE it. But there's a difference between "back pay" (like from a settlement) and "retroactive pay increase" (like your situation). For your $70 adjustment, just report as wages in the week received and explain briefly. Since it's a small amount, it might not even impact your benefits depending on your weekly benefit amount and the partial benefit formula.

Just wanted to add - if you're still worried about reporting it correctly, you can also check your online EDD account under "Payment History" after you certify. If there are any issues with how you reported the income, they'll usually send you a notice or it will show up in your account messages. I've found that being transparent and adding explanations (like you plan to do) goes a long way with EDD. They're more concerned about people who don't report income at all than those who make good faith efforts to report everything correctly.

I had a similar situation last month with retroactive pay from a previous employer. What I did was report it as wages for the week I received the payment, and in the additional comments section I wrote something like "Retroactive pay adjustment from [Company Name] for work performed in 2023 - $70 gross." The key thing is to be upfront about it. EDD prefers transparency over trying to hide income. My benefits were reduced slightly for that one week based on their partial benefit calculation, but it didn't affect future weeks. The amount was small enough that it didn't cause any major issues. One tip: keep documentation of the payment (pay stub, letter from employer explaining the adjustment, etc.) in case EDD ever asks for clarification later. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around!

I've been following this thread and wanted to share something that might help others in similar situations. I work for a labor advocacy organization and we help people navigate EDD issues regularly. For retroactive pay adjustments like yours, the consensus here is correct - report it for the week you receive payment, not when the work was performed. However, I'd recommend one additional step: if possible, contact your former employer and ask them to provide a brief letter or email explaining that this was a retroactive wage adjustment for work performed in 2023. This documentation can be incredibly valuable if EDD ever questions the payment later. Also, since you mentioned this was a "difference in pay rate," make sure the employer correctly reports this on your W-2 for tax year 2024 (since that's when you actually received it). Sometimes employers get confused about which tax year to assign retroactive payments to. The $70 amount is relatively small, so it shouldn't cause major benefit disruptions, but having that paper trail will give you peace of mind. Good luck with your certification!

I've been in a very similar situation and want to share what worked for me. I received a retroactive pay adjustment of about $120 from my previous employer for work done in 2022, and I was terrified of making a mistake on my certification. Here's exactly what I did that worked without any issues: 1. Reported it as wages for the week I actually received the payment 2. In the comments section, I wrote: "Retroactive wage adjustment from [Company Name] - $120 gross for 2022 work period" 3. Kept all documentation (pay stub, email from HR explaining the adjustment) 4. My benefits were reduced for just that one week using EDD's partial benefit formula The whole process went smoothly, and EDD never questioned it. The key is being completely transparent and providing that brief explanation in the comments. Don't overthink it - you're doing the right thing by reporting it and explaining what it is. EDD deals with these situations all the time, and as long as you're upfront about it, you should be fine. One last tip: if you're still nervous about it, you can always call the EDD technical support line (not the claims line) - they're usually less busy and can give you guidance on how to properly report different types of income on your certification.

I went through this exact situation a few months ago and wanted to share what I learned. The most important thing is to be completely transparent with EDD - they're much more understanding when you're upfront about unusual income situations. For your $70 retroactive pay, here's what you should do: 1. Report it as wages for the week you received the payment (not when you originally worked) 2. In the certification comments section, write something like: "Retroactive wage adjustment from [Former Employer Name] - $70 gross for work performed in 2023" 3. Keep your pay stub and any documentation from your employer Since it's only $70, it will likely just reduce your benefits for that one week according to EDD's partial benefit formula. The amount is small enough that it shouldn't cause any red flags or major issues. I also recommend taking a screenshot of your completed certification before submitting, just in case you need to reference what you reported later. EDD appreciates honesty, and your proactive approach to reporting this correctly shows good faith compliance with their requirements.

I've been dealing with EDD certifications for over a year now and want to add one more perspective that might help. The consensus here is absolutely correct - report it for the week you received it with an explanation in the comments. But here's something I learned the hard way: if you're ever unsure about ANY income reporting in the future, EDD actually has a really helpful feature in your online account. Under the "Contact EDD" section, there's an option to send secure messages about certification questions. I've used this a few times when I had unusual income situations, and they usually respond within 3-5 business days with specific guidance for your situation. It's much easier than trying to get through on the phone, and you get the answer in writing which is great for your records. For your current situation though, you're definitely on the right track - report as wages, explain it clearly, and keep your documentation. The $70 amount is small enough that it shouldn't cause any major disruption to your benefits. Also wanted to mention that EDD's partial benefit calculator is available on their website if you want to estimate how this might affect your weekly benefit amount. It can help set your expectations for that week's payment.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! As someone who's new to dealing with EDD and was really stressed about making a mistake, all of your advice has been incredibly helpful. The step-by-step guidance, specific wording suggestions for the comments section, and tips about documentation have given me so much confidence. It's clear that the consensus is to report the $70 as wages for the week I received it and explain it's a retroactive adjustment from 2023 in the comments. I especially appreciate the suggestions about keeping screenshots of my certification and reaching out to my former employer for documentation. This community is amazing - you've all turned what felt like a scary situation into something manageable. I'll definitely be paying it forward by helping others when I can. Thanks again everyone!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I received about $85 in retroactive pay from my former employer last week for work I did in early 2024. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - I was also worried about reporting it wrong and getting in trouble. Based on everything everyone has shared here, it sounds like the key is just being transparent and providing a clear explanation. I'm planning to follow the same approach: report it as wages for the week I received it and add a note in the comments section explaining it's retroactive pay from my previous employer. It's reassuring to see so many people who have successfully handled similar situations. The advice about keeping documentation and taking screenshots of the certification is really smart too. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made this so much less stressful!

I've been following this discussion and wanted to add something that might be helpful for future situations like this. After dealing with several unusual income reporting scenarios myself, I've learned that EDD actually has a really useful resource that not many people know about - their "DE 4581 Handbook for Unemployment Insurance Claimants" which you can find on their website. It has specific examples of how to report different types of income, including retroactive pay situations. For your $70 retroactive adjustment, you're absolutely doing the right thing by reporting it transparently. One small addition to the great advice already given: when you write your explanation in the comments, consider including the specific pay period the retroactive adjustment covers (if you know it). For example: "Retroactive wage adjustment from [Company Name] for pay period [dates] in 2023 - $70 gross." This extra detail can help prevent any follow-up questions from EDD. Also, just a heads up - sometimes these retroactive adjustments can take a few weeks to show up properly in EDD's system calculations, so don't be surprised if your benefit calculation looks a bit off initially. It usually corrects itself, but it's worth keeping an eye on. You've got this!