How to sign up for unemployment in California EDD – first time filing and confused

Thank you so much this is really helpful! One question – if I don't have my last employer's EIN handy, will it hold up my application? I think it might be on my pay stub but I'm not 100% sure where to look.

The EIN is usually in the top section of your pay stub or on your W2 form in box b. If you genuinely can't find it you can still submit without it, but try to find it first. California EDD uses it to verify your employment so having it ready speeds things up.

also check any offer letters or employee paperwork you signed when you started the job, sometimes the EIN is on those too

Oh wow I didn't realize that, I've been putting it off because I was scared of doing something wrong. Filing today for sure.

THIS. I waited almost 2 weeks to file after my layoff because I was nervous and I basically just lost two weeks of benefits. File immediately even if you don't have everything perfect.

Exactly. The claim effective date is based on when you file, not when you lost your job. California EDD is pretty strict about this.

I really hope I don't need to call but it's good to know this exists. Bookmarking just in case!

I've heard of claimyr before, did it actually work for you or is it one of those things that sounds good but doesn't deliver

It definitely worked for me. I needed to clarify something about a previous employer and the agent I spoke with was actually helpful. The whole thing with waiting on hold forever is what kills people's nerves when filing unemployment, so having a service that handles that part is genuinely useful.

gonna save this link too, I'm about to file for the first time and I'm already dreading having to call EDD if something goes wrong

Definitely laid off, my whole department got cut. Is there anything specific I should say in the reason box or just keep it simple?

Keep it simple and factual. Something like 'position eliminated due to company restructuring' or 'laid off due to reduction in workforce.' Don't over-explain. California EDD just needs to verify with your employer that it was a no-fault separation.

the letter thing is SO important. my roommate threw away a California EDD letter thinking it was junk mail and had to go through a whole process to reset everything. open every single piece of mail from them

Yes, California EDD moved everything to their myEDD portal a few years back. You create a myEDD account, then inside the portal you initiate the actual UI claim. It's a bit of an extra step but the account lets you check your claim status, certify weekly, and get messages from EDD all in one place.

ok that makes more sense i guess. is the website actually working these days? last time i tried using edd.ca.gov it kept erroring out on me

It's been pretty functional lately but still has occasional hiccups. Try using Chrome or Firefox, and avoid filing on weekends when traffic is highest if you can.

If you have W2 wages in your base period (the 12-18 months before your claim date), you should file and let California EDD determine your eligibility based on those W2 earnings. The 1099 income generally won't count toward your UI benefit amount, but the W2 work might be enough to establish a valid claim depending on how much you earned and for how long.

Ok that's actually reassuring. I was afraid they'd just reject me outright because of the contractor stuff. I'll file and see what they say.

Definitely still worth filing even with the mixed work history. California EDD will calculate your benefit based on your highest earning quarter in the base period from W2 wages. Worst they can say is you don't qualify, but you'll only know if you apply.

Wait so I have to do something every two weeks even after I'm approved?? Nobody told me this. What happens during certification, is it just like a yes/no questionnaire?

Pretty much yes – it's a series of questions asking if you worked during that period, if you were available and looking for work, did you refuse any job offers, stuff like that. Takes maybe 5 minutes. You can do it through UI Online or the EDD Tele-Cert phone line. Just don't miss your window – California EDD gives you a specific period to certify and if you miss it you have to contact them to reopen it.

The UI Online certification is way easier than calling in honestly. Set a calendar reminder for your certification dates and it becomes second nature after the first time.

For a straightforward claim with no issues, California EDD aims for payment within about 3 weeks of filing. The timeline breakdown is roughly: 1 week for your claim to process and get approved, then there's a mandatory 1-week unpaid waiting period (you still certify for it, you just don't get paid for that week), then payment for the next certification period. However if your claim goes into adjudication – meaning EDD needs to investigate something like the reason for your job separation – it can take significantly longer, sometimes 4-8 weeks or more.

ok so 3 weeks is the best case scenario. that's rough if you're already behind on bills. is there any way to speed it up?

Not really a way to speed up the approval process itself, but making sure your claim is filled out accurately and completely is the best thing you can do to avoid adjudication delays. Any inconsistency between what you report and what your employer reports can trigger a hold on your claim.

Also make sure your ID verification is done ASAP. California EDD now requires identity verification through ID.me before they'll release your first payment. Check your myEDD inbox for any pending to-do items right after you file.

DO IT! Seriously every day you wait is money you're not getting. The application itself isn't that bad, it's mainly the waiting afterwards that's hard. You got this.

ok I started it. On step 3 of the application right now. It's actually not as bad as I thought so far??

lol the actual filing part is the easy part. it's everything that comes AFTER that can get frustrating. but good luck, hopefully your claim goes through without any issues

This is great advice honestly, taking screenshots of each page as I go through.

Yes! Also screenshot the final confirmation page. I've heard of cases where people were sure they submitted successfully but EDD had no record of it. The confirmation page with your claim number is proof it went through.

Seconding this 100%. Also when you call EDD always write down the name of whoever you speak to and the date and time. If an agent tells you something that later turns out to be wrong, having that documented helps when you need to escalate.

Not a dumb question at all. Approximate dates are fine, just try to be as close as possible. California EDD cross-references with your employer's records anyway, so minor discrepancies in dates generally won't cause problems. The more important things to get right are the employer name, your reason for leaving, and whether you earned wages there.

Ok that's a relief. I was worried about the dates mostly. I know the months just not always the exact day.

Month and year is usually sufficient for the employment history section. Don't let trying to get the exact dates perfectly right delay you from filing – California EDD will figure out the specifics when they verify with your employers.

Is 8am actually better? I've heard people say noon is better because early morning is when everyone calls. Maybe that's wrong though

In my experience 8am is consistently better. The noon theory might make sense logically but I've had way more success at opening time. That said, every day is different with EDD – some days I've gotten through at 2pm no problem, other days can't get through at any hour.

I've literally never gotten through to EDD on the phone on my first try. Sometimes 10+ calls in a row before I get through. The Claimyr thing sounds honestly appealing just to avoid that stress.

What kind of ID do they accept? I have a driver's license but it's actually expired by like 2 months. Will that be a problem?

Expired IDs are typically not accepted for ID.me verification. You'd want to use a passport, military ID, or get your license renewed. Or there's an in-person verification option at certain locations if you're stuck – you'd have to check the ID.me website for locations near you.

This is really helpful to know, I'll make sure to have my license ready and do the ID.me thing immediately after submitting my claim.

Yes the session timeout issue is real. The myEDD portal times out after about 20 minutes of inactivity I believe. Best to gather all your documents before you start so you can fill out the whole application in one shot.

exactly, I had to restart twice because I kept stopping to look things up. third time I just had everything already written out on paper and it took like 25 minutes straight through no problem

YES the UI Online portal is genuinely confusing. The confirmation page exists but it's not very prominent. Look for a confirmation number – if you see that, your claim was submitted. If you only see something that says 'your application has been saved,' that means it's still a draft.

Oh ok, I did get a confirmation number so I think I'm good. Just was confused because it didn't seem as final as I expected.

Also check your email – California EDD sends a confirmation email when you successfully file a claim. If you got the email you definitely submitted successfully.

Ugh that sounds awful, 7 weeks is a long time to wait. Did you end up getting all your back pay for those weeks once it was resolved?

Yes, once adjudication was resolved in my favor I got all the weeks I'd certified for paid out at once. The money was there, just frozen while California EDD investigated. So certify every two weeks no matter what, even if your claim is in adjudication – you want those weeks on record.

This is a really important point. Never stop certifying even if your claim is in adjudication or your payments are on hold. If you stop certifying you lose those weeks permanently. California EDD can retroactively pay all the weeks you certified for once the issue is resolved.

Yes, the UI Online portal works on mobile browsers. It's not a native app but you can navigate it on your phone. The application isn't the most mobile-friendly design ever but it's definitely doable. Just make sure you have a stable connection and have all your info ready before you start since the session timeout issue applies on mobile too.

ok good to know, I was worried I'd have to go to a library or something. gonna try on my phone today

There's also the EDD app but last I checked it's mainly for certifying for weeks, not for initially filing a claim. The initial claim still needs to be done through the full website portal even on mobile.

Wait I have to be actively applying to jobs even while collecting unemployment? I knew about it vaguely but didn't realize it was that formal with logging requirements.

Yes, it's a real requirement. You need to log your job search contacts on your CalJOBS account or keep your own records. California EDD can ask for proof at any time and if you can't provide documentation of your job search activities, you can be disqualified and potentially face an overpayment.

The job search requirement is 3 activities per week in California. This can include submitting applications, attending job fairs, doing employment interviews, or certain job training activities. Just keep a log with the employer name, date, method of contact, and position applied for and you'll be fine.

Great news! Keep certifying on schedule once you're approved and hopefully it all goes smoothly. If you run into any issues getting through to EDD by phone, remember Claimyr (claimyr.com) – saved me a ton of stress when I had a question mid-claim that I couldn't get answered any other way.

Will definitely keep that in mind! I'm cautiously optimistic things will go ok but knowing there's a backup option if I can't get through to EDD by phone is really reassuring.

Good luck!! The first few weeks are a little nerve-wracking but once everything is set up and you're just certifying every two weeks it becomes pretty routine. Hope your claim sails through with no issues.

Congrats on getting it done! Remember to note your certification dates and set reminders. The two-week certification schedule can sneak up on you especially in the beginning.