I was told that " You are not eligible to receive benefits. You must have earned at least $300 from which SDI deductions were withheld during a previous period."   this makes no sense as I have worked enough in the past 15 years at a credible company.  I haven't worked for the past 2 years but I thought I was still eligible.

I found a way to solve EDD eligibility calculation issues, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHOq5Oh3RRY

Edd calculated for the last 18 months. If you stop working before August, 2019, you may not eligible. When was your last date of work?

To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

Hi Sarah! The SDI (State Disability Insurance) requirement you mentioned is actually for disability benefits, not regular unemployment benefits. For regular UI benefits in California, you need to have earned wages during your "base period" - which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. Since you haven't worked in 2 years, you likely don't have sufficient recent earnings in that base period to qualify. You might want to ask EDD about using an "alternate base period" (the last 4 completed quarters) if that would include more recent work history. It's worth speaking with another EDD representative to clarify exactly which type of benefits you're applying for.

I'm dealing with a similar situation and found that EDD's eligibility requirements can be really confusing. From what I've learned, the key issue is that California unemployment benefits are based on wages earned during a specific "base period" - usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. If you haven't worked in 2 years, that base period likely shows zero or very low wages, which would disqualify you regardless of your work history from 15 years ago. The good news is that you can request to use an "alternate base period" (the most recent 4 completed quarters), though if your last work was still over 2 years ago, that might not help either. I'd recommend calling EDD back and specifically asking about: 1) Which base period they're using for your claim, 2) If you can switch to the alternate base period, and 3) Getting clarification on whether they're referring to regular UI benefits or disability benefits with that SDI message. Sometimes different agents give clearer explanations. Don't give up - it's worth getting a second opinion from another EDD representative!