If I file for unemployment in California who actually pays for it?

this is really helpful thank you. so my employer can't like refuse to pay or block my claim?

Your employer can contest your claim - they have the right to respond when EDD notifies them. If they claim you were fired for misconduct rather than laid off, EDD will investigate and you might end up in adjudication. But if it was a genuine layoff due to downsizing like you said, they really shouldn't have grounds to fight it successfully.

my old job tried to fight my claim and said i quit voluntarily but i have all the emails showing the layoff notice so EDD ruled in my favor. definitely save any documentation you have about the layoff

oh wow i didn't realize those were two separate things. so i should be filing for UI not SDI?

correct! since you were laid off you want UI. SDI would only come into play if you had a medical condition preventing you from working. File through UI Online on the EDD website.

yeah people mix these up all the time. UI = laid off or no work. SDI = sick or injured and can't work. Both through EDD but totally different programs with different funding sources

that actually makes a lot of sense when you put it that way. i'm going to go file tonight

same thing happened to me when i got laid off from my warehouse job two years ago. just make sure you have your employment history ready and your last employer's address and EIN if you have it

EIN you can usually find on your W-2 from last year! that was a lifesaver tip someone gave me when i was filing

adjudication is when they investigate whether you qualify right? that sounds stressful. good to know there are options if i hit a wall trying to call

ugh yes calling EDD is the worst. i've heard of claimyr before. did it actually get you to a real person or just leave you on hold?

got me to a real live EDD agent. the whole adjudication thing got cleared up in that one call once I could actually explain what happened with documentation of my layoff

bookmarking this just in case. i'm filing this week and really hoping i don't need it but good to have a backup plan if the phone situation is as bad as people say

wait the max is only $450/week? that seems really low for california cost of living

it is pretty low honestly. the maximum changes periodically but California's UI max hasn't kept up with inflation or cost of living. it's enough to help bridge the gap but not really enough to fully replace most people's income, especially in the bay area or LA

this is why it's important to file ASAP after a layoff - there's a 7 day waiting period before benefits start and you don't want to delay that any further than necessary

wait there's a waiting period? does that mean i won't get paid for the first week?

yes there's a one week unpaid waiting period in California - it's the first week of your eligible claim period. so file as soon as possible to get that clock started

you're right i'm overthinking this lol. filing tonight

THIS. so many people don't file because they're confused or intimidated. if you were laid off you almost certainly qualify. just file

honestly i did feel a little weird about it, like i was costing my old company money. but the way you frame it makes total sense

please never feel bad about filing. this is literally what the program exists for. your employer has been paying those taxes for years for this exact purpose

yeah the guilt thing is real. i felt the same way first time i had to file. but it's not welfare, it's insurance that your employer paid into on your behalf

the 18 months of work history part - do i need to remember exact start and end dates?

approximately is fine, EDD can verify with employers. but try to be as accurate as possible, especially for the most recent employer

also have your EIN ready if possible - it's on your W-2. not absolutely required but helpful

oh wow i had no idea about the weekly certifications. that's really important to know

this is such a critical point. so many people file the initial claim and then don't realize they have to certify every week. the money doesn't just automatically come

also the job search requirement - in California you're required to conduct job search activities each week you certify. usually 3 job search activities per week. keep a log because EDD can audit this

3 job search activities per week, got it. does applying online count as one activity?

yes applying for a job counts as one activity. also things like attending a job fair, creating a profile on a job site, or doing an interview count. just document everything with dates

this is actually really useful info. i had no idea they used a specific quarter rather than just averaging your whole salary

yeah it trips people up. sometimes people's benefit amount is higher or lower than they expected based on which quarter was their highest. you can roughly calculate it ahead of time using the EDD benefit calculator on their website

the base period thing can also be tricky if you just started a new job before being laid off - your base period might mostly reflect a lower-paying previous job

the phone access issue at EDD is SO real. I've heard so many stories about people waiting weeks just to talk to a human

it's genuinely terrible. the hold times are insane and half the time you get disconnected after waiting an hour. having some way to actually get through made a huge difference for my brother's situation

really hoping my claim goes smoothly since it's a clean layoff but good to know there are options

yes you can do some freelance/part time work but you have to report all earnings when you certify each week. EDD will reduce your weekly benefit by a portion of what you earned - it's not dollar for dollar so you can still come out ahead doing some work. don't hide any earnings because that's fraud and the penalties are serious

ok good to know. and do i have to report if someone just pays me cash?

yes you absolutely have to report ALL income regardless of how it's paid. EDD has ways of cross-referencing and if you're caught not reporting cash payments that's considered UI fraud which can result in having to repay benefits plus penalties

also worth knowing - if you earn more than your weekly benefit amount in a given week you get $0 for that week but your claim stays active. so it's not like doing well one week disqualifies you entirely

wait CalJOBS is separate from the EDD website? so i have to register in two different places?

yes unfortunately. UI Online on edd.ca.gov is where you file and certify. CalJOBS on caljobs.ca.gov is where you register for job services. They're both part of the California employment system but different sites. Just do both when you're setting up

yep this. i didn't do the CalJOBS thing right away and got a notice about it. nothing bad happened but better to just do it upfront

this is true - California's UI trust fund has been in debt to the federal government before. it's a systemic issue with how the fund is managed but for individual claimants it doesn't really matter - your benefits are still paid

right exactly. just interesting context for people who wonder about the mechanics

not a dumb question at all! no credit check, no means test. UI is not based on financial need - it's based on your work history and earnings. you could have a million dollars in savings and still qualify for UI if you were laid off and meet the earnings requirements. it's insurance, not welfare

oh wow that's so different from what i assumed. i thought they'd check if you 'needed' it

very common misconception. UI is an earned benefit based on your work history and the taxes paid on your wages. financial situation doesn't factor into eligibility at all

appreciate the heads up! hopefully everything goes through fine but i'll keep this in my back pocket

yeah logistics and warehouse layoffs are generally clean and shouldn't trigger adjudication but if an employer contests it having a way to reach a live EDD agent is crucial

oh i didn't know there was an EDD debit card option. i'll probably just do direct deposit to my own account

yeah direct deposit to your own bank is definitely easier. the debit card option is there if you don't have a bank account but direct deposit is simpler

took like 3 days for direct deposit to hit after certification for me. way faster than waiting for the card in the mail

you self-certify when you do your weekly certification - you check boxes saying you did your job search activities. EDD does conduct random audits though where they can ask you to provide your job search log with details like company name, position, how you applied, date. so keep a real record even if they don't always check

ok that's what i thought, just wanted to confirm. keeping a spreadsheet seems like the smart move

spreadsheet is exactly what i do. company, position title, date, how applied (online/email/in person). takes 2 minutes to fill in and if you ever get audited you're completely covered

EDD's official requirement is 3 job search activities per week. keeping documentation is just smart practice regardless of whether you're audited - it also helps you stay organized in your actual job search