If I get fired can I collect unemployment in California EDD?

This is really reassuring thank you. So the adjudication is basically them fact-checking the reason I was fired? I was worried that status meant I was already being denied.

Exactly right — adjudication just means they're gathering information. It's a neutral investigation status, not a denial. You should receive a questionnaire or phone interview request from California EDD soon. Respond to everything they send you.

same happened to me they said performance issues too and i still got approved, hang in there

What counts as misconduct exactly? I keep seeing that word and I want to understand what threshold I need to be below to qualify.

Under California unemployment law misconduct means a willful or wanton disregard of your employer's interests — like intentionally violating a known policy, showing up drunk, theft, insubordination, harassment, stuff like that. 'Not performing well enough' or 'not meeting productivity targets' is almost never misconduct unless you were deliberately sandbagging. The fact that you got decent reviews before termination is a big point in your favor.

I had an adjudication interview and honestly just told the truth and answered their questions simply. Don't overthink it or volunteer extra information beyond what they ask.

Wait is this actually legit? I've been trying to call EDD for days and I can't get through to anyone. Every time I call the automated system just tells me call volume is too high and hangs up.

100% legit, I was skeptical too but it worked. The site is claimyr.com — just check out the video first so you know what you're signing up for. It was the only thing that worked for me after weeks of trying.

gonna try this I've been losing my mind trying to reach someone at EDD for my own claim issue

SAME. The EDD phone system is an absolute nightmare. Every single day I call and get the busy signal message. How is this acceptable in 2025 lol

Generally no — excessive absences due to illness usually don't rise to the level of misconduct for unemployment purposes unless you were given clear warnings, called out fraudulently, or violated a specific written attendance policy while knowing it would result in termination AND did it anyway recklessly. Even then California EDD tends to look at whether the absences were for legitimate reasons. Your 'friend' should file and go through the adjudication process.

ok thanks yeah definitely asking for a friend haha

I got fired for attendance and still got approved for unemployment so yeah it's possible

I actually do have my last two performance reviews saved in my email, they were both rated 'meets expectations.' Is that enough documentation?

That's actually really good evidence. 'Meets expectations' ratings directly contradict a claim that you were fired for performance-based misconduct. Screenshot those emails and save them somewhere safe outside your work email if you haven't already — companies often revoke email access immediately after termination.

Oh wow I didn't even think about that. Just downloaded everything to my personal account. Thank you!

Wait I need to keep filing weekly certifications even while the adjudication is pending?? I didn't realize that, I thought I just wait for them to decide. How do I file if I don't even have a claim number yet?

If you submitted your initial claim you should have a claim number. Log into UI Online and it should show you the option to certify for weeks. If it doesn't show up yet wait a few days after your claim confirmation — sometimes it takes a bit. But YES file every week no matter what.

This is correct and important. Missing weekly certifications during adjudication is one of the most common costly mistakes people make. You won't be paid for any week you don't certify even if your claim gets approved retroactively.

I learned this the hard way and lost 3 weeks of benefits because nobody told me. PLEASE listen to this advice.

Not a culture' fit 😂 I feel that. Did you have to do an interview with EDD or did they just decide on theirown?

I got a call from an EDD interviewer and it was like 20 minutes of questions about my job duties, what happened, whether I had any warnings. Just stay calm and answer honestly. They're not trying to trick you.

Yes this is actually a separate legal doctrine called 'constructive discharge' or in California EDD terms it's often filed as a quit 'with good cause.' If your employer made working conditions so intolerable that any reasonable person would have quit — harassment, unpaid wages, a hostile work environment, unsafe conditions — you may still qualify for unemployment. But the burden is on you to prove the conditions were that bad, and California EDD scrutinizes voluntary quit claims heavily. You'd want to document everything that pushed you out.

Ok thank you. My manager was straight up bullying me and HR did nothing after I reported it twice. I have the HR complaint emails saved. Does that help?

Those HR complaint records are exactly what you'd need to support a constructive discharge claim. File your claim honestly explaining why you left and be specific about the conditions — dates, what happened, that you reported it and nothing was done. That paper trail matters a lot.

This is super helpful framing. I honestly don't know what the 'final incident' even was — they just called me into a meeting and said they were letting me go. Is that a problem if I don't have a specific incident to point to?

Actually that works in your favor. If there was no specific incident serious enough to trigger immediate termination, it makes it harder for the employer to point to actual misconduct. 'We decided to let you go' without a documented triggering event is pretty weak evidence of disqualifying misconduct.

Exactly this. Vague terminations with no documented cause are among the most commonly approved adjudication cases for fired workers. EDD needs specifics to disqualify you and if your employer can't provide them you'll likely be approved.

7 weeks?? That is terrifying. Glad you finally got some answers. I'm going to check out Claimyr because I literally cannot keep calling and getting hung up on.

California EDD making people wait 7 weeks with no communication while they have no income is genuinely cruel. The system is designed to exhaust people into giving up on their claims.

That's honestly what I think too. But don't give up. Keep certifying every week and try to actually reach someone if you can.

7 weeks is rough. Mine was 5 and I thought I was gonna lose it. Did they give you any timeline estimate?

I didn't know you could upload documents directly to UI Online. Where do I find that option?

Log in to UI Online, go to your claim, and look for an 'Upload Documents' or 'Inbox' section. It might depend on your claim status whether it's visible. If you can't find it you can also mail documents to EDD but online is faster.

Uploading a personal written statement is actually a good practice. It creates a record in your file that an EDD analyst will see when reviewing your case. Be factual and unemotional in the writing — just state what happened without editorializing.

Yes this is correct — adjudication is automatic for terminated employees in California because EDD has to verify the reason for separation before approving benefits. It's not a signal that things are going badly, it's just the standard process.

yeah he definitely deserved to get denied lol he was dumb about it. but yeah the process still took weeks even for an obvious case

What does the appeal hearing actually look like? Is it like court?

It's more informal than court — it's called a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. Usually happens by phone now. You explain your side, your employer can participate, the ALJ asks questions, and they make a decision. You can represent yourself, you don't need a lawyer although some people bring one.

Appeal win rates for claimants who actually show up and have documentation are surprisingly high. The employer often doesn't even bother to respond or show up, and if they don't appear you almost always win by default. Don't give up if you get a denial.

ok fine you've all convinced me I'm gonna try it. been calling EDD for like 2 weeks straight

Do it. Worst case it doesn't work but it definitely worked for multiple people in this thread

I tried it earlier today after seeing it mentioned in this thread. Actually got through to someone. The agent confirmed my adjudication is pending employer response and told me I should hear something within 2 weeks. I feel so much better just knowing what's actually going on.

Oh god I've been letting unknown numbers go to voicemail lately because of spam calls. I'm going to stop doing that immediately.

yes answer EVERYTHING. you can also call back if you miss it but having to reschedule adds so much delay. the agent I spoke to said they often only have limited appointment windows

Adding to this — if you have a scheduled phone interview time, be somewhere quiet with good cell service. If the call drops or you can't hear them well it creates problems.

Employers are notified when a former employee files a UI claim against their account — that's how they can choose to contest it. But they don't receive information about your weekly benefit amount or total benefit award. They receive a Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed and can respond to contest the claim, that's essentially the extent of their involvement unless there's an appeal hearing.

ok thanks that's what I wanted to know. worried about drama with my old job but I guess they just know I filed

Also worth knowing: employers' UI tax rates can be affected by former employee claims, which is why some employers contest even legitimate claims aggressively. Don't take it personally if they fight back — it's usually about their bottom line not anything personal.

That sounds like it went really well honestly. The fact that you had no written warnings and satisfactory reviews — and told that story clearly — is strong. Good luck, hoping to hear good news from you.

rooting for you!! come back and update when you hear

everything you described sounds exactly like my situation and I got approved. fingers crossed for you 🤞

please come back and update this thread, it'll help the next person who finds this googling the same question