If I quit can I file for unemployment in California EDD?

Wait so the phone interview is the main thing? I didn't realize EDD actually calls you for that. Does it say when on the DE 4800 or do I just have to wait by the phone all day?

The DE 4800 notice has the date and time printed on it, and that same time shows on your UI Online homepage. The interviewer phones at that time so just keep your phone with you. If something comes up and you can't do it, contact EDD at least a day before to try to move it.

Agreed that the interview is the key step. The reason you quit is literally what EDD is deciding on, so being clear and specific in that interview matters a lot.

So when I fill out the application, should I be as detailed as possible about the schedule stuff or keep it short?

From what I gathered, be honest and specific. Write down actual dates or examples if you can. Vague answers leave EDD with less to work with when they're deciding.

Specific is definitely the way to go. The more concrete you are about what happened and when, the better your interview goes.

Adjudication just means they're deciding if you qualify right? Like it's not the same as an appeal?

Exactly, different things. Adjudication is EDD figuring out if you should be getting benefits at all, usually before any money moves. An appeal is what you do after they've made a decision and you disagree with it. Easy to mix those up.

I mixed those up too when I first applied, thought I needed to appeal right away when really I just needed to wait for EDD to finish their review first.

That actually clears something up for me. I saw someone say to file an appeal immediately but that sounds like they were confusing the two things.

I did try to talk to my manager twice about the schedule changes but nothing was ever written down. Would that hurt me?

Verbal conversations still count, you just describe them in your interview. Names, rough dates, what was said. Not having it in writing is not automatically a problem, it just means your word against theirs which EDD considers along with everything else.

Saved copies of my texts to my manager about the hour cuts and it actually came up in my interview. Having something in writing genuinely helps when they're on the fence.

I did that already luckily. It asked me to take photos of my license and do a selfie, it was kind of annoying but I got through it same day.

Good because that step causes so many delays when people skip it or run into issues. Getting it done early takes one potential holdup off the table.

ID.me tripped me up too. My phone camera quality was apparently an issue and EDD mailed me a DE 1326C to do it another way. Keep an eye on your mail after applying just in case.

My coworker told me my old boss could basically veto my claim if he wanted to. Glad that's wrong because I was really worried about it.

Super common misconception. The employer can respond within 10 days of the notice EDD sends them, but they're not approving or denying anything. EDD makes the call after looking at both sides.

My old company tried to make it sound like they'd fight my claim when I left. Ended up not making a difference in the final determination at all.

I haven't gotten that letter yet, I just applied a few days ago. So the DE 429Z comes before they even decide if I qualify?

Yes it comes during processing and shows what the claim could pay if you're approved, based on your wages. It's not the green light itself. For a quit, the green light only comes after EDD finishes the eligibility review.

Tripped me up too on my first claim years ago. I thought the DE 429Z was an approval letter and stopped worrying. Then the interview happened and I actually had to explain everything.

Makes sense. I'm definitely actively looking, already applied to a few places this week.

That's the right move. Keep track of where you've applied even if EDD doesn't require a specific log, just so you can speak to it if anything comes up.

The available and able to work part is especially important if you had health stuff or personal reasons tied to why you quit. EDD will want to know you can actually take a job now.

Does the waiting week count toward the 26 weeks or is it extra?

It's counted as the first week of your claim so it does take up one of the 26 weeks, but it's unpaid. Your total benefit amount stays the same, you just don't get paid for that first week.

So I should expect to not see any money for probably a month after applying, between processing time and the waiting week?

Roughly, yeah. Three weeks to process and then the waiting week on top means the first actual payment takes a while. That's normal, it's not a sign something went wrong.

How long did it take to actually get someone on the line? I've called a few times and just get the busy signal.

The claimyr.com site explains the process pretty well. For me the whole thing was faster than I expected and I had an actual conversation with an EDD rep who pulled up my claim on their end.

The EDD phone line being impossible to get through is the most universal experience in this whole thread. I've tried calling right at 8am and still got the busy signal three times in a row.

I haven't gotten that notice yet but I'll watch for it. What do you actually post as a resume if you've only had one job for years?

Just make it honest, your work history, skills, whatever you've done. It doesn't need to be elaborate. The point is that it's posted and your registration is active.

EDD will tell you if you don't need to register, like if you're union or in certain situations. But if you get the DE 8405, don't sit on it.

What happens if you miss the 30 days? Is it completely over?

You can still file a late appeal but you have to explain why you missed the deadline. It's harder. The straightforward path is submitting within the 30 days if at all possible.

Even if you miss it isn't necessarily over but the whole process gets more complicated. Keep that date circled.

Mine went from 38 hours a week down to 14 over about two months. That feels significant to me but I'm nervous EDD won't see it that way.

That's a substantial cut, not minor. Document it as clearly as you can, old schedule vs. new schedule with dates. That's exactly the kind of thing that matters in the interview.

Hour reductions that size definitely get taken seriously. The key is laying it out factually in the interview without it sounding like a complaint.

Can you correct stuff after submitting? I'm worried I may have written my manager's name wrong in the employer contact section.

You can send EDD a message through your UI Online account to flag a correction, or call them. The sooner the better though because if the error causes a problem in processing it's easier to fix early.

Address accuracy matters especially because that's how EDD reaches your former employer. If that's off it can cause delays.

So many people get blindsided by the federal tax part at the end of the year. The 10 percent withholding option is worth using if you don't want a surprise bill.

Okay noted. I'll definitely opt into the withholding, I don't want to deal with owing money later on top of everything else.

I don't have an overpayment issue but good to know that it doesn't automatically block a new claim.

Right, it's separate from your current eligibility determination. But it'll follow the account so it's better to know what's there than be surprised later.

I applied four days after my last day, is that okay? Did I lose Monday through Wednesday?

The claim starts Sunday of the week you apply, so if you applied on a Thursday, your claim starts that Monday. You didn't lose anything beyond maybe a few days depending on when exactly you left vs. when you applied.

This is one of those things EDD really should make clearer upfront. The start date being the Sunday of application week surprises almost everyone.

EDD's position is that severance paid under a company plan or policy doesn't get treated the same way as regular wages for UI purposes, so it doesn't automatically disqualify you from benefits. You still report it when you certify, the certification will ask, and EDD decides how it applies to your specific situation.

So I should report it even though it might not reduce my payment?

Yes, report it. The certification asks for income earned and severance is on that list. EDD handles the determination on how it affects your payment. Don't skip it hoping it goes unnoticed.

You can also file right away even if you have severance coming. No need to wait until the severance is paid out before submitting your application.

This whole thread has honestly been more helpful than anything I found on EDD's actual website. Thank you everyone.

The EDD site does have an Unemployment Benefit Calculator that at least lets you estimate what your weekly amount might be before the DE 429Z arrives. Worth checking so the number isn't a total surprise.

The calculator doesn't tell you if you'll be approved, just what you might get if you are. For quit claims especially, eligibility is the main unknown until after the interview.

That's really reassuring. So pending doesn't always mean something is wrong or missing?

Exactly what the agent said. For quit claims, pending is basically the normal state until EDD completes the interview and makes the eligibility decision. It's not a flag that something broke.

Pending being the default state for quit claims is not communicated clearly enough anywhere. People panic when they see it thinking they made an error.