If I quit my job to move to another city can I collect unemployment in California?

This is really helpful thank you. I do have my partner's offer letter and we have a signed lease in San Diego. I didn't really do much job searching in Sacramento before we left though - is that going to hurt me badly? We only had about 3 weeks notice before my partner had to start.

the good cause thing is real, my sister went through something similar. she got approved but it took like 6 weeks in adjudication before they made a decision

Worth noting that 'good cause' in California UI law is defined under Section 1256 of the Unemployment Insurance Code. Following a spouse to new employment is one of the most commonly cited good cause reasons and California EDD adjudicators are generally familiar with these cases. The short notice period you mentioned (3 weeks) actually works somewhat in your favor because it demonstrates you couldn't realistically have maintained employment while completing the relocation.

It just went quiet. I check UI Online every day and it says adjudication in progress. No letters, no calls, nothing. How am I supposed to know if they need something from me??

yeah that's exactly what happened to me both times. the first time i missed a letter they sent asking questions and it delayed everything another month. check your SDI Online messages too not just your regular mail

Check your UI Online inbox AND your physical mail every single day during adjudication. California EDD will send a Notice of Determination when they make a decision. If they need info from you they may send a questionnaire - if you miss responding to that it can result in automatic denial.

I've been trying to call California EDD for two weeks and can't get through to anyone. Does Claimyr actually work? I don't want to waste more time on something that won't help

It worked for me and two people I know who went through adjudication. You just use claimyr.com and it basically navigates the phone system and holds your place in line. When an agent is available it calls you back. It's not magic but it's a lot better than calling yourself and getting the busy signal or disconnect message.

second this - used it last year when my claim was stuck and the agent i talked to actually flagged that my interview hadn't been scheduled yet which would've delayed things even more. definitely check out the video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10

Actually no - since the OP worked in California and paid into California's UI system, they file with California EDD regardless of where they're currently living. Unemployment benefits are tied to where you WORKED, not where you currently reside. They can live in San Diego and still collect California benefits because California was the base period state.

oh wow i didn't know that makes sense i guess. so you file in the state you worked in not where you live now

yep this is correct. i moved out of state after leaving my california job and still filed and collected from california edd. you just have to meet california's eligibility requirements including the job search stuff

This gives me so much hope honestly. Did they give you back pay for the weeks you were waiting during adjudication?

Yes! Once approved the benefits went back to my initial claim date so I got all the weeks I'd been certified for. Make sure you keep filing your weekly certifications even while in adjudication - if you stop filing you could lose those weeks.

Oh no I didn't know I was supposed to keep certifying during adjudication. I filed the initial claim but haven't done any weekly certs because I thought I had to wait for them to approve first. Is it too late??

File your weekly certifications immediately - you can still go back and certify for past weeks in UI Online. There may be a limit on how far back you can go (usually a few weeks) so do this TODAY. Do not wait. This is really important.

The distinction California EDD makes is whether the move was necessary to maintain the family unit and whether the new employment was the primary driver of the relocation. If someone moved to a place where their partner simply wanted to live (not for new employment) that would likely be denied. But if the partner received a new job offer that required relocation, that's a much stronger case for good cause.

yeah that probably explains my cousin's situation then. they moved to be closer to the partner who was already established there, not because the partner got a new job specifically

Sacramento to San Diego is like 8 hours, definitely can't commute that. That seems like it should be obvious but I'll include the documentation anyway. I didn't know I could upload documents directly to UI Online - I'll do that today.

Yes upload everything you have. The adjudicator may not even call you if the documentation is thorough enough to make the decision without an interview. Distance is clearly documented but put it in writing as part of your statement so there's no ambiguity in your file.

this is actually really good advice. when I uploaded stuff to my UI Online they made a decision way faster than my first adjudication where I just waited

Wait I'm definitely doing the job search - I've been applying everywhere since we got here. But I didn't know I needed to keep a formal log. I've been tracking things in a notes app on my phone, is that enough or does it need to be in a specific format?

No specific format required - your notes app works fine as long as you're recording the employer name, job title, date of contact, and method (applied online, emailed resume, etc.). Some people use a spreadsheet. California EDD has a sample job search record on their website too if you want a template. The key is just having the documentation if they ever ask for it.

also make sure you're registered with CalJOBS if you haven't already. that's usually required as part of the job search requirements in california and you need to do it within a certain number of weeks of filing your claim

Exactly this. I've done nothing wrong, I made a legitimate life decision for my family and now I'm being made to feel like a criminal for asking for help I paid into for 6 years.

Six years of contributions and then the moment you need it they make you jump through hoops. I hope your adjudication resolves quickly. Mine is going on week 4.

Have either of you tried calling California EDD directly to check status? I know it's nearly impossible but that's actually where Claimyr (claimyr.com) helped me - I used it when my adjudication was dragging on and the agent I reached was able to tell me what was actually happening with my claim and whether there was anything pending on my end. Way better than just staring at the UI Online status screen.

Thank you for explaining this so clearly. I did have a brief conversation with my manager about whether I could work remotely and she said it wasn't possible in my role (I was in warehouse operations). I have a text message from her where she says remote isn't feasible for the position. Would that count as documenting my attempt to find alternatives?

That text message could be very valuable - it shows you explored alternatives and were told it wasn't possible. Save that and consider including a summary of that conversation in your written statement to California EDD. It directly addresses one of the key questions adjudicators ask in voluntary quit cases.

see i thought if you quit for ANY reason you just automatically don't get unemployment. didn't know there were exceptions built into the law like that

That's reassuring to hear. Did you have to do anything while waiting or just certify your weeks?

Just certified every two weeks and checked mail obsessively. They called me once to ask a couple clarifying questions and then about a week later I got the approval notice. Try not to catastrophize - easier said than done I know lol

The 30 day appeal window is really important to know, thank you. I'll mark my calendar. And I'm uploading documents today.

Good. And genuinely consider trying to speak with a California EDD agent before any decision comes through - if there's missing documentation they can sometimes flag it so you can upload before a denial rather than after. That's ultimately why I tried Claimyr.com when I was in your situation - I got connected to an agent who confirmed my file was complete and told me approximately when my case would be reviewed. It didn't speed things up dramatically but it gave me peace of mind and confirmed I wasn't waiting for nothing.

seconding this - talking to an actual agent during adjudication is underrated. most people just wait passively when a 10 minute phone call could reveal something that changes your outcome

My departure was completely clean - I gave proper notice, left on good terms, and my manager even said she was happy for us even if sad to lose me. So I don't think they'd contest anything, but good to know this is part of the process.

Sounds like you're in good shape then. Clean exits with documented good cause are usually approved. The contested ones that drag on forever tend to involve employers trying to reclassify voluntary quits as misconduct-based terminations to protect their UI tax rates.

This is an important point. Your employer has direct financial incentive to contest UI claims because approved claims can affect their UI tax rate. Even if your manager was supportive in person, the company's HR or legal team may respond differently to the California EDD questionnaire. It's not common in straightforward relocation cases but worth being aware of.

This is genuinely the most reassuring thing I've read in this whole thread. Thank you so much for weighing in. I feel a lot better about my chances now.

Just make sure your documentation is organized and uploaded. And if you do get denied, don't accept it as final - appeal immediately. The CUIAB hears a lot of spousal relocation cases and the bar for good cause is lower at the appeals level than people expect. Many claims denied initially get reversed on appeal.

genuinely didn't know you could appeal a california edd denial. i thought denial meant done. this thread has been super educational

Job search requirements technically apply from the time you file your claim, not from when you get approved. If you're approved for past weeks during adjudication those weeks can be audited for job search compliance. That said, California EDD primarily verifies job search activities for current weeks going forward. The safest approach is to conduct and document job searches from day one.

ugh that's annoying. so basically you have to do all the work as if you're approved even when you don't know if you will be. makes sense i guess just frustrating

Think of it this way - if you DO get approved you want every week you've been waiting to be payable, not just the weeks after approval. That could be thousands of dollars difference depending on how long adjudication takes. Doing the job search from the start protects all those weeks.

The chat option is limited in what it can actually do - it's mostly an automated system that can answer general questions but can't access your specific claim information. For anything claim-specific like adjudication status you really do need to speak with a live agent by phone. That's why getting through on the phone (however you manage it) is so important for people waiting in adjudication.

ugh that's what i was afraid of. so the chat is basically just a FAQ bot that doesn't know anything about your actual situation

Yeah the chat is useless for real claim issues. Phone is the only way to get actual answers about your specific claim. The call volume is brutal though - that's why I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) after two weeks of calling manually and getting nowhere. The video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 shows how it works if you're curious.

This is great! You've done everything right. Fingers crossed for a quick resolution - with that documentation package I'd be genuinely surprised if they deny you.

Great work. Now the hard part - waiting. Keep certifying every two weeks without fail and watch your mail closely. You should be in good shape.

Well documented voluntary quit for spousal relocation with clear timeline and remote work denial. If I were betting I'd bet on approval. Come back and update us!

rooting for you!! hope it comes through fast