Is California EDD unemployment based on income or hours worked?

Ok so if my highest quarter I made around $8,000 that's what they base it off of? And does tips count as income for this calculation?

Tips count IF they were reported on your W-2 as taxable wages. Unfortunately, unreported tips won't factor in. For the $8k quarter, you'd divide by 13 weeks to get your average weekly wage, then multiply by about 0.6-0.7 to estimate your WBA. Ballpark you might see somewhere around $370-$420 per week.

This is really helpful info. I always thought it was based on hours which is why I never bothered filing before when I got laid off from part time jobs. Wish I'd known this sooner.

Yeah I figured he was wrong, he's also the type to say you can just call EDD anytime and get someone on the phone immediately lmaooo

HAHA yeah that's definitely not reality. Getting through to an actual EDD agent is practically a part-time job itself.

Facts. I spent three days straight trying to get through and kept getting the 'we cannot take your call' message. It's brutal.

How do I know which one EDD is using for my claim? Does it say somewhere in UI Online?

Once your claim is processed you can usually see your base period wages in your UI Online account. EDD is supposed to use whichever period results in a valid claim, but it doesn't always hurt to double check. If you think there's an error you can call them — though getting through is another challenge entirely.

I had this exact issue with the alternate base period and could not for the life of me get anyone at EDD to explain which calculation they used. Took forever to sort out.

Wait this actually works? I've been dreading having to call EDD. Does it work for people who just filed or do you need to already have a claim in progress?

Worked for me when I was maybe two weeks into my claim. The agent I reached could pull up my whole wage history and base period info right on her screen and explain it. So yeah should work for someone freshly filed.

I've heard of Claimyr but was always nervous to try it. Good to hear a real experience. The EDD phone system is absolutely impossible to navigate on your own.

Bookmarking claimyr.com for when I inevitably need to call EDD about something. Their hold system is no joke.

Oh wow I didn't know about a minimum. I'm pretty sure I cleared $1,300 in my best quarter so hopefully I'm fine. Do they tell you if you don't qualify or does it just show up as denied?

EDD will mail you a Notice of Computation showing your base period wages and calculated WBA. If you don't meet the minimum they send a denial notice explaining why. Either way you'll get something in the mail within a couple weeks of filing.

I got denied once because I was just barely under the threshold. It was devastating. Make sure you're counting ALL reported wages not just one job if you held multiple.

Oh that's actually really good to know! I did some catering gigs through a staffing agency on top of my restaurant job. So those wages would get included too?

yes as long as those employers paid into the UI system (which staffing agencies usually do) those wages count. i think independent contractor stuff doesn't count though

Correct — only W-2 wages from employers who paid into California's UI fund count. 1099 independent contractor income doesn't factor into your base period calculation unfortunately.

Completely agree. $215 a week in California??? That's not even rent for a week in most cities.

The cap at $450 is also kind of a joke when you consider California's cost of living. Someone making six figures gets capped at the same as someone making $40k. At least the lower earners get the proportional benefit I guess but yeah the whole thing is underfunded.

This is making me realize even if I get approved it might not be as much as I hoped. Still better than nothing while I job search I suppose.

Good point — I've been putting off filing because I wasn't sure I'd qualify. Maybe I should just go ahead and do it so the clock starts.

Exactly. Filing doesn't cost you anything if you don't qualify. And if you do qualify you don't want to miss out on weeks you were eligible for. You can only backdate claims in limited circumstances so don't wait too long.

THIS. I waited two weeks thinking I might find another job fast and ended up not being able to collect for those first two weeks. Just file.

Thank you for sharing actual numbers, this is really helpful! $392 seems decent. How long did approval take for you?

I think about 3 weeks from filing to first payment. Had about a week in adjudication which scared me but resolved on its own. Keep certifying every two weeks no matter what even if your claim is pending.

The 'keep certifying even while pending' advice is SO important. I almost stopped because I thought there was no point. Those certifications still count and you get backpaid once approved.

How do you request that? Is it through UI Online or do you have to call?

You can submit a written request or sometimes get it through your UI Online account. Honestly calling is faster if you can get through. That's when I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach an agent — my wage record issue was too complicated to resolve online. Check out https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 if you want to see how it works before trying it. Agent I spoke with fixed the wage discrepancy right on the call.

Wage record errors are more common than people think. Always worth verifying especially if you had multiple employers or worked for a smaller business that might not have reported everything correctly.

Overtime pay is just counted as regular wages for EDD purposes. There's no separate treatment — it all goes into your gross wages for that quarter. So yes, a quarter where you worked tons of OT would show higher wages and could become your highest quarter used for the calculation. That's actually a benefit for people with variable hours who had one really heavy quarter.

Oh that's actually really good news for me. I had one quarter last year where I worked like 65 hour weeks for two months and made way more than usual. Hopefully that becomes my high quarter.

Yep and that's why some seasonal workers or people in industries with crunch periods can actually get decent benefit amounts even if their annual income seems moderate overall.

Good luck!! I'm going to file today too after reading all this. Feel way more prepared now.

Go go go! Don't wait another day. Every week you delay is potentially money left on the table depending on how backdating works for your situation.

Good luck to both of you. The UI Online filing system is actually pretty straightforward once you start. Have your employment history for the last 18 months ready and your Social Security number. Should take under 30 minutes.

Yes, California EDD reduces your WBA if you earn wages during a certification week, but it's not dollar for dollar. EDD uses a formula where you keep $25 or 25% of your WBA (whichever is greater) as a disregard before they start deducting. So working part time doesn't necessarily disqualify you, it just reduces that week's benefit. Always report ALL earnings honestly on your weekly certification.

ok good so it doesn't completely kill my benefits. i was afraid even picking up one shift would make me ineligible for the whole week

Never ever don't report wages. Seriously. EDD crosschecks with employers and if they catch unreported wages you get hit with an overpayment plus potential fraud penalties. Not worth it at all.

Third time I've seen Claimyr mentioned in this thread so I guess I'll finally look into it. EDD phone lines are genuinely one of the most stressful parts of this whole process.

Yeah after three weeks of struggling I think I'm going to need to talk to someone directly about my specific situation. Going to check out that video.

It's legitimately the best option for complex account-specific questions. Generic questions you can sometimes find online but anything involving your actual claim details requires a real agent.

All my wages were properly reported, I got W-2s from both my jobs. But good point for others reading this who might be in less formal arrangements.

Yeah W-2s are your confirmation that wages were properly reported. If you're ever unsure you can compare your W-2 wages to what EDD shows in your wage record — they should match closely.

I never knew there was a total cap like that. So if I get $300/week I'd have up to $7,800 total for the year?

Exactly right. 26 weeks times your WBA. Some benefit years the legislature has extended this during high unemployment periods but currently it's the standard 26 weeks.

26 weeks goes by faster than you think too especially if adjudication eats up some of the early weeks. Start job searching seriously from day one regardless of benefits.

Temporary layoff is still a valid qualifying reason for unemployment and it doesn't change your benefit amount calculation — that's still based purely on your base period wages. The main difference is you might be placed on 'standby' status if your employer expects to rehire you within a specific timeframe, which can exempt you from some of the normal job search requirements. Ask your employer if they can provide a return-to-work date and mention standby status when you talk to EDD.

Oh interesting I didn't know about standby status. So I might not have to be doing the regular job search activities? That would be helpful since I'm expecting to go back anyway.

Standby status is great when it applies but you have to actually request it and have your employer confirm the anticipated recall date. Don't just assume you're on standby — confirm it with EDD. In the meantime keep certifying and if they ask about job search just answer accurately based on your actual status at the time.

Seriously this community helped me go from totally confused to feeling like I actually understand what I'm doing. Thank you everyone who answered questions here.

Same, came in knowing nothing and leaving actually prepared to file properly. Rare for an internet forum lol

california edd stuff is so confusing and the official website isn't always the clearest. real people explaining it in plain language is just better