Laid off due to job relocation to another state - can I get EDD benefits?

Yes, you should be eligible for unemployment in this situation. Being asked to relocate to another state is considered a \

Thank you so much for this clarification! I was worried they'd say I quit voluntarily by not going to VA. Should I wait until I'm officially let go before applying for benefits? And what if they say I declined other opportunities by not interviewing for other positions?

i had something simlar happen last yr. company moved to arizona and i couldnt go. EDD approved me no problem but they did call my employer to verify. just be honest about everything and save any emails they sent u about the restructuring as proof

That's reassuring to hear someone else went through this! Did you interview for other positions before they let you go or did you just take the severance? I'm trying to figure out the best approach here.

MAKE SURE YOU GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING!! My company tried to pull this same trick by saying they \

This is excellent advice. For the original poster: The legal standard in California is whether a \

When you apply for unemployment, make sure to use the exact phrase \

my brother works for edd and says they see this all the time. companies try to make it look like u quit but really theyre laying u off. OP should def apply for benefits once let go

So frustrating trying to reach EDD to ask these kinds of questions! I was in a kind of similar situation last year and spent DAYS trying to get someone on the phone. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through in like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Totally worth it because the EDD rep explained exactly what I needed to do and say on my application to make sure I didn't get denied.

Thanks for the tip! I've heard the phone lines are impossible. I'll definitely check this out if I need to talk to someone. Did EDD give you any specific advice on how to phrase things on the application? I want to make sure I don't mess it up.

To address your specific questions:\n\n1. This is NOT considered voluntarily quitting. Under CA unemployment law, if your only options are to relocate out of state or lose your job, that's considered a layoff.\n\n2. You should interview for the other positions if you're interested in them. This shows good faith on your part. If you don't get them, it strengthens your unemployment claim.\n\n3. Wait until you've been officially separated before applying for benefits. When you apply, clearly state that your position was eliminated and relocated to Virginia, which was not feasible for you due to family obligations.\n\n4. If they offer you the severance, review the agreement carefully. Sometimes severance agreements include language that could impact your unemployment eligibility. You can usually negotiate this language if needed.

This is incredibly helpful information! I'll definitely interview for the other positions to show I tried to keep working there. I'm also going to start documenting everything now. If I get a severance agreement, is there specific language I should watch out for that might affect my unemployment claim?

To answer your follow-up question: Yes, definitely watch for language in the severance agreement that says you're

this is so true!! my sevrance paper tried to say i \

Random but important question - when all this happened to me, my employer tried to say I had to pay back training costs if I didn't accept their relocation offer! Completely illegal in CA! Just a heads up if they try to pull anything shady like that. They're just trying to bully you into not claiming unemployment or taking severance!

That's a very good point. California has strong worker protection laws. Unless you signed a legitimate, legally-binding repayment agreement for specialized training (which is rare), they cannot legally demand repayment of training costs as a condition of not relocating. If they try this tactic, consult with an employment attorney immediately.

u might also qualify for partial benefits if they offer u a job at lower pay than what u make now. my friend got reduced from 40hrs to 28hrs and got partial unemployment to make up some of the difference. just something to think about if they offer u something part time or lower pay

I didn't even know partial benefits were a thing! That's good to know in case they only offer me something with significantly lower pay or hours. This whole situation is so stressful, but all this advice is making me feel more prepared for whatever happens. Thank you everyone!

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I went through almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago when my company moved operations to Texas. The key thing that helped me was keeping a detailed timeline of all communications. Write down every conversation, save every email, and if they give you verbal notice about the restructuring, follow up with an email summarizing what was discussed. EDD really appreciates having clear documentation that shows this was their decision, not yours. Also, don't stress too much about the interview process for other positions - participating in it actually shows you were trying to mitigate the situation, which looks good on your unemployment application. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me to get approved once I applied. Stay strong, you've got this!

I'm going through something really similar right now! My company just announced they're moving my department to North Carolina and I have until the end of next month to decide. Like you, I can't relocate because of family commitments - my kids are in school here and my spouse has a job they can't leave. It's so stressful not knowing if I'll qualify for benefits if I can't make the move. Reading through all these responses is giving me hope that EDD will see this as a layoff situation rather than me quitting. Has anyone here had experience with how long the EDD review process typically takes when there's a relocation involved? I want to make sure I have realistic expectations about timing if I end up needing to file for benefits.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago when my employer moved my role to Florida. The stress is real, but I want to reassure you that this absolutely qualifies for unemployment benefits in California. When I applied, I made sure to emphasize three key points: 1) My position was eliminated at the California location, 2) Relocation to another state wasn't feasible due to family obligations, and 3) I had no control over the company's decision to restructure. EDD approved my claim within about 10 days. The key was being very clear in my application that this was involuntary separation due to the company's business decision, not a voluntary quit. I also kept detailed records of all communications about the move, which helped when they called to verify details with both me and my former employer. One tip: when you fill out your application, under reason for separation, use language like "position eliminated due to company relocation" rather than anything that might sound like you chose to leave. The terminology really matters to EDD. You've got a solid case here - don't let them make you feel like you're quitting when they're essentially forcing you out by making your job geographically impossible to perform.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - my company announced last week that they're restructuring and moving several positions, including mine, to their Dallas office. Like many others here, I can't relocate due to family commitments and am really worried about whether I'll qualify for unemployment benefits. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. It sounds like the key things are: 1) Document everything in writing, 2) Use clear language like "position eliminated due to company relocation" when applying, 3) Participate in good faith in any alternative job interviews they offer, and 4) Don't let them pressure you into signing severance agreements that make it look like you quit voluntarily. One thing I'm still unclear on - if they give me a specific deadline to decide about relocating (like 30 days), does that timeline affect my unemployment eligibility at all? Should I wait until the deadline passes and they officially terminate me, or can I give them my answer earlier if I know for certain I can't move? I don't want to accidentally do anything that might hurt my case with EDD. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's making this whole stressful situation feel much more manageable knowing that others have successfully navigated it!

This situation is definitely stressful, but you're asking all the right questions! I went through something very similar when my company moved operations to Arizona last year. The most important thing to remember is that when a company relocates your position to another state and you can't reasonably follow, that's considered involuntary separation - NOT quitting. A few key points from my experience: First, definitely participate in the interview process for other positions if they're offering it. This shows good faith effort on your part and actually strengthens your unemployment case. Second, start documenting everything NOW - save all emails about the restructuring, and follow up any verbal conversations with written summaries sent via email. Third, when you eventually apply for EDD benefits, be very specific about the language you use - something like "position eliminated due to company relocation to out-of-state location." The whole process took about 2-3 weeks for my claim to be approved once I applied. EDD called both me and my former employer to verify the details, but it was pretty straightforward since I had all the documentation ready. Don't let your company make you feel like you're abandoning them - they're the ones making your job impossible to perform by moving it across the country. You should absolutely be able to count on EDD benefits if you end up without a position. Hang in there!