Laid off 'temporarily' but manager won't specify reason - Will EDD approve my claim?

Based on what you're describing, you should have a good chance at receiving benefits. When an employer can't provide a specific reason for letting someone go, EDD typically considers it a layoff due to lack of work. That falls under the 'not your fault' category, which is what matters for UI eligibility.\n\nThe 5-10 days timeframe is pretty standard after a phone interview. They need to contact your employer for their side of the story and make a determination. You did the right thing by certifying - always certify on time, even if your claim is still pending approval. If approved, they'll pay you for those weeks. If denied (which I doubt in your case), you just won't receive payment.\n\nMake sure you continue to certify every two weeks and complete all work search requirements. Document any contacts you make with potential employers since EDD can request this information later.

Thank you so much for the information! That's a relief to hear. My employer has been so vague that I was worried EDD would just deny my claim because I couldn't give them a clear answer about why I was let go. I'll definitely keep certifying and documenting my job search efforts. Fingers crossed I hear something positive soon!

ur manager is playing games. they do this sometimes 2 avoid paying into the unemployment insurance fund. if they fire u for cause, their rates don't go up. if they lay u off, they pay more. so they try this BS of not giving a reason and hoping u don't apply. u did the right thing by applying anyway!

THIS!!! My last company pulled the exact same stunt. They told five of us we were

you should be good. i had almost the same thing happen in February and got approved. took about 7 days after my phone interview

That's encouraging to hear! Did you have to do anything special during your phone interview? I'm worried I didn't emphasize enough that it was no fault of my own, since I was kind of flustered during the call.

nah, just told them the truth. if ur boss cant give EDD a solid reason for firing u, they usually side with u

When your employer provides vague or non-existent reasons for separation, EDD generally leans toward approving your claim. The burden of proof is actually on the employer to demonstrate you were terminated for misconduct or voluntarily quit without good cause. When they can't articulate why you were let go, that works in your favor.\n\nRegarding certification - you absolutely did the right thing by certifying right away. Always certify on your assigned dates regardless of pending status. If your claim is ultimately approved, you'll receive all back payments for weeks you've certified correctly. The system is designed to work this way.\n\nOne important note: if your employer does contest your claim (which can happen even when they were vague with you), EDD will schedule an appeal hearing. Make sure you check both your UI Online inbox AND your physical mail regularly, as some notices only come one way or the other.

Thank you for the detailed explanation! That makes me feel better about my chances. It just seems so unfair that they can be so vague about why they're letting me go and then I have to deal with all this uncertainty. I'll definitely keep checking both my online inbox and physical mail.

If you're still waiting to hear back and need to speak with someone at EDD (they can be IMPOSSIBLE to reach), I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was stuck in a similar situation where I needed to talk to a rep after my interview but couldn't get through. Claimyr got me connected with an EDD rep in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. After my call, my pending payments switched to paid within 48 hours. Just sharing since it saved me so much frustration.

Thanks for the recommendation! I hadn't heard of this service before. If I don't hear anything by next week, I might give this a try. Did you find that talking to the rep actually helped resolve your issue faster?

Absolutely. The rep I spoke with was able to see notes from my interview and tell me what was causing the delay. They cleared the hold right during our call. Sometimes your claim just needs a human to review it, but getting through to that human is the hard part.

wen i got laid off in march my manager sed the EXACT same thing!! 'temporary' & 'eligible for rehire' but no reason given. seems like sum kind of HR script they all use lol. i got my UI approved but took like 3 weeks total. hang in there

Three weeks?? Ugh, that feels like forever when you're worried about paying bills. Did they back-pay you for all the weeks once you got approved?

ya they paid everything from wen i first applied. payment hit my card all at once it was nice

Be prepared for your employer to possibly lie to EDD about why you were let go!!! My employer told me it was a \

this happened 2 my cousin too! company told her it was budget cuts then told EDD she was always late. total BS but she didn't have proof so she got denied

Wow, that's concerning. I don't have much in writing since my manager just called me into her office to tell me. I should probably email her asking for written confirmation about the temporary nature of the layoff, just to have something on record. Thanks for the warning!

anybody else notice how many companies are doing these weird \

It's often about managing their unemployment insurance tax rates. By claiming it's temporary, they sometimes hope employees won't file claims, which keeps their UI contribution rates lower. Some also use it to avoid triggering WARN Act requirements for mass layoffs. In California, permanent layoffs of 50+ employees require 60 days' notice, but \

Since several people have mentioned the timing - EDD published their latest processing statistics and the current average wait time between phone interview and determination is 8 business days. So the 5-10 day estimate they gave you is accurate. The good news is that about 78% of claims where the employer doesn't provide a specific termination reason end up being approved.\n\nIf your claim is approved, you'll receive an award notice through both UI Online and physical mail. If it's denied, you'll receive a Notice of Determination explaining why and how to appeal (definitely appeal if denied!). The payment for weeks you've already certified should process within 24-48 hours of approval.

This is exactly the kind of specific information I was hoping for! Thank you. It helps to know the actual statistics rather than just guessing. I'll try to be patient for the next 8 business days or so.