Moving to Texas - will EDD cut off my unemployment benefits?

That's such a relief! I was panicking thinking I'd lose everything. So I just need to update my mailing address and keep certifying like normal? Are there any special work search requirements for out-of-state claimants?

That's not entirely accurate. Moving out of state doesn't automatically disqualify you. What likely happened in your case is that during certification, you indicated you weren't available for work in California. When you certify, make sure to answer that you're able and available for work. The key requirement is being available to accept suitable work - whether that's remote work or work in the state where your claim is based (with the understanding you'd relocate back if needed).

Every situation is different though. The rules depend on whether you're planning to move back, if you're looking for work in both states, and how you answer the certification questions. Just because it worked for someone else doesn't mean it will automatically work the same way for everyone.

This is basically what happened to me too when I moved to Oregon. They sometimes will schedule a phone interview to verify your work availability after you change your address. I missed mine because the letter went to my old address! Had to deal with weeks of no payments. So frustrating!

How long can I keep claiming on my California claim before I would need to transfer it? And would transferring mean I'd get Texas benefit amounts instead of California?

Thank you for this! I've been trying to call EDD for two days with no luck. I'll check out that service. I really want to talk to someone directly about my situation so I don't mess anything up.

wait so do u have to look for jobs in cali or texas?? im confused

That makes sense. I'll be sure to document everything carefully. Just updated my address in UI Online too. Feeling much less anxious about this now. Thanks for all the help everyone!

This is exactly what I needed to hear! Your experience sounds so similar to mine - moving for family reasons and not knowing what to expect. I'm really glad to know the phone interview wasn't too intimidating. Did they ask you anything specific about your move or just general work availability questions? I'm keeping a spreadsheet of my job applications too now, so hopefully I'll be prepared if they call me. Thanks for sharing your story - it's really reassuring to know someone else went through this successfully!

@Yuki Sato This is super helpful! I m'the original poster and your experience sounds exactly like what I m'going through. Can I ask - during your phone interview, did they ask about your specific reason for moving or just focus on your work availability? I m'hoping they ll'understand that this was an emergency family situation. Also, did you have to prove you were looking for work in Florida or did they just take your word for it? I m'keeping detailed records just in case but wondering how thorough they actually are about checking. Really appreciate you sharing your success story!

@Yuki Sato Your experience is so reassuring! I m'dealing with a very similar situation - had to move to Texas suddenly for my elderly parent. Did you mention the family emergency aspect during your phone interview, or did you just focus on your work availability? I m'worried they might think I m'not serious about finding work since this move was so sudden. Also, when you said you were open to relocating back to California - did they actually expect you to prove that somehow, or was it more about showing you understood the requirements? Thanks so much for sharing the details about your experience!

@Yuki Sato This gives me so much hope! I m'actually the original poster Avery (and) your situation sounds identical to mine - sudden move for family emergency. I m'especially relieved to hear about your phone interview experience. Did they ask you to provide any documentation about your job search activities during the call, or was it more of a verbal confirmation? I ve'been keeping detailed records but I m'curious how much proof they actually requested. Also, did updating your address trigger the interview automatically, or was it random? Just trying to prepare myself mentally for what might be coming. Your success story is exactly what I needed to hear right now - thank you for taking the time to share it!

@Yuki Sato Thank you so much for sharing your detailed experience! As someone who just went through this move to Texas, your story is incredibly reassuring. I m'curious - when they called for the phone interview, did they give you much advance notice? I want to make sure I don t'miss the call like someone else mentioned happened to them. Also, did they ask about your timeline for potentially returning to California, or were they satisfied with just knowing you d'be open to it? I ve'been documenting everything carefully but it s'really helpful to know what to expect from someone who actually went through the process successfully. Really appreciate you taking the time to share all these details!

@Yuki Sato Your experience is giving me so much peace of mind! I just moved from CA to Texas myself for a similar family emergency situation. Quick question - when you kept records of your job search in Florida, did you focus on remote positions, local Florida jobs, or a mix of both? I m'wondering what approach would look best to EDD if they review my activities. Also, did the phone interview happen pretty quickly after you updated your address, or was there a longer delay? I want to be mentally prepared for when they might call. Thanks again for sharing such helpful details about your experience!

@Yuki Sato This is incredibly helpful - thank you for sharing such detailed information about your experience! I m'in a very similar situation, having just moved to Texas for a family emergency. Your point about being prepared to explain openness to remote work or relocating back really resonates with me. I m'curious - during your phone interview, did they ask you to provide specific examples of the types of positions you were applying for, or was it more general questions about your availability? Also, did you find that applying to a mix of remote and local positions worked better, or did you focus more on one type? I ve'been keeping detailed records like you suggested, but I want to make sure I m'approaching the job search in the most strategic way possible. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your success story!

@Yuki Sato This is so helpful to read! I m'actually going through the exact same situation right now - just moved to Texas for a family emergency and was panicking about my EDD benefits. Your detailed breakdown of what worked for you is exactly what I needed to see. I already updated my address in UI Online after reading the advice here, and I m'keeping a spreadsheet of all my job applications too. Did you get any advance notice before they called for the phone interview, or did it come out of nowhere? I want to make sure I m'prepared and don t'miss it. Also, when you mentioned being open to remote work or relocating back to California - did they seem satisfied with that answer, or did they push for more specifics? Thanks so much for sharing your success story - it s'giving me hope that this will work out!

@Yuki Sato Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I m'actually the original poster and your story is giving me so much hope. I updated my address in UI Online yesterday after reading all the advice here, and I m'already keeping detailed records of my job search activities. Your mention of the phone interview is really helpful - about how long after updating your address did they call you? I want to make sure I m'ready and don t'miss it like someone else mentioned. Also, when they asked about your work availability, did you specifically mention being willing to do remote work first, or did you lead with being open to relocating back to California? I m'trying to figure out the best way to frame my situation since this move to Texas was so sudden due to my parent s'health emergency. Really appreciate you taking the time to share all these helpful details!

@Yuki Sato This is exactly the kind of real-world experience I was hoping to find! I m'in almost the identical situation - just moved from CA to Texas for a family emergency with my elderly parent. Your step-by-step approach is so reassuring. I m'particularly interested in your phone interview experience. When they called, did they seem understanding about the family situation, or did they focus more on the work availability aspects? I ve'already updated my address and started keeping detailed job search records, but I m'nervous about potentially getting that call. Also, did you apply mostly to remote positions or local Florida jobs during your search? I m'trying to figure out the best strategy for my Texas job hunt. Thank you so much for sharing such a detailed and hopeful account of your experience!

@Yuki Sato Your experience is incredibly reassuring! I just went through something very similar - had to suddenly move to Texas to care for my elderly parent. I ve'already updated my address in UI Online and I m'documenting all my job search activities like you mentioned. One quick question - when you had your phone interview, did they ask for any specific documentation or proof of your job search activities during the call, or was it more conversational? I m'keeping detailed records but want to know what format they might expect if they ask. Also, did the interview feel more like they were trying to verify your eligibility or were they genuinely checking if you needed any assistance with your claim? Thanks for giving me hope that this process can work out smoothly even with an unexpected interstate move!