Required to register with CalJOBS while on temporary furlough - Will this affect my recall status?
Just got furloughed last week from my construction job because projects have dried up. My supervisor said they definitely want me back once they get more contracts (maybe 1-2 months). I've already filed my EDD claim and just received a letter saying I need to register with CalJOBS to get my benefits approved? I'm confused because I'm technically still employed, just temporarily not working. Will registering with CalJOBS somehow affect my status with my current employer or make them think I'm looking for other work? Has anyone dealt with this situation before? I need the unemployment money to cover bills until I get called back, but don't want to mess up my return to work.
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Christian Burns
Yes, you absolutely need to register with CalJOBS. It's a standard requirement for receiving unemployment benefits in California, even if you're on temporary furlough. This registration doesn't affect your status with your current employer at all - it's just part of EDD's process to verify you're meeting the work search requirements. Your employer won't even know you've registered unless you tell them. Just make sure you mention in your biweekly certifications that you have a definite return-to-work date if that's truly the case.
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Jenna Sloan
•Thank you! That makes me feel better. My boss did say they want me back, but didn't give me an exact date - just said 'when things pick up.' Does that count as a definite return date for EDD purposes?
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Sasha Reese
I was in the same boat last yr! Ya gotta do the CalJOBS thing even if ur job is coming back. Its just a hoop to jump thru. My company brought me back after 3 months and nobody cared that I registered on that site. Just do it or they'll hold ur $$.
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Muhammad Hobbs
•Thanks for sharing your experience. I would add that CalJOBS registration is specifically required to demonstrate that you're meeting the "available for work" requirement under UI law. Even with a recall date, EDD still requires this step. The system doesn't distinguish between temporary and permanent layoffs in terms of initial requirements.
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Noland Curtis
THEY MAKE EVERYONE DO IT!!! I got laid off last month (not furlough, completely terminated) and still had to do the stupid CalJOBS registration. Then I had to upload my resume and do their dumb assessment tests!!! The whole system is designed to make it as frustrating as possible to get YOUR OWN MONEY that YOU paid into with taxes!!! Don't even get me started on trying to call them when there's a problem...
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Diez Ellis
•I know it feels that way, but the CalJOBS registration actually serves a purpose - it connects unemployment recipients with potential job opportunities and fulfills federal requirements for UI programs. If you're on furlough with a return date, you can indicate that in your work search activities. And speaking of calling EDD, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually helped me get through to a rep when I couldn't get past the busy signals. They have a video demo here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. Saved me days of frustration.
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Vanessa Figueroa
register with caljobs it doesnt matter if ur furlowed or fired or whatever. my cousin works at edd and says they just check a box that u did it. they dont actually look at ur profile or anything lol
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Abby Marshall
•My brother in law said the same thing! He did the minimum on his CalJOBS profile and still got all his payments no problem. But I heard they sometimes do random audits so maybe don't leave it totally blank?
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Jenna Sloan
Thanks everyone for the replies! I went ahead and registered with CalJOBS today. The system was actually easier to use than I expected. I also called my supervisor to ask about a specific return date, and he said they're expecting to bring me back in early April if their new bids get approved. I'll make sure to mention that during certification. Does that sound like it will satisfy the EDD requirements?
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Christian Burns
•That's perfect. When you certify every two weeks, there's a question about whether you refused any work - you'll answer 'no' to that. There's also a section where you list your work search activities. Since you have a tentative return date in April, you should still perform and document some work search activities each week just to be safe. These can include checking in with your current employer about the return date, updating your resume, or applying to a job. Document everything in case EDD requests it later.
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Sasha Reese
hey i forgot to mention make sure u do ur bi-weekly certifications on time!!! thats the other thing that trips ppl up. even if ur claim is still pending or whatever u need to certify every 2 weeks or they'll close ur claim and u gotta start all over!!!
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Jenna Sloan
•Good reminder! I've set calendar alerts on my phone so I don't forget. Is Sunday the best day to certify?
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Muhammad Hobbs
To summarize the correct information here: 1. CalJOBS registration is mandatory regardless of your employment status (furloughed with return date or completely separated) 2. Your current employer will not be notified of your CalJOBS registration 3. For certification purposes, a tentative return date in April (more than 8 weeks away) means you should continue full work search requirements 4. Document all work search activities, including communications with your current employer about return dates 5. Certify on time every two weeks, even if payments are pending And the most important point - keep checking in with your employer regularly. If your return date becomes more definite (and within 8 weeks), make sure to note that on your certification. This could potentially modify your work search requirements.
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Jenna Sloan
•Thank you for this clear summary! This whole process is more complicated than I realized. I'll definitely keep in regular contact with my employer and document everything.
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Lena Müller
I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when my landscaping company had to furlough half the crew during the slow season. The CalJOBS registration is definitely required - there's no way around it. But here's what I learned that might help: when you register, you can actually set your profile to indicate you're on temporary layoff with an expected return date. This helps explain your situation if anyone from EDD reviews your case. Also, make sure to keep screenshots of your CalJOBS activities for your records. I got randomly selected for an audit and having those screenshots saved me a lot of headaches. The good news is that once you're back at work, you can just stop certifying and your claim will automatically close. Your employer really won't know or care about the CalJOBS registration - it's just between you and EDD.
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Andre Dubois
•This is really helpful information! I didn't know you could indicate temporary layoff status in your CalJOBS profile. That makes me feel much better about the whole process. The audit thing is scary though - I'll definitely keep screenshots of everything just in case. Thanks for sharing your experience with the landscaping company situation. It's reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same thing and came out fine on the other side.
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