School employee eligibility for EDD benefits during summer layoff - will I qualify?

You should definitely apply! School employees CAN qualify for unemployment during recess periods (summer break) if you don't have reasonable assurance of returning to work. The key is whether your letter contains a GUARANTEE of returning or just says they 'expect' to rehire you. If it's not a firm guarantee, you have a good case. The worst that happens is EDD denies your claim, but many school support staff do qualify during summer breaks. Just be completely honest about your situation when you apply and make sure to mention the non-guaranteed nature of your return.

my sister works for a school district and gets unemployment every summer. just apply online and answer all questions truthfully. edd will decide if ur eligible or not.

I was in the exact same situation last year! I work as a cafeteria staff at a high school and was worried about the summer break. I applied for unemployment and got DENIED initially, but then I appealed and explained that my letter only said they "anticipated" rehiring me based on budget. After a phone interview with EDD, they approved my claim and I received benefits for the entire summer break. Just be SUPER honest about your employment status and the wording of that letter. Definitely worth applying!!

The EDD rules for school employees can be SUPER confusing!! Based on California Unemployment Insurance Code sections 1253.3 and 1256, what matters is whether you have a "reasonable assurance" of returning to work after the recess period. If your letter specifically says they only "expect" to rehire you but it depends on factors outside your control (budget/enrollment), that might NOT count as reasonable assurance. But here's the important part: YOU NEED TO APPLY REGARDLESS! EDD will make the determination based on your specific situation. When you certify, make sure to indicate you're laid off, not on vacation, and that you're able and available for work during this period.

Try calling EDD to explain your situation and get clarity before you apply. I spent weeks trying to reach them about a similar situation last year and kept getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message. After wasting hours redialing, I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD agent within 20 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The agent explained exactly what I needed to do in my situation as a seasonal worker, and it saved me so much confusion. Definitely worth it for getting a clear answer on school employee eligibility.

i think you should aplie for EDD asap actully!!! they take like 3-4 weeks to process the claim anyway so even if u get denied u wont lose anything. my wife is a substitute teacher and gets unemployment during summer breaks becuz theres no guarantee of work. just be honest about everything, but definately apply!!

This is a really common question for school employees! In my experience, it all comes down to your specific employment classification and the wording of your letter. If you're classified as a 10-month employee (not year-round) and your letter doesn't GUARANTEE employment, you have a good case. Just remember that if you get approved, you still need to do your bi-weekly certifications and meet the work search requirements by applying to jobs, even if you plan to return to the school.

UPDATE: I filed my claim online yesterday and already have a confirmation number! The application specifically asked if I worked for an educational institution and if I had reasonable assurance of returning. I answered honestly that I had a letter stating they 'expect' to rehire me but it wasn't guaranteed. Now I'm waiting for the EDD determination. I'll keep everyone posted about what happens in case others are in the same situation!