Started new job - do I need to close my EDD claim or just stop certifying?
I finally landed a job at a manufacturing plant after being on unemployment for 4 months (thank goodness). Started this Monday and I'm wondering what I'm supposed to do with my active EDD claim? Do I just stop certifying when my next certification period comes up? Or is there some official way to close/end my claim that I need to do? I don't want to accidentally commit fraud or have them keep sending money I'm not entitled to. The EDD website isn't clear about this and I'd rather not spend 3 hours trying to get through to someone on the phone.
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Dylan Mitchell
Congrats on the new job! You don't need to formally close your claim. Just report your earnings when you certify for the weeks during which you worked, and when your earnings exceed your weekly benefit amount, you'll receive no payment. After not certifying for two consecutive certification periods, your claim becomes inactive. The system is designed to handle this automatically.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•That's a relief! I was worried I'd have to navigate some complicated process to close it. So I should still certify for these first couple weeks and report my new income?
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Sofia Morales
The EDD system is such GARBAGE at explaining basic things like this!!! I had the same question when I found a job last year. I actually tried calling them about it and wasted HOURS of my life. You would think they'd have clear instructions somewhere but NOPE! Just another example of how they don't care about us.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•I know right? It feels like they purposely make things confusing. Did you end up just stopping certification?
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Dmitry Popov
Make sure you certify for your final weeks and report all earnings accurately. When you certify, there's a question asking if you worked - say yes and report all hours/wages. If your earnings are higher than your weekly benefit amount, you'll get $0 that week. After that, you can just stop certifying, but I always recommend certifying for any weeks you're eligible for (including partial weeks before starting work full-time).
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Thanks, that makes sense. I'll make sure to certify for this final period and report my new job earnings accurately.
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Ava Garcia
I got rehired at my old job back in January and just stopped certifying. My claim is still technically open until it expires in October but I'm not getting any payments obviously since I'm not certifying. No problems at all.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•That's good to know it worked out fine for you. Makes me feel better about just letting it become inactive.
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StarSailor}
u still need 2 certify 4 the weeks b4 u started working tho! dont miss out on $ ur entitled 2. even if u worked like one day that week u can still get partial benefits for the other days depending on how much u made
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Good point! I'll definitely certify for the week before I started this job since I wasn't working then.
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Miguel Silva
When I tried calling EDD to ask this exact question a few months ago, I spent days trying to get through with no luck. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. The rep confirmed what others are saying - just report your earnings and then stop certifying when you're fully employed. Saved me so much frustration!
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Ava Garcia
•I used Claimyr too when I had questions about my claim. Totally worth it instead of calling for days trying to get through.
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Zainab Ismail
Wait I'm confused... if you just stop certifying doesn't that count as abandoning your claim? I thought I read somewhere that you need to officially close it by calling them. Did the rules change recently? I'm in a similar boat and about to start a job next week!
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Dylan Mitchell
•No, you don't need to officially close your claim by calling. The EDD system is designed to handle this automatically. Your claim becomes inactive after you don't certify for two consecutive periods, but it remains on file until its benefit year ends. If you lose your job again within that year, you can sometimes reopen the same claim rather than filing a new one.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
Thanks everyone for the helpful answers! Seems like the consensus is to certify for my final period, accurately report my new earnings, and then just stop certifying after that. The system will automatically make my claim inactive after a couple missed certification periods. Glad I don't have to deal with calling EDD just to close my claim formally!
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Dmitry Popov
•Exactly right! And congratulations again on the new job. If your employment situation changes within your benefit year (the 12-month period from when you first applied), you can reopen your claim online without having to file a completely new application.
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