What happens after 26 weeks of unemployment in California EDD?

That's really discouraging to hear. So there's literally nothing after 26 weeks right now? I've been diligently doing my 3 job search activities every week and reporting everything correctly. Just feels like the rug is about to get pulled out.

this is correct unfortunately. california doesnt have eb active right now. i exhausted my claim last fall and there was nothing else available to me

To add to this - it's worth calling California EDD directly before your benefits run out to confirm your specific situation. Sometimes there are edge cases, like if you had a recent job that might qualify you to reopen or file a new claim if you got laid off again. Don't assume your options are zero until you've actually spoken with an agent.

Yeah it's a lot. Did you find any other options or programs through your county maybe?

not yet still looking. someone told me about CalWORKs but that's only if you have kids I think

CalWORKs is for families with children yes, but there's also General Assistance through your county if you have no dependents. Different programs, different eligibility. Worth looking into your county's social services office.

Wait the Training Extension is interesting - do you know where to find out what programs qualify? I've been thinking about going back to get a forklift certification or maybe a logistics management course.

You'd need to check with California EDD directly on that - there's a form called DE 8405 I believe but honestly the program details are better explained by an agent than anything I could tell you. The eligibility rules are pretty specific.

Seconding the advice to call before your last week. Don't wait until you've already exhausted because then you're scrambling. Call while you still have a few weeks left and ask specifically about Training Extensions and whether any new wages would make you eligible for a new claim.

This is really helpful, thank you. I've been trying to call EDD for two weeks and can't get through. I'll check out Claimyr. Did the agent you spoke to actually know about the post-exhaustion options or was it hit or miss?

The agent I got was really knowledgeable. She pulled up my full claim history and walked me through everything. The key is being specific when you call - don't just say 'what happens after 26 weeks' say 'I'm approaching benefit exhaustion, I want to know about Training Extension eligibility and whether any recent wages qualify me to reopen my claim.' Specific questions get better answers.

does claimyr actually work? feels too good to be true when edd phones are such a nightmare

I had the same doubt honestly. But yes it worked for me. Got through same day which would never happen trying to call on my own.

Oh I didn't even know there was a separate 'benefit year' date to look at. Where do I find that on UI Online?

login and go to your claim summary page, there should be a benefit year end date listed there. mine was exactly 52 weeks from my filing date

This is correct and an important distinction. The benefit year end date essentially resets the clock for eligibility purposes. If you worked enough wages during your benefit year you might qualify for a new claim after it ends. That new claim calculation would be based on wages earned in your base period going forward.

You're right that Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is specifically for workers displaced by foreign trade impacts and probably wouldn't apply to a standard company downsizing. But the Training Extension through California EDD is different and more broadly available to UI claimants who enroll in approved training programs. The catch is you have to get the training pre-approved before you enroll, not after.

That's good to know. So I'd need to contact EDD first before signing up for any classes to make sure they'd count toward the extension?

Exactly. And it has to be full-time training in a skill that will lead to employment. You can't just take random classes and expect it to count. The DE 8405 form and a conversation with an agent are your starting points.

This is what I'm afraid of. Just... nothing. Did you eventually get through to someone or did you just have to accept it was over?

I eventually got through by calling at exactly 8am when they open. Got in the queue after about 20 minutes on hold. Agent confirmed my benefit year was still open but I had no remaining weeks and EB wasn't active so nothing to do on the UI side. I did apply for county General Assistance as a bridge while I kept job searching.

the 8am tip is real, that's basically the only time you have a chance of actually getting through to edd

This is really helpful, saving this list. I didn't know about America's Job Centers being connected to EDD resources. Are those the same as the WorkSource centers?

Yes, the AJCC is the California rebranding of what used to be called WorkSource or One-Stop Career Centers. They're physically separate from EDD offices but they work in conjunction with the unemployment system. Some locations can even help you access EDD services in person which is useful when phone lines are impossible.

the AJCC offices are genuinely underused resources. I went in person when I was having claim issues and they were able to make some calls on my behalf and actually had a direct line that regular people can't access. not guaranteed but worth trying especially if you're near exhaustion

Your cousin was likely receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or the PEUC federal extension which were COVID-era programs that have since expired. Those programs are no longer available. Current regular UI in California maxes out at 26 weeks and the Extended Benefits program (which adds up to 13 more weeks) is not currently triggered. So don't count on more than 26 weeks in today's environment.

ohhhh ok that makes more sense. I was going to tell my friend she could get more weeks based on what my cousin said. glad I didn't give her that wrong info

Yeah the COVID-era programs created a lot of confusion because people have 2020-2021 experiences that just don't apply anymore. The current system is much more limited.

I've never heard of WIOA. Is it income-tested? I've been on UI so I have basically no savings at this point.

There is an income component to it but since you're on UI/recently exhausted you'd likely qualify. Each local area administers it slightly differently so the AJCC is the right place to ask. They assess your eligibility on the spot usually.

WIOA is a legitimate program worth pursuing. The training stipends it provides can be substantial enough to cover living expenses while you're in an approved training program. Definitely better than nothing when UI runs out.

So the strategy is sort of: take any job I can get, even if it's temporary, because that keeps my options open for reopening a claim?

Essentially yes, though obviously you want a permanent job. But yes, any covered employment during your benefit year gives you more options. Plus any wages earned could count toward a new base period for a future claim if needed.

This is solid advice. Don't turn down temp or short term work thinking it will mess up your benefits. It's actually the opposite - earned wages create new claim options.

No need to apologize, we've all been there with the phone situation. Have you tried Claimyr? It's at claimyr.com and I mentioned it earlier in this thread. It handles the hold queue and gets you a callback from an EDD agent. Worked for me when I couldn't get through for days. The video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 explains the whole process. Might be worth it given you've been trying for 3 weeks.

I'll try literally anything at this point. Going to check it out now. Three weeks of hitting the busy signal is breaking my spirit.

Seconding Claimyr - I know several people who used it successfully when regular calling was impossible. Anything that gets you an actual human at EDD is worth knowing about.

I did do about 6 weeks of part-time work during my claim and reported all the earnings properly. Would those wages potentially count toward a new base period calculation?

Possibly yes, depending on timing. The base period for a new claim would look at wages earned before you filed the new claim. A California EDD agent can run the numbers on your specific situation and tell you exactly whether you'd qualify for a new claim based on your actual earnings history.

This is why talking to an agent before benefit year end is so important. They can actually calculate whether your earnings during the claim period create new eligibility. It's not something you can easily self-calculate without their systems.

Your instinct is correct - that is absolutely not how it works. Unemployment claims are administered at the state level, not the county level. Moving within California changes nothing about your claim. Your 26 week limit is attached to your claim not your address.

Yeah that's what I figured. My friend got some bad info somewhere. Glad I checked before repeating it.

there is SO much bad info floating around about unemployment rules, it's scary

Honestly hadn't thought about that angle. I've been keeping my job search log but I'll make sure it's detailed and complete going forward.

Good. Dates, employer names, contact method, position applied for, outcome if known. EDD can ask for this info for any week you certified, even weeks from months ago.

this is really good advice. I know someone who got an overpayment notice after their claim closed because EDD audited random weeks and they couldn't produce their job search records. ended up having to pay back several thousand dollars

Really glad you got through and got actual answers. How did you end up reaching someone?

I used Claimyr like you suggested earlier in this thread - got a callback within a few hours. Absolutely would not have been able to get this info otherwise after two weeks of failed calling attempts.

Thanks for the update! This is exactly the kind of outcome worth documenting for others in the same situation. The part-time wages during a claim period creating new eligibility is something a lot of people don't know about.

this gives me hope actually, I also did a little part time work during my claim that I reported. gonna look into this for my own situation

This is a legitimate point. SDI and UI are separate programs under EDD. You can't collect both simultaneously but if you have a qualifying disability or medical situation SDI is a completely separate benefit stream. The key is that you cannot be 'available and able to work' (UI requirement) and also 'unable to work due to disability' (SDI requirement) at the same time - they're mutually exclusive.

right, I should have clarified that. It's not a way to extend UI but a separate option if you genuinely have a medical situation. thanks for the clarification.

You can file a new claim as soon as you become unemployed from that part time job. The key is whether you have enough wages in your base period to qualify. If you do, there's no waiting requirement beyond the standard one-week waiting period that California reinstated. You don't have to wait any additional time just because you had a previous claim.

Also worth noting - the base period for your new claim would look backwards at wages earned before you file. So even relatively brief employment can count if the timing lines up with the base period quarters EDD uses for the calculation.

ok that's helpful, i was worried there was like a cooldown period or something before you could file again