What is RESEA unemployment and how does it affect my California EDD claim?

Oh okay that makes way more sense. So they're not investigating me for fraud or anything like that? I was genuinely panicking thinking I did something wrong on my certifications.

same thing happened to me last year, it was pretty straightforward, they just went over my job search and gave me some resources. dont stress

This is accurate. The RESEA program is federally funded and administered by the Employment Development Department in partnership with local workforce development boards. It replaced the older REA program a few years back and expanded the services offered. Your claim status won't be negatively impacted as long as you attend and can demonstrate you've been meeting your job search requirements each week.

I completely forgot about CalJOBS honestly. I set it up when I first filed but haven't touched it since. Going to update that tonight, thank you!

the caljobs thing is so annoying like why do we have to maintain two separate profiles, one on UI Online and one on CalJOBS it makes no sense

CalJOBS is actually a separate system from UI Online - CalJOBS is the state's workforce development database managed by the Employment Development Department's workforce services division. When you attend RESEA your counselor will use it to match you with job openings and training programs. It's worth keeping updated regardless of RESEA because employers and recruiters can sometimes find candidates through it.

Yikes okay that's terrifying. I'm definitely not skipping it now. And thanks for the Claimyr tip, I've been trying to call EDD about a separate question and cannot get through for the life of me.

i missed mine too and it was such a headache getting the hold removed. wish i had known about that service back then

How long did it take after you used Claimyr to actually get someone on the line? I've been trying to reach EDD for a week about an unrelated issue and I'm losing my mind

Wait it's THREE contacts per week now? I thought it was two. I need to double check what I've been submitting on my weekly certifications...

Yes three employer contacts per week is the current California EDD job search requirement. If you've been submitting two contacts per week your claim could potentially face an eligibility issue. I'd strongly recommend clarifying this at your RESEA appointment or calling EDD directly before your next certification.

I'm so confused now because when I filed months ago the pamphlet I got said two contacts. Is this a recent change?? How would anyone even know to update this

The requirement has been three contacts per week for a while now. It's possible older materials still show the previous requirement. Always verify current requirements at edd.ca.gov or with an EDD representative rather than relying on printed materials you received at initial filing.

Mine had both options listed on the letter itself - there was a phone number to call if you wanted to request virtual instead of in-person. I'd call the number on your letter asap because I think they need advance notice to switch the format.

yeah most of them offer virtual now, definitely call to arrange it though don't just no-show and assume it'll be fine

okay thank you! I was so worried I'd have to figure out a ride somehow

That's really reassuring to hear from someone on the inside. I'm going to go into it with a better mindset now. Thank you.

ok but what about when the counselors give you job referrals for jobs that are completely outside your field or skill set? that happened to a friend and she felt pressured to apply to things that made no sense for her background

That's a fair criticism and it does happen. Counselors have referral targets they're working against and sometimes the job matching isn't great. You can and should advocate for yourself during the appointment - if a referral doesn't match your experience or the wage would be significantly below your previous earnings in ways that would affect your benefit eligibility, say so. You have the right to document your objections.

Okay this is making me feel way better. I've been putting off updating my resume too so maybe this is the push I needed.

that's actually a great outcome, good for you! fingers crossed the interviews turn into something

One got back to me yesterday with an offer actually! Still deciding but it's in the right ballpark. Good luck to everyone going through the process.

RESEA itself does not affect your weekly benefit amount. Your WBA (weekly benefit amount) is set based on your base period earnings when you initially file. However if during the eligibility review they discover you haven't been meeting job search requirements or there's another eligibility issue, they could refer your claim to adjudication which might temporarily pause payments while they review. If your friend's payments changed after RESEA it was likely something that came up during the eligibility portion rather than the appointment itself.

ohhhh okay that makes sense. I think she mentioned something about not having her job search log ready so maybe that's what caused hers

Exactly - if you can't demonstrate your job search activities during the appointment they may flag it. Always bring documentation. A simple spreadsheet or even handwritten notes with the required details for each employer contact is fine.

Not everyone gets selected - it's a random sample based on statistical profiling of who is likely to need reemployment assistance. Going 4 months without one is totally normal and doesn't mean anything is wrong with your claim.

oh okay phew, I was about to call edd and I CANNOT deal with trying to get through on the phone right now

If you ever do need to call EDD for something, check out Claimyr at claimyr.com - there's a demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 that explains it. Saved me a ton of time when I needed to get through to an agent.

Great question. The RESEA assessment summary does get associated with your claim record. If you disagree with something documented you should request a copy of the assessment before leaving the appointment and note any discrepancies in writing. You can also contact your local AJCC afterward to request corrections. If an eligibility issue gets referred to EDD based on inaccurate RESEA documentation you do have the right to appeal any resulting disqualification within 30 days of the notice.

This is good information. I'd add that staying engaged throughout the appointment and asking clarifying questions before the counselor finalizes their notes is the best way to prevent documentation errors in the first place. Don't just sign off on the summary without reading it carefully.

thank you, this is exactly what I needed to know. I have my appointment next week and I'm going in prepared now

That sounds incredibly stressful. I'm glad you eventually got it resolved. Is your claim back to normal now?

Yes, fully resolved. They determined I was available for full time work as long as I could arrange alternative care when needed, which I could. The three weeks without payments was brutal though financially.

this is a good lesson to be careful what you say during RESEA. not lying but just being precise about your situation

I want to gently push back on the advice to be strategic with your answers - if there's a genuine availability issue it's better to surface it and address it than to have it discovered later and face a potential overpayment situation. Being honest and bringing documentation of how you manage any constraints is the better approach.

Yes you can reschedule but call the number on your letter as soon as possible - they need advance notice and may not be able to accommodate same-day reschedule requests. A confirmed job interview is a completely valid reason and any reasonable counselor will understand.

Also document your job interview when you reschedule - it actually demonstrates you're actively pursuing work which is exactly what the RESEA process is verifying. It could even work in your favor.

oh that's a good point, I'll mention the interview when I call. thank you!

This is really important to know ahead of time. I'll definitely ask about each referral specifically.

Correct - some reemployment services referrals are discretionary but others become mandatory conditions of your claim depending on your situation and what the RESEA assessment determines. Always clarify the mandatory vs. voluntary status of each referral before signing anything.

I had no idea about this. I signed up for two workshops at my RESEA thinking they were optional and then found out one of them had attendance requirements tied to my benefits. Not a bad thing in the end but I wish it had been explained better upfront.

I understand the frustration and there are genuine systemic issues with how complex the process is. That said RESEA specifically does have real evidence behind it - claimants who receive reemployment services through the program do return to work measurably faster on average. It's not purely administrative burden.

i just don't trust the system after having my claim denied twice for reasons that made no sense and then approved on appeal both times. once bitten twice shy i guess

The appeal process working for you twice is actually evidence the system has some accountability built in even if it's frustrating to need it. I'm sorry you went through that.

No - RESEA is a mandatory program requirement and doesn't count toward your weekly job search contacts. You still need to complete three separate employer contacts for any week you're certifying for benefits, regardless of whether you had a RESEA appointment that week.

ugh okay, that's what I was afraid of. thanks for clarifying

This is a common misconception worth flagging. Workshop attendance, RESEA appointments, and career counseling sessions don't substitute for employer contacts in your job search log. The contacts need to be with actual employers for actual positions.

First update your address immediately through UI Online if it's wrong - go to Account Profile and update your contact information. Then call EDD to explain the situation. If you can document that the letter went to an outdated address you have a reasonable basis for requesting a reschedule rather than losing your benefits. Getting through to EDD by phone can be brutal though - I'd try Claimyr at claimyr.com to actually reach an agent, there's a walkthrough video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 that shows how it works.

Oh god, okay updating my address right now. And yes I've been trying to call EDD all day with no luck, I'll check out that Claimyr link

Same thing happened with address mix-up for me on a different issue and once I explained the situation to an EDD agent they were very reasonable about it. Just make sure you can document the address discrepancy.

Also check the Contact tab in your UI Online account - sometimes EDD sends notices there as well as by mail, you might be able to see the original RESEA notice and get the appointment details or contact number from it.

Thank you for coming back to post this! This is exactly the kind of update that makes these threads useful. My appointment is next Wednesday and I feel much calmer about it now.

good to hear a positive outcome story for once, this thread had me spiraling a little

Bring your job search log, have your CalJOBS profile updated, and go in with a collaborative attitude rather than a defensive one. That's genuinely the whole formula from what I can tell.

I did have some ID.me verification issues when I first filed but thought those were resolved. I'm going to log into my UI Online account tonight and double check there are no pending items before Wednesday.

Good call. Under the 'Profile' section in UI Online there should be an indicator of your identity verification status. If there's anything flagged there, address it before your RESEA appointment rather than finding out about it during the meeting.

exactly, better to discover it now than in the middle of your appointment. I wish someone had told me to do that check beforehand.