What is the EDD 'waiting period week' and do I still get paid for it?

The waiting period week is basically the first week of your claim where you DON'T get paid, even if you're eligible. It's like a deductible on insurance. You still need to certify for it and meet all eligibility requirements (looking for work, able to work, etc.), but you won't receive payment for that week. It's just how the system is designed. Every new claim has this one-week unpaid period.

ya the waiting period SUCKS but everyone has to do it. its the govts way of saving $$$ lol

To clarify what others have said: the waiting period is the first eligible week of your claim. It's not necessarily the week you applied, but the first week you would otherwise qualify for benefits. So if you applied yesterday, your waiting period week would likely be this current week. You absolutely must certify for this week when prompted (usually in about 10 days). If you don't certify for the waiting period week, your claim can get delayed or even denied. Don't worry though - you'll still get the full number of weeks of benefits you're entitled to. It just shifts everything by one week. So instead of getting paid for weeks 1-26, you'd get paid for weeks 2-27 (assuming you remain eligible the whole time).

I just went through this last month. The waiting period is frustrating, but here's a tip: If you're having ANY trouble reaching EDD to ask questions (which is likely), check out Claimyr.com. They got me connected to an EDD rep in under 25 minutes when I couldn't get through for days on my own. They have a video demo here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. Saved me hours of redial frustration when I had questions about my certification.

u should also kno that if u work ANY hours during ur waiting period week u NEED to report it when u certify!!!! i made this mistake n it caused a big headache. the waiting week still counts for eligibility even tho u dont get paid!!!

When I lost my job in August, I was so confused about the waiting period too! My rent was due and I was counting on that first payment. The system is really designed to make things difficult for those who need immediate help. I remember being so frustrated because my previous employer contested my claim and that extended everything by like 3 weeks on top of the waiting period. Make sure you have some emergency funds if possible because EDD payments can be unpredictable, especially at the beginning.

One more important thing to know about the waiting period week: if you have a break in your claim and then reopen the same claim within the benefit year (52 weeks from when you first applied), you DON'T have to serve another waiting period. The waiting period only applies once per benefit year, regardless of how many times you stop and restart benefits within that year. This is helpful if you find temporary work and then need to go back on unemployment.

I recommend setting up a direct deposit to your bank account as soon as possible. Much better than waiting for the Money Network debit card to arrive in the mail, which can take up to 10 business days after your first payment is processed.

Just wanted to add that you should keep track of all your job search activities during the waiting period week too! Even though you won't get paid for it, you still need to meet the work search requirements. I keep a simple spreadsheet with company names, positions applied for, dates, and contact info. Makes it much easier when you have to report your job search activities during certification. Good luck with your claim!

@Cassandra Moon I went through this exact same situation when I got laid off from my marketing job last year. The waiting period week is definitely confusing at first! Just to add to what others have said - make sure you keep all your layoff paperwork handy because EDD might request it later for verification. Also, start your job search activities right away even during the waiting period week because those count toward your work search requirements. The good news is that once you get past this first hurdle, the weekly certification process becomes pretty routine. Hang in there - the first few weeks are always the most stressful but it gets easier!

I'm also new to unemployment and just wanted to say thanks to everyone for explaining this so clearly! One thing I'm wondering about - does the waiting period week count toward the total number of weeks you can receive benefits? Like if I'm eligible for 26 weeks of unemployment, does that mean I actually only get 25 paid weeks because of the waiting period? Or do I still get the full 26 paid weeks, just shifted by one week like someone mentioned earlier?