What must an individual do each week they receive California EDD unemployment benefits?

This is incredibly helpful, thank you. So the certification is every two weeks but the job search is 3 contacts PER WEEK? So in a two-week certification period I need to have 6 total employer contacts logged?

Exactly right - 3 contacts per week means 6 total in a two-week period. Keep a spreadsheet or use a notes app. EDD can request to see your job search log and if you can't produce it, they can deny your benefits retroactively.

wait do they actually audit people?? i've been on UI for 6 weeks and never kept any records of my job applications lol

Yes they do audit, it's not super common but it happens especially if your claim gets flagged for any reason. Start keeping records now and backfill what you remember as best you can.

Ugh that sounds stressful. Did you have to call EDD to resolve it or did it clear on its own?

It cleared on its own eventually but I had no idea what was happening because EDD never sent me a clear explanation. That's the annoying part - they just put you in adjudication with zero context.

adjudication is the WORST. i went through it twice and both times had to wait weeks with no communication from EDD at all

I did not know this either, thank you! Is there anything specific I need to do on CalJOBS regularly or just having the profile is enough?

Having an active profile is the main requirement. Some people update their resume periodically to show activity but I don't think there's a strict rule on that. Just make sure your profile doesn't go inactive.

This varies a little depending on your claim type and county but yes generally you just need to have an active CalJOBS registration. The weekly job search requirement is separate.

Thanks for the heads up on the deadline. And I'll bookmark that Claimyr link in case I ever get stuck - hopefully I won't need it but knowing EDD phone lines are basically impossible to get through on your own is a little scary.

can confirm Claimyr works. used it when my account got locked during a certification week and I would've lost that payment otherwise. got through to an agent same day

i just redial like 50 times lol. is claimyr actually worth it?

i mean it depends on how much your time is worth. spending 4 hours redialing vs actually getting through quickly - for me it was an easy choice especially when benefits were on the line

I'm not on standby, it was a permanent layoff. But good to know about the gig work reporting - I've been considering some freelance design work and wasn't sure if I had to report it.

Yes report it. You get to earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount without a reduction, and beyond that it gets deducted proportionally. But you MUST report it or it's considered fraud even if the amount would have been below the threshold.

The 25% rule - is that still accurate? I thought EDD changed how they calculate partial benefits at some point

California EDD partial benefit calculations can be a bit complex. The basic rule is earnings are deducted from your weekly benefit amount but there's a $25 or 25% earnings disregard. For accuracy on your specific situation I'd actually recommend confirming with an EDD agent since the calculation depends on your specific WBA.

Online applications through platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, or company websites absolutely count as job search contacts. You just need to log: employer name, position, contact method (online application), date, and any contact info you have. Email applications, in-person visits, and phone inquiries all count too.

ok that's a relief. I was keeping my Indeed activity history which shows dates and positions. would that be acceptable documentation if audited?

It would be a good supporting document but you should still maintain your own log because EDD wants specific fields filled in. Download a free job search log template - EDD actually has one on their website - and fill it out as you go.

That's really good to know. So if I'm sick for even part of a week I should be cautious about certifying for that week?

Basically yes. If you're physically unable to work for any part of the week, the safest thing is to not certify for that week or to mark that you were NOT able and available. You won't get paid for that week but you won't risk an adjudication issue or fraud flag either.

This is actually important nuance. California EDD's 'able and available' standard means you were able and available for the ENTIRE week, not just most of it. If you had even one day where you couldn't have accepted a job offer, technically you may not meet the requirement.

THIS. I literally got hung up on after 2 hours on hold. twice.

This is exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier in this thread - claimyr.com - it's made specifically for this problem. You're not going to spend hours redialing hoping to get through. Check out the demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 if you want to see what it's about before trying it.

I'm usually skeptical of these things but honestly at this point I'll try anything. My adjudication has been sitting for 5 weeks with zero communication from EDD.

Five weeks is a long time for adjudication. Definitely try to get through to someone - either through Claimyr or by using the EDD Ask EDD portal to submit a written inquiry at least so you have a documented request on file.

I didn't know it was that precise. Does missing the window mean you lose that week's payment entirely or just that you have to call to get it reopened?

You can request a late certification within a certain period - I believe up to several weeks back - but you have to call EDD to do it. And since calling EDD is its own challenge, just don't miss the window if you can help it. Set a weekly phone reminder.

I set a reminder for every other Sunday to certify. Never missed one since. Takes like 5 minutes once you know the questions well.

Technically the job search requirement doesn't have a holiday exception built in as a standard rule. You're expected to make reasonable efforts. In practice, online applications work year-round so you can still meet the 3-contact requirement during holiday weeks by applying through company websites and job boards.

ok that makes sense. I guess as long as I'm applying online I can meet the requirement any week of the year

Correct, and honestly most large companies have hiring portals that are active year-round. Applying to a few positions through LinkedIn or Indeed will satisfy the requirement even during holiday weeks.

Oh wow I did not realize it was week-by-week within the certification. I'll pay close attention to that when I do my first one.

Yeah it's easy to breeze through and not notice the break between the two weeks. UI Online is actually decent about labeling it but you have to read carefully.

i definitely answered both weeks the same way without thinking about it. wonder if that caused any issues on my end...

I had no idea these workshops existed. Are they free? And do they count toward my job search contacts?

Yes they're free, funded through the state. And I believe attending a workshop at an AJCC can count as one of your job search contacts for that week - ask them about it when you go.

This is a great resource that often goes overlooked. America's Job Centers also offer resume help, interview prep, and some have computers available for job searching. Your local AJCC can be genuinely useful beyond just satisfying requirements.

Completely agree. I've been reading the EDD website for a week trying to figure this out and didn't get half the detail I got from this thread.

The EDD website has improved somewhat but it definitely assumes you already know the terminology. Glad this thread is helpful - that's what community forums are for.

I'm not in a union so this doesn't apply to me but good info for anyone who is. Thank you.

Correct - union hiring hall exception exists in California EDD rules. You'd still need to certify for benefits and meet the able and available requirement, but the independent employer contact requirement can be waived. The union must be registered with EDD for this to apply.

I didn't know this. I'm in a trade union and have been doing the 3 contacts every week. Gonna look into this.

Did you call EDD directly to get that info? Or through some other channel?

I actually got through to an agent - took me a while but I managed. If you ever need to reach EDD and can't get through on your own, I'd also suggest checking out Claimyr (claimyr.com) - there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10. I heard about it from someone else on this forum and it's a legit way to skip the hold time nightmare.

Thank you, I'll check it out. And that job search log breakdown is exactly what I needed - simple and clear.

The EDD agent advice on job search logs is consistent with what most people report. Simple and detailed beats elaborate and incomplete.

No, your claim isn't dead. California EDD allows you to certify retroactively for past weeks, typically up to a year back. The catch is you may need to call EDD to have the certification window reopened for those weeks. Your underlying claim stays active as long as your benefit year hasn't expired.

ok phew. and how far back is too far back? like if i missed 3 weeks could i go back and certify for all three?

Generally yes, within the same benefit year. You'd call EDD, explain you missed certifying for specific weeks, and they can reopen those weeks for you. Document which weeks you're requesting so you're clear with the agent. Keep in mind they may ask why you didn't certify, especially for multiple missed weeks.

One note - if you missed weeks because you were working full time during those weeks and didn't think you'd be returning to claim, you'd need to honestly answer the certification questions for those weeks. Don't certify for weeks you were fully employed just because you now need benefits again.

How detailed does the work history need to be? Does it have to be exhaustive or just recent jobs?

I'd say go back at least 5-10 years or whatever's relevant to your field. Same level of detail you'd put on a resume. The system will prompt you through the sections so just follow the prompts and fill everything in rather than skipping sections.

Also make sure your contact info on CalJOBS matches what EDD has on file for you. Mismatched contact details apparently can cause issues in some cases.

That's really smart. Does it matter what format - screenshot on my phone vs printing to PDF?

Either works. I keep mine in a phone album labeled 'EDD' so they're easy to find. Just make sure the date, your name, and the confirmation number are all visible.

Same here - I keep every EDD document, confirmation, and notice. It's saved me twice when there were discrepancies. Treat it like tax documents.

wish i had done this from the start. lost a payment once because I couldn't prove I'd certified and EDD had no record of it. nightmare.