What type of unemployment is being laid off? California EDD explained

This is exactly what I needed to hear. So the fact that I didn't do anything wrong actually matters for how EDD classifies the claim?

Yeah that's essentially it - the agent explained that a layoff is about the position being gone, not anything you did. EDD sees that differently than a firing or a quit.

Glad someone actually got through to EDD. I've been trying for two weeks and keep hitting the busy signal around 8am.

the video link above is helpful, gonna bookmark the site for when I need it

How do they figure out the base period? I worked at the warehouse for about 14 months total.

EDD looks at the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you filed in November, they're looking roughly at wages from July 2025 back through July 2024, give or take. The DE 429Z they mail you will show the weekly amount they calculated and the base period they used.

wait does that mean if I just got a raise before being laid off it won't count? because my raise was like two months ago

A recent raise might fall outside the standard base period, yeah. That's just how the quarters work. If your wages under the standard calculation aren't enough to qualify, EDD will automatically check the last four completed quarters instead - that's the alternate base period. But it only kicks in if you don't qualify under the standard one, it doesn't automatically get you a higher weekly amount.

I did see 'lack of work' as an option and that felt right so I picked it. Good to know that was correct.

Yeah that's the one. You should be fine.

I picked the wrong thing on mine initially and had to send a message through UI Online to fix it. Took about a week to hear back but they updated it.

Oh I had no idea about CalJOBS. So I just go to the CalJOBS site and register there separately from EDD?

Yeah it's caljobs.ca.gov, totally separate login. You register, fill out your profile, and post your resume. The DE 8405 will tell you exactly what you need to do and when.

Is that required for everyone? I got laid off and my claim paperwork didn't mention it.

EDD tells you whether you need it. Some claimants are exempt. If you didn't get the DE 8405 in the mail you might not need it, but definitely look for that notice among your EDD mail just to be sure.

Did you have to do anything special to prove it was a layoff and not something else?

Not really. EDD contacts your former employer to verify the reason. As long as your employer confirms it was a layoff for lack of work, that's consistent with what you told EDD and there's nothing to dispute. The problems happen when what you say and what your employer says don't match.

this is what i was wondering too, like does your old job have to do paperwork or something

EDD mails the last employer a notice and they have 10 days to respond. If they just confirm it was a layoff there's usually nothing more to it.

So the DE 429Z isn't saying I'm approved, it's just telling me the numbers? How do I know if I'm actually getting paid?

You'll know when you certify and payments show up. UI Online updates daily so you can check there. If EDD needs more information or decides you don't qualify, they mail a Notice of Determination explaining why and you get a chance to appeal within 30 days of the date on that letter.

The waiting period around week 1 also matters - there's an unpaid waiting week at the start of every claim. The first time you certify it usually covers that waiting week plus one paid week.

Oh I didn't know about the unpaid first week. So even once things get rolling I'm not getting paid for week one?

Right, every claim has that one unpaid week at the start. It doesn't take away from your total - it's just the way the program works. After that the remaining eligible weeks are what can be paid.

That's actually really useful because my company mentioned something about a small severance payment too. So I should still file right away and not wait?

That's what the agent told me for my situation - file as soon as your job ends, don't wait around. The claim starts the Sunday of the week you apply so every week you delay is a week you can't go back and claim.

I thought severance meant you couldn't file at all, like you'd have to repay whatever EDD gave you

Not how it works. Severance paid under a company policy isn't treated as wages by EDD, so it doesn't reduce your weekly payment. You report it when certifying because the form asks about it and EDD makes the determination. But it doesn't disqualify you from filing or collecting.

I was under the impression I needed to certify every week so I'm glad you said something. So I just wait for EDD to tell me when my first certification period is?

Yes, they send you instructions. And UI Online will show you when your certification is due. Don't try to do it early - the system only lets you certify when it's the right time.

I made the mistake of thinking I missed my certification window and panicked. It was just that the period wasn't open yet. The UI Online homepage shows when it's due.

Oh good, I've been wondering about that too. I thought everyone got a call.

Nope. The phone interview is only scheduled when EDD has a specific question about your eligibility. A clean layoff where your employer confirms lack of work usually doesn't need one.

I thought the phone interview was like a required orientation call or something lol. I was totally wrong about what it was for.

The interview is for things like quits or firings where there's a question about whether you should qualify. For a straightforward layoff it typically doesn't come up.

A previous claim doesn't disqualify you or count against you. Each new claim stands on its own wages and situation. As long as your benefit year on the old claim ended, you can file a new one. The only wrinkle would be if your old claim still had a balance and the benefit year hasn't ended yet, in which case you'd need to reopen that one rather than file new.

old claim was definitely done, it's been like 2.5 years. so I'm good to just file fresh then

Yep, file fresh. The base period will pull from your most recent wages anyway.

Honestly yes. I kept second-guessing whether I 'deserved' to file and reading all these responses has helped me understand I'm exactly who this program is for.

Exactly. The program is funded by employers and exists for laid off workers. You have every reason to use it.

I felt the same guilt when I first filed. It passed once the first payment came through.

Not a dumb question - your coworker has it backwards. Employers pay the unemployment insurance tax, not workers. Nothing comes out of your paycheck for it. The CASDI deduction you might see is for State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave, which is different. Unemployment benefits come from a fund that employers contribute to.

oh wow I genuinely had no idea. so I haven't been contributing to it at all this whole time

Correct. It's entirely employer-funded. Your wages are what determine what you can claim, but you personally haven't been making any unemployment payments.

This myth is SO common. I had three different people tell me confidently that I 'paid into it' when I got laid off. You didn't, your employer did.

That's scary - so your employer could respond wrong and it could hold up your whole claim?

Yeah it was a mess. Turned out HR had used the wrong code when they responded to EDD. Once EDD sorted out the conflicting information a Notice of Determination came with the correct decision. If you ever see your weeks go Pending without explanation, it's worth trying to reach EDD to find out if there's a specific issue.

This is a good warning. Even a clean layoff can hit a snag if the employer response doesn't match. Keep records of anything your employer told you about the reason for the layoff.

I actually saved the email my manager sent me about the restructuring. Good to know that might matter.

You do have to be looking for work each week you certify. The certification asks about it. EDD doesn't set a specific number of applications you have to submit each week from what I've seen - the requirement is just that you're actively looking. Keeping your own record of where you applied is a smart habit.

So no magic number I have to hit? I was worried I'd need to log like 5 apps a week into some EDD system.

EDD doesn't track it through some online log in UI Online or CalJOBS. You just answer the certification question honestly. If EDD ever asks for verification you'd want to have your own records ready, but that's not a standard thing that happens on every claim.

My understanding was you need to register in CalJOBS too which kind of functions as a job search tool. But the number of applications per week isn't something EDD publicly spells out.

I had no idea unemployment was taxable at the federal level. Good to know before I figure out my budget.

Yeah it catches people off guard. The 10% withholding option during certification is an easy way to handle it without thinking about it again until April.

wait california doesnt tax it?? I definitely paid state tax on unemployment income before

California exempts unemployment benefits from state income tax. If you paid state tax on it before, it's worth looking at whether that was correct - you might have been able to get that refunded.

Identity verification is another thing I haven't done yet - I think I did the ID.me step online but I'm not 100% sure it went through.

UI Online will usually show if there's a pending identity issue. If it's not flagging anything you're probably fine, but if your weeks keep showing Pending after a couple weeks you might want to verify that the ID.me step was completed.

The ID.me process is worth doing carefully and not rushing. If your photos are blurry or the name doesn't match exactly it kicks back and adds more waiting time.

That's really practical advice. My former employer seemed pretty professional about the whole thing so I think I could reach out if something went sideways.

Just keep it factual and ask if they responded to the EDD notice confirming the layoff. Most HR departments want to handle it correctly, it was just an administrative error in our case.

The employer only has 10 days to respond to EDD's notice so if something went wrong with their response it can affect things pretty quickly. Good to know you can follow up with them directly.

This is a great summary to close things out for me. So basically: layoff is the most straightforward type of unemployment, wait for the DE 429Z, do my CalJOBS registration when the DE 8405 arrives, certify every two weeks when the portal opens up for it, and report any wages or severance when certifying?

That's exactly it. And keep looking for work each week you certify - the certification asks about it. Beyond that you're doing everything right for a clean layoff claim.

Solid checklist. The only thing I'd add is save anything your employer gave you about the layoff reason, just in case there's ever a discrepancy between what they tell EDD and what you reported.

Saving this whole thread. Really appreciate everyone who responded - went from completely lost to actually understanding what's going on with my claim.