Will paid training hours affect my EDD benefits? Need advice ASAP
I just got offered a really good opportunity to complete a 30-hour training program in medical coding that actually PAYS me for the training time! It's not a permanent job yet, just the training phase, but they'll pay me about $18/hr for those 30 hours. The thing is, I'm currently collecting unemployment and I'm worried this might mess up my benefits. I obviously need to report any income, but I'm confused if this counts as work, training, or something else entirely. If I report these earnings, will my claim get flagged or suspended? Has anyone dealt with something similar? Should I call EDD first to ask, or just report it on my next certification? I don't want to lose my benefits over a short training program, but this could lead to a good job after I finish...
17 comments


PixelPioneer
Yes, you absolutely need to report this income when you certify. Any earnings during a week you claim benefits must be reported. EDD will deduct a portion of your earnings from your weekly benefit amount - they don't deduct dollar for dollar though. You can earn up to $99 with no reduction, then after that they reduce your benefit. The formula is basically that you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount with no deduction, then anything over that gets subtracted from your payment. So you'll likely get a reduced payment for those weeks, but not zero unless your earnings exceed your weekly benefit amount. Also, make sure to answer YES to the question about whether you worked or earned money, even if it's just training.
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Yara Abboud
•Thank you for this info! So if my weekly benefit amount is $450, I could earn up to about $112 without any reduction (25% of $450)? And then after that they'd start reducing? I'm still confused about how to classify this on my certification though - it's not exactly a job since it's just training, but they're paying me...
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Keisha Williams
i did something like this last year. got paid for a week training for hotel job. just put the hours and pay on ur certification and ur fine. edd just reduces ur payment a bit those weeks. i still got partial payment and kept my claim active. dont overthink it!
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Paolo Rizzo
•^^^ this is NOT correct advice. The training could be considered school/training which has different reporting requirements than regular work. You need to be careful about how you report this.
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Amina Sy
This is actually a common situation and you need to handle it carefully. Here's what you should do: 1. Yes, report the income when you certify for those weeks 2. When asked if you worked, select YES 3. Enter the hours worked and gross amount earned before deductions 4. When asked if you're available for work, still answer YES (assuming the training doesn't prevent you from accepting full-time work) 5. In the section asking about school or training, I recommend also reporting this training program there too The key issue isn't just about the money - it's about your availability. As long as this training doesn't make you unavailable for regular full-time work, your claim should remain valid. Your benefits will be reduced based on your earnings during those weeks, but your overall claim will stay open. If the training program could potentially lead to regular employment, it's actually a good thing in EDD's view since you're taking steps to become reemployed, which is the whole point of unemployment benefits.
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Yara Abboud
•This is so helpful, thank you! I was worried about the training question specifically. The program is flexible enough that I could still take a full-time job if offered, so I'll make sure to explain that if they contact me. Do you think it's worth calling EDD directly before I start, or just report it properly on my certification?
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Oliver Fischer
GOOD LUCK getting through to EDD to ask this!!! I spent TWO WEEKS trying to talk to someone about my training program question. Kept getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and getting disconnected. It's IMPOSSIBLE to get actual help on the phone. If you do try to call, start dialing exactly at 8:00am when they open - that's your only chance. Otherwise you'll waste hours just to get hung up on.
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Natasha Ivanova
•I had the same frustrating experience trying to reach EDD about my training question. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km - honestly worth it because the agent gave me specific instructions for my situation that weren't clear on the website. You might want to try it if you're still uncertain about how to properly report this training program.
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NebulaNomad
my wife had almost EXACT same situation!!!! she did phlebotomy training that paid $16/hr for 25 hours. she reported everything honestly on certification and EDD just reduced her payment for those 2 weeks. no problems after that and she kept getting full benefits once training ended. just be 100% honest about hours and pay, thats what matters most. EDD actually LIKES when ur trying to improve ur job skills!
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Yara Abboud
•Oh wow, that's almost identical to my situation! That makes me feel a lot better. I was worried they might think I was hiding employment or something. Did she have to provide any documentation about the training program?
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Paolo Rizzo
Everyone's giving incomplete advice here. What matters is whether this is APPROVED training or not. If it's approved under the California Training Benefits (CTB) program, you remain eligible for full benefits without reduction. If it's NOT approved training, then yes, you report it as work and your benefits get reduced. You should determine if your training qualifies for CTB before you start.
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PixelPioneer
•This is partially correct, but missing a key detail. California Training Benefits (CTB) typically applies to longer-term training programs that prevent you from working full-time, not short 30-hour programs. CTB is designed for people doing substantial education programs where they can't work while studying. For a short paid training like OP described, it's almost certainly going to be reported as work, not CTB training. The standard earnings deduction formula would apply.
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Javier Garcia
wait im confused... if ur getting PAID for the training isnt that just a JOB? like why is this even a question? obviously report income when u certify lol
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Yara Abboud
•It's not that simple - it's a training that pays me, but it's not permanent employment yet. I just wanted to make sure I'm reporting it correctly so I don't mess up my claim or get accused of fraud. Better safe than sorry!
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Amina Sy
Based on all the discussion here, here's what I'd recommend: 1. Report the training as work income on your certification 2. Be prepared for a reduction in your benefits for those week(s) 3. Keep detailed records of the training program (dates, hours, pay stubs) 4. Answer all certification questions honestly For a short 30-hour training program that pays you, this is simply considered work income. Your claim will remain open, and you'll return to receiving your normal benefit amount after the training period ends (assuming you don't move into permanent employment). This type of situation is completely normal and won't negatively impact your overall claim eligibility.
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Yara Abboud
•Thank you so much for this clear explanation! I feel much better about handling this now. I'll keep detailed records of everything and report it accurately. The training starts next week, so I'll make sure to document everything carefully for my next certification period.
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Connor O'Neill
I went through something very similar last year with a paid certification course for IT support. Here's what I learned: definitely report it as work income when you certify, but don't stress too much about it. The key is being completely transparent about the hours and earnings. What helped me was calling it exactly what it is - "paid training" in the work section of my certification. I put down the exact hours and gross pay, and EDD reduced my benefits for those weeks using their standard formula. Once the training ended, my benefits went back to the full amount. One tip: if the training program gives you any documentation (like a training agreement or syllabus), keep copies. I never needed them, but it's good to have proof that this was legitimate skills training, not just regular employment. EDD actually views this kind of training positively since you're actively working toward better employment opportunities. You're doing the right thing by asking ahead of time. Just report everything honestly and you'll be fine!
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