Zero claim balance with active benefit year - do I need to contact EDD?

Once your claim balance hits zero, that's it for your benefit year - you've received all the benefits you're entitled to for this claim period. EDD won't automatically add more money to your existing claim. You'll need to wait until your benefit year ends in May 2025 before you can file a new claim, and only if you've worked and earned wages since filing your current claim. In the meantime, you might want to check if you qualify for any extension programs (though most of those ended after the pandemic) or other assistance programs like CalFresh.

same thing happend to me last yr... used up all my $ by february but my claim year went till july. EDD doesnt add more $ once ur balance hits 0 even if ur year isnt over yet. gotta wait for new benefit year sry

I just went through the same situation last month. Called EDD after struggling with the website for days. The agent confirmed what others are saying - once your balance hits zero, there's no more money added until your benefit year ends and you qualify for a new claim. But definitely call to verify your specific situation - don't just take internet advice (including mine!). I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD agent right away instead of spending hours redialing. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Saved me so much frustration and the agent confirmed everything about my claim status immediately.

To clarify what everyone is saying: Under the standard UI program, your claim is valid for one year (your benefit year), but the total amount you can receive is calculated at the beginning based on your previous wages. This total amount is divided into weekly benefit amounts, and once you've collected all of those payments and your balance reaches zero, no additional benefits are available until you qualify for a new claim. After your benefit year ends in May 2025, you can file a new claim IF you've worked and earned qualifying wages since filing your current claim. I'd recommend: 1. Call EDD to confirm there are no extensions available for your specific situation 2. Apply for other assistance programs (CalFresh, etc.) 3. Document your job search efforts thoroughly for when you're eligible to file a new claim Best of luck with your job search!

I thought I was eligible for PECU or whatever that extension was called when this happened to me!!!! The website is SO CONFUSING because it still shows your claim as active even with $0. I wasted weeks thinking I was getting an extension automatically. You have to call them!!

This happened to my cousin two months ago. She called and was told that once your balance is zero, that's it until your benefit year ends and you qualify for a new claim. They don't automatically add more money. The agent did tell her about some job training programs though that might help during the gap. Maybe ask about those when you call?

wait but what if u find a job and then lose it again before ur benefit year ends? can u get more $ added to ur claim then?

The EDD system is DELIBERATELY CONFUSING and they make it hard to understand on purpose!!! When I exhausted my benefits last year but my claim was still active, I spent WEEKS trying to figure out what was going on. Called 57 times before getting through. They should make this clearer on their website instead of leaving people hanging and wondering what's happening. It's part of their strategy to reduce payouts by making things confusing. So frustrating!!!

When I called EDD about this exact situation, they also mentioned checking eligibility for State Disability Insurance (SDI) or Paid Family Leave (PFL) if those apply to your situation. Those are different programs with different funding, so they might be options depending on your circumstances. Worth asking about when you call!

I'm in a similar boat right now - exhausted my benefits in January but my benefit year runs until August. It's such a confusing and stressful situation! From what I've learned lurking in this community, once your balance hits zero, that's really it until your benefit year ends. The hardest part is that EDD's website makes it look like your claim is still "active" when really there's nothing left to collect. I kept logging in expecting to see something change or get some kind of notification, but nope - just that depressing $0 balance staring back at me. I finally bit the bullet and called last week. Took forever to get through (surprise, surprise) but the agent confirmed what everyone here is saying - no more money gets added to your existing claim once it's exhausted, even if your benefit year isn't over. She did mention looking into CalFresh and other assistance programs while I wait for my benefit year to end. Hang in there - at least we're not alone in dealing with this mess of a system!

I went through this exact same situation a few months ago and it's incredibly frustrating! Like everyone else has mentioned, once your claim balance hits $0, EDD doesn't automatically add more money even though your benefit year is still active. It's such a misleading system because they keep showing your claim as "active" when there's really nothing left. I made the mistake of waiting weeks thinking something would happen automatically, but nothing did. When I finally called (after many, many attempts to get through), the agent confirmed that I had to wait until my benefit year ended to file a new claim - assuming I had enough qualifying wages from any work I did during the current benefit year. One thing that helped me during the gap was applying for CalFresh (food stamps) and looking into local food banks and assistance programs. It's not much, but every little bit helps when you're struggling financially. Also, make sure to keep documenting your job search activities because you'll need that when you're eligible to file your new claim. The whole system is designed to be confusing and it feels like they're hoping people will just give up. Don't let them discourage you - call to confirm your specific situation and explore all available resources while you wait for your benefit year to end. You've got this!