.

California Unemployment Information PDF Print E-mail


Do I qualify for unemployment benefits?

 
  

Note: This site is not affiliated with the state of California.

 

An individual who files for unemployment insurance benefits must meet specific eligibility requirements before benefits can be paid. Individuals must:

  • Have received enough wages during the base period to establish a claim 
  • Be totally or partially unemployed 
  • Be unemployed through no fault of his/her own 
  • Be physically able to work 
  • Be available for work which means to be ready and willing to immediately accept work 
  • Be actively looking for work 
  • Meet eligibility requirements each week benefits are claimed 
  • Be approved for training before training benefits can be paid

http://www.edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Eligibility.htm

How do I file for unemployment benefits?

Information and instructions for filing for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits:

When is the best time for me to file a claim?

The effective date of your claim is based on the date you first contact the Department. The effective date determines your base period, and as a result, your benefit amount. A base period is a one-year period of earnings, divided into quarters. The base period is used to establish a claim and calculate an award. You may wish to review your wages during each quarter of the base period to determine the best time to file. You will not receive any benefits until you actually submit an application or call EDD to file a claim.

If your claim begins in:

Your base period is the prior 12 months,

ending the last day of: 

  • January-February-March  September  
  • April-May-June  December  
  • July-August-September  March  
  • October-November-December  June  
If the effective date of your claim is January 2, 2005, or later, the benefit table (2005) provides your weekly benefit amount based on your wages in a calendar quarter during the base period.

Can I cancel my claim?

Yes, you can cancel your claim within 30 days (up to and including 30 days) after the mailing date of the Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award. Your claim can be canceled within 30 days only if you have not cashed a benefit check or have not been issued a written notice of disqualification.

Important Notice: The answers you give to the questions on the application must be true and correct. You may be subject to penalties if you make a false statement or withold information.

What do you need to file a claim using this application?

To be able to file a claim, you must be out of work (for any reason) or working less than full-time at the time you file your claim.

The application will ask a series of questions. Some questions will be about your recent employment. Other questions will ask for personal information for identification and statistical purposes, such as date of birth and years of education. It is important to be as accurate as possible with the information you provide.

Please have the following information available when filing your claim:

  • Your name and social security account number 
  • Your mailing and residence addresses (if different) 
  • Your telephone number
  • Your last employer information (regardless of the length of time you worked for the employer) including name, address (mailing and physical location) and telephone number (including area code) 
  • Your last employer information (regardless of the length of time you worked for the employer) including name, address (mailing and physical location) and telephone number (including area code) 
  • Your last employer information (regardless of the length of time you worked for the employer) including name, address (mailing and physical location) and telephone number (including area code) 
  • Information on all employers you worked for during the 18 months prior to submitting your applications and filling your claim, including name, period of employment, wages earned and how you were paid 
  • Your last date worked and the reason you are no longer working 
  • Your gross earnings in the last week you worked 
  • Your driver's license or ID card number, if you have either 
  • Your citizenship status (which may include your alien registration number) 

File by Telephone

If you would rather file for unemployment benefits by telephone, call EDD and staff will assist you. Call Centers can be very busy, and you may be waiting for a period of time.

Reporting Wages

If you worked in the week in which you are applying for unemployment insurance benefits, you will be asked to report your wages for the week. For unemployment insurance purposes, a week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. To report wages for the week you are applying, indicate any wages you earned from the Sunday prior to the day you are filing through the day you are filing.

For example, if you are filing a claim on Thursday, you would report wages earned from Sunday through Thursday. See the chart below:

You are required to report all wages you earn while you are certifying for and receiving unemployment insurance benefits. Therefore, if you continue to work at all after the date on which you file your unemployment insurance claim, you must report those additional wages.

You must report lodging, meals, or any other payment you receive when you work. If you are unsure about how to report wages, call EDD.

UI Claim Materials

Within ten days we will mail the following documents to the address you provided on your application:

Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award, DE 429Z. This notice shows your weekly benefit amount and your maximum benfit amount. These amounts are based on the wages reported by your employer(s). Please review the award notice for accuracy and call EDD if you disagree with the information. This notice also gives instructions on your work search requirements.

Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed, DE 1101CLMT. This document contains information you provided when you filed your claim. The Department will consider the information to be correct unless you contact the Department within 10 days from the date we mailed the form to supply corrected or omitted information. 

A Guide to Benefits and Employment Services, DE 1275A. This is a handbook that explains your rights and responsibilities under the Unemployment Insurance Program. Read it completely and carefully. You are responsible for knowing its contents.

A Continued Claim, DE 4581. This is a form used to claim weekly benefits. Follow the instructions in the handbook on how to complete the form. The benefit week begins Sunday and ends Saturday at midnight. Answer all the questions for each week, sign and mail the form on the date shown on the front. Remember to report any wages you earned for the weeks on the form, paying attention to the beginning and ending dates of each week. The first week of unemployment insurance benefits is the "waiting period" week. You will not receive benefits for that week. However, you must complete the claim form for that week to certify for benefits.

Prior Disqualification or Overpayments

If you had a disqualification or overpayment on a previous claim, the disqualification or overpayment may carry over and affect your new claim. Please refer to the disqualification or overpayment notice you received by mail at the time the disqualification or overpayment was established.

If you are Receiving a Pension

Some pensions are deductible from unemployment insurance benefits. If you are receiving a pension other than Social Security, Railroad Retirement, or a pension based on another person's work or wages, you may have to repay unemployment insurance benefits received, if the pension payments are for the same time period. A determination interview may be needed to determine if your pension payments are deductible.

Determination Interview

If there is a question of your eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits, you will be scheduled for a telephone eligibility determination interview. You will receive a notice entitled "Telephone Interview Notification and Instructions" that will indicate the date and time the Department representative will phone you. This notice will also give you information about the issues to be discussed and possible questions you will be asked.

A Department representative will phone you at a predetermined time, and will ask you questions to assist that representative in determining your eligibility. The interviewer may also speak to your former employer if you quit or were fired from your last job.

Training Benefits

If you are interested in training, you may be eligible for California Training Benefits, which would allow you to receive training while receiving unemployment insurance benefits. Please refer to your unemployment insurance claim handbook for information.

You may also be eligible for additional training benefits if you contact the Department before:

sixteen weeks of benefits are paid, or

your benefits are exhausted (if your claim is for less than 16 weeks)

Work Search Requirement

You are required to look for work each week that you are certifying for benefits by contacting employers who hire workers in your usual occupation. Failure to look for work in any week may affect your eligibility to receive benefits. We advise that you keep a record of your work search dates and employer contact information for future use and potential eligibility interviews.

Job Service Registration

You are required to register in California\u2019s Job Search assistance website (CalJOBS) within 21 days. You may also be required to complete a work search questionnaire and attend multiple reemployment assistance interviews or workshops. Failure to register in CalJOBS or failure to attend scheduled reemployment assistance appointments, may affect your eligibility for UI benefits.

If you have not registered for Job Search Assistance, you should register with your local Workforce Services Office.

Job Search Assistance

You must actively seek work and should register for Job Search assistance with the local employment office in your state. Look in the telephone directory for local telephone listings.

Interactive Voice Response

The EDD has an automated telephone system which is available seven days a week for general UI information, Job Service locations and telephone numbers.

Additional Information

If the Department needs to verify any of the information you provide on the application, you will receive additional forms by mail and will be asked to provide additional information and/or documentation.

Please read all EDD materials carefully. If you have questions you may call EDD to obtain additional information.

Completing the Application

For information on EDD's privacy policy and data security, please read the EDD Data Privacy and Security Policy before completing your application for benefits.

The following instructions apply if you are filing your claim using our paper form, DE 1101I:

You can fill in the form on-line and print, or print and complete by hand. Then mail or fax to an EDD office for processing.

The following instructions apply if you are filing your claim using eApply4UI:

If you are not familiar with completing forms on the Internet, please read the Instructions For Internet Form Entry before completing your application for benefits.

As you complete the UI Application, you may be asked to provide several dates. You may choose any of the following ways in which to report a date (M = month, D = day of month, Y = year):

MM/DD/YYYY  or  MM-DD-YYYY  or  MM.DD.YYYY

If you do not enter dates in one of these formats, you will receive an error message.

Do not use the Backspace key on your keyboard while you are entering information into the eApply4UI Application page. The Backspace key is interpreted by most browsers as equivalent to the back arrow on the toolbar. If you do hit the Backspace key and leave the application, use the forward arrow on the tool bar to return to your application.

If you are using eApply4UI or a paper application, DE 1101I, to file for benefits, allow up to 10 days for processing. After your application is received by the Department and a claim is filed, it will be determined if you are eligible to receive benefits.

https://eapply4ui.edd.ca.gov/htm/cpgInstructions.htm

Unemployment Office Contact Information

    * Disability Insurance: (TTY) 1-800-563-2441

    * Employment Tax: (TTY) 1-800-547-9565
    * Unemployment Insurance (TTY) 1-800-815-9387
    # Payroll Tax Assistance - 1-888-745-3886

If you have comments, suggestions, or complaints please forward them to:

    * Comments, or

    * Employment Development Department
      800 Capitol Mall, MIC 83
      Sacramento, CA 95814

http://www.edd.ca.gov/About_EDD/Department_Directory.htm