How to File for Unemployment in California
How to apply for unemployment in California, what you need, and what you must do each week to keep getting benefits.
Short answer: Apply online through myEDD (UI Online). Phone representatives are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon Pacific, at 1-800-300-5616 (English) or 1-800-326-8937 (Spanish); a paper application can be faxed or mailed. California EDD, File a Claim; Eligibility Requirements; Fact Sheet DE 8714AB
| How to apply | Apply online through myEDD (UI Online). Phone representatives are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon Pacific, at 1-800-300-5616 (English) or 1-800-326-8937 (Spanish); a paper application can be faxed or mailed. Benefits usually start the Sunday of the week you first apply, and it takes about three weeks to process the application and make the first payment. Certify for benefits every two weeks to keep receiving payments. |
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| Earnings needed to qualify | To set up a claim you must have earned at least $1,300 in the highest quarter of your base period, or at least $900 in your highest quarter with total base period earnings of 1.25 times your high-quarter earnings. The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim begins. If you do not qualify, EDD automatically checks the alternate base period (the last four completed quarters). |
| Work search requirements | Most people must look for suitable work each week and show they are trying to find a job, and must be ready and willing to accept work right away. You must register in CalJOBS within 21 days of receiving the registration notice (DE 8405), unless exempt. |
| Logging in and filing weekly claims | California unemployment claims are managed in UI Online, reached by logging in to myEDD and selecting UI Online (Employment Development Department). There you can apply for or reopen a claim, submit certifications for benefits, report work and wages, change how you receive payments, update your address and phone, view appointments, send questions and check your online inbox, and view Form 1099G. Login help: 1-833-978-2511, option 1 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific, Mon-Fri); lost EDD Customer Account Number: 1-800-300-5616. Live chat is available in UI Online, Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-2 p.m. myEDD login linked from the page: https://myedd.edd.ca.gov/ Source: California EDD, UI Online |
Where to get help in California
More California unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your California Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in California
- Unemployment After Being Fired in California
- Unemployment After Quitting in California
- How Much Unemployment Pays in California
- All California unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How do I apply for unemployment in California?
Apply online through myEDD (UI Online). Phone representatives are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon Pacific, at 1-800-300-5616 (English) or 1-800-326-8937 (Spanish); a paper application can be faxed or mailed. Benefits usually start the Sunday of the week you first apply, and it takes about three weeks to process the application and make the first payment. Certify for benefits every two weeks to keep receiving payments.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in California?
To set up a claim you must have earned at least $1,300 in the highest quarter of your base period, or at least $900 in your highest quarter with total base period earnings of 1.25 times your high-quarter earnings. The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim begins. If you do not qualify, EDD automatically checks the alternate base period (the last four completed quarters).
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in California?
Most people must look for suitable work each week and show they are trying to find a job, and must be ready and willing to accept work right away. You must register in CalJOBS within 21 days of receiving the registration notice (DE 8405), unless exempt.
Where do I log in to my unemployment claim in California?
California unemployment claims are managed in UI Online, reached by logging in to myEDD and selecting UI Online (Employment Development Department). There you can apply for or reopen a claim, submit certifications for benefits, report work and wages, change how you receive payments, update your address and phone, view appointments, send questions and check your online inbox, and view Form 1099G. Login help: 1-833-978-2511, option 1 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific, Mon-Fri); lost EDD Customer Account Number: 1-800-300-5616. Live chat is available in UI Online, Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.