California Unemployment Benefits

Unemployment Resource

Phone: (800) 300-5616

Eligibility

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 their 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

Employers report wages to the Department for each employee. The Department uses this information to decide if an individual earned enough wages in a base period to establish a UI claim. A base period is a specific 12-month period. For example, if a claimant files a claim that begins in April, May or June the claim is calculated based on wages paid to the claimant between January 1 and December 31 of the prior year.

The reason an individual is out of work can affect his/her eligibility for benefits. A person who is laid off is out of work through no fault of his/her own. A person who quits work or is fired from work will be scheduled to a telephone interview because there is a separation issue that must be resolved. The Department interviewer obtains and documents information about the separation from the employer and claimant and decides, according to law and regulations, if the person is eligible to collect benefits. The Department mails a notice to the claimant who is not eligible for benefits. The Department mails a notice to the employer who responded timely to the notice of claim filed. The notice advises the employer about whether the claimant is eligible or not, and whether the employer's account will be charged for benefits paid to the former employee. Either party can disagree with an unfavorable decision and file an appeal.

Individuals must meet eligibility requirements each week that they claim benefits.

A person must be physically able to work, available for work and actively looking for work each week benefits are claimed. An individual must complete a claim form every two weeks, sign and date the form and return it to the Department for payment. If the information on the form shows that the individual did not meet eligibility requirements, the Department will schedule a telephone interview. Based on the information obtained, benefits may be reduced or denied. An individual who disagrees with our decision to reduce or deny benefits may file an appeal.

File a claim

The first decision you must make before filing your claim is to decide how you will file it. We offer the following claim filing options:

• File by telephone. Contact one of our call centers using a toll-free telephone number.
• Use the online application, eApply4UI. This application allows you to type in your answers to questions and submit online.
• Use our paper application, UI Application, DE 1101 I. The DE 1101 I is a document you print, hand write your answers and either fax or mail it to EDD for claim filing.
• Note: The above options may also be used to reactivate an existing claim or file for extended benefits.

After you have decided on a claim filing option, be prepared to provide the information we need to file your claim. Some information will be about your recent employment and about you personally for identification and statistical purposes, such as date of birth and years of education.

Because your time is valuable and we want the claim filing process to go as quickly as possible, we have identified critical items you should have immediately available regardless of which option you select to file your claim.

Information we will need:

• Your name (including all names you used while working), social security number, mailing address and telephone number (include the ZIP code for your mailing address and the area code for your telephone number).
• The last date you worked for any employer. If you are working part-time be sure to tell us you are still working and give us the number of hours you are working each week.
• The name, mailing address and telephone number of your last employer (include the ZIP code for your last employer’s mailing address and the area code for your last employer’s telephone number). Be specific about the spelling of the employer’s name; and make sure the address is correct because we are required to mail a notice to that employer; and an incorrect address will delay payments.
• The name of the employer you worked for the longest within the last year and a half, and the number of years you worked for that employer. This may or may not be the same as your last employer.
• The reason you are no longer working for your last employer. You may have quit, been laid off, fired, or left work because of a trade dispute. Be specific about the reason you are not working because the information you give to us must be sent to your last employer. If you quit, were fired, or left work because of a trade dispute you will be scheduled to a future telephone interview. The information we obtain during the interview will help us decide if you are eligible to receive benefits.
• Whether you are receiving, or expect to receive any payments from a former employer. We ask about this because some types of payments may be deducted from your benefits. A few examples of payments that may be deducted:
  • Wages
  • Pension payments
  • Holiday pay
  • Vacation or sick pay
• Whether you are able to work and available to accept work
• Whether you have a legal right to work in the United States. If applicable, individuals will be asked for their alien registration number. For examples of documents we may ask you about, take the time to review Legal Status and Authorization to Work.

The telephone numbers listed here can be called for unemployment insurance services. Please notice that we have separate telephone numbers for English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese speaking customers. Separate telephone numbers are also available for customers who call using a teletypewriter, and for those who call from outside California.

If you are calling to file a claim, you must call by Friday to receive credit for the week. Business hours (all times are Pacific Time) for calling the listed telephone numbers are:

• Unemployment insurance claim filing (All claims are filed with a Department representative)
• Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• NOTE: Unemployment insurance claim filing services are not available on California state holidays.

General unemployment insurance benefit information (Recording):

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. Unemployment insurance check information (Interactive Recording):

• Monday through Saturday: 6:00 a.m. to midnight
• Sunday: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Before placing your call, review Using the Automated Telephone Information System to learn about our menu options.

TELEPHONE LISTING - BY LANGUAGE

(Inside California Only)
ENGLISH
Filing Claims
Check Information:

ESPAÑOL
Presentación de Solicitudes
Información sobre su Cheque

Customers calling from a state other than California, or who are calling from the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or Canada can use this telephone number for unemployment insurance services. This telephone number cannot be used inside California.

Deaf and hard of hearing callers can contact EDD:
Directly (without using the California Relay Service) by TTY using this telephone number. The TTY is a telecommunications device for the deaf and hard of hearing. This telephone number does not accept voice calls.
Indirectly: Through the California Relay Service. If calling via the California Relay Service you must provide the EDD telephone number to the California Relay Service operator. (Customers calling outside of California should use their state's relay service.)

We encourage deaf and hard of hearing callers to contact us by using the TTY toll-free number. This will put you in direct contact with an EDD customer service representative who can provide you with unemployment insurance services.