Getting on the California out-of-work list takes only simple fact statements on the work situation and income and answers to key questions. The Employment Development Department gives out unemployment benefits to citizens that apply online, by mail, or by phone.

Applying for An Unemployment Account

Californians who lost their job or had their hours cut can secure benefits payments by sending in the unemployment application quickly. The EDD recommends sending in the application immediately after a job is lost or hours are cut. An unemployment claim is effective on the Sunday before the filing date.

The EDD also uses the time of filing to set the date range for the income base period used to decide eligibility and calculate the benefit. For example, an application filed in January, February, or March 2012, gets a base period of twelve months ending the last day in September 2011.

An applicant can prepare for a successful application by gathering their information together. The information needed to fill out the form includes:

a. information on past employers

b. last work date

c. reason out of work

d. gross earnings

e. basic details -

     i. name, address, telephone number, birth date, and Social Security Card number

     ii. last employer, name, address, telephone number

     iii. citizenship status, and, if needed, alien registration number

     iv. driver's license number or state ID number

The online form can be filled out using eApply4UI at www.edd.ca.gov/eapply4ui. An applicant can find form DE1101l at the EDD unemployment website. Or, the request can be made by phone 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, at:

English 1-800-300-5616

Spanish 1-800-326-8937

Cantonese 1-800-547-3506

Mandarin 1-866-303-0706

Vietnamese 1-800-547-2058

TTY 1-800-815-9387

An applicant can use a computer at the nearest One-Stop Career Center to file the application online.

Use these contacts to file a new unemployment claim or make an adjustment to an existing claim. Applicants receive a PIN number for their account.

Missing information and questionable qualification need to be handled. Unemployment office staff will send out a form, and, if needed, request a document when the information on the application is not complete. When the application reviewer has questions, an interviewer on the staff will call at a scheduled time and date and ask the questions printed on a notice sent to the applicant.

Asking for Benefits

The Continued Claim form must be sent in to begin weekly benefits payments. The form comes in the mail after an application is approved with a Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award that tells the applicant the begin date, the benefit award, and the base earned income. If the materials are not received within 10 days of the application filing, call the EDD.

Facts on work searches and offers and any earnings are reported on this form.

A form is needed for the first week, the waiting period week. Benefits are not awarded this week, but the applicant must certify by filing the form.

Questions and Answers

The EDD uses interviews given by staff to prevent any unqualified person from receiving benefits and avoid overpayments. The typical questions are on work, reasons for ending work, ability to work, job searches and offers, injuries and illness, and income. For example, "Have you refused an offer of work?" When the answer is yes, the department decides if the the work was suitable for the worker and, if so, asks the worker to show good cause for the refusal.

Another typical question, "Have you received income in addition to the earned income reported on the form?"

An applicant can secure benefits by answering each question accurately. The interviewer uses the answers to judge whether a worker that is not a typical applicant is eligible to receive benefits and calculate how much benefits they can receive.

The Debit Card

Unemployment checks are coming to an end. The unemployment office switched to a unemployment debit card given out by Bank of America. Benefit payments are paid into the debit card account. Bills can be paid directly from the debit card account. A card holder can transfer amounts from the card account to a checking or a savings account.

The card is accepted anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. The funds are available 24 hours a day. There is no fee to use the card at points of sale or at a Bank of America ATM.

The Follow Through

Requests for benefits must be made one at a time. A new Continued Claim form is sent in every two weeks. Keep sending in the forms until a new job is found.

Sources:

California Employment Development Department, How To File an Unemployment Insurance Claim, Form DE2320M (October 2007).

California Employment Development Department, Unemployment Insurance: A Guide To Benefits and Employment Services (2010).

California Employment Development Department, Unemployment Insurance Benefit Determination Guide (online), April 12, 2011.