FAQ's

FAQs for base periods here

Calculator for base periods here

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What is a standard/alternate base period?

• This is how EDD calculates how much money you are qualified to receive

• They take the standard base period and calculate all your earnings and base your award amount/weekly benefit amount on your highest earning quarter

• If you do not earn enough wages in your standard base period, they will look at your alternate base period

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What is FED-ED?

• The Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) extension provides up to 20 weeks of additional benefits for people who used al of their unemployment benefits

• FED-ED also adds 7 weeks to the PUA program, making PUA a maximum of 46 weeks

• FED-ED can only be paid only after people have collected all regular UI benefits as well as PEUC (Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation)

• FED-ED will continue until California's unemployment rate drops below a certain level -- there is no end date for the extended benefit period as of now

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What makes me eligible?

• If you are unemployed and you:

• Have a regular UI claim that started on or after May 19, 2019

• Used all benefits on UI claim and PEUC, or your claim has expired

• Do not qualify for new UI claim in CA or any other state

• Meet UI eligible requirements and are not disqualified

• Made enough earnings in the base period of your regular UI claim (use calculator)

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I qualify. What do I need to do next?

• If you are eligible, EDD will automatically file FED-ED extension after you collect all PEUC benefits

• PEUC will end December 31, 2020 -- in that case, if FED-ED benefits are still available they put you on FED-ED automatically

• Look for a Notice of Determination for Federal-State Extended Duration Benefits (Fed-ED Extension) (DE 6330FED-E) within 5-7 days. This will include effective date of the extension, eligibility requirements and potential benefit amounts.

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What do I do if I'm not eligible?

There are one of two things that you can do:

 

1. You can appeal the decision

• You will be mailed a Notice of Determination for Federal-State Extended Duration Benefits (FED-ED Extension) (DE 6330FED-E) within 5-7 days. It will explain why you are not eligible and will include information how to appeal.

• FAQcaui has additional advice for appealing here

 

2. You will automatically be put on PUA

• EDD will either open a new PUA claim for you, or put you on your old PUA claim if you had one in the past

• You will be sent a notice of Immediate Action Required - Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Self-Certification (DE 4365PUA).

• You must very that you meet PUA eligibility requirements: unemployed, partially unemployed, unable or unavailable to work due to one of the federally recognized COVID-19 reasons.

• If you do not complete and return the form within 10 days, your PUA benefits may be delayed or denied

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What does the maximum benefit amount depend on?

It depends on your last regular UI claim. Your maximum benefit amount will be the lesser of two situations:

1. 50% of the maximum benefit amount of your UI claim

2. 13x the weekly benefit amount

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IN DEPTH EXAMPLE

In your old claim, you had a weekly benefit amount of 400 and had a maximum benefit amount of 8,800.

Example 1: 50% of 8,800 = 4,400

Example 2: 13 x $400 = 5,200

 

Your maximum benefit amount will be 4,400 since it is the lesser of the two.

 

This example taken straight from EDD website here.

 

I got paid FED-ED benefits between March 29 and July 25 -- will I still get the additional $600?

• Yes, EDD will pay the federal stimulus fund on top of your weekly benefit amount. It will be automatically added to each eligible weeks

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For FED-ED, is there a one-week waiting period with no pay?

• No, there is no waiting period due to the pandemic

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