Benefit Year End
by The Employment Development Department
Hello!
Wow, it’s hard to believe the impacts
of the pandemic have been felt for more
than a year now.
We wanted to reach out to you and let you
know if you have any actions to take
12 months after your unemployment
claim started,
how federal legislation helps those
still unemployed after 12 months,
and what the EDD has done to automate
the process at your benefit year end.
First, we need to understand the basics.
A regular Unemployment Insurance (UI)
claim lasts for a one-year period.
Usually the benefits in these claims last
up to 26 weeks depending on your weekly
benefit amount.
If you collect all of your regular
unemployment benefits,
you may be eligible for a federal
extension.
A federal extension could add up to
53 weeks of additional benefits.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance,
known as PUA claims,
are different.
These claims originally lasted
for 39 weeks at a rate of $167,
up to $450
depending on your documented
self-employed earnings.
PUA claims have been extended
up to 86 weeks by federal legislation.
Now why does this matter?
It matters because it has been a year
since most of us have applied for benefits
Our unemployment claims started
12 months ago.
Also, the EDD has recently automated
some processes,
so not everyone has to reapply
at the end of their benefit year
You will only need to reapply if
you earned enough wages in the last 18
months to establish a new claim and are
still unemployed or working part-time.
So what happens now?
Let’s ask Eddie.
Hi, I’m Eddie and I’m here to help.
When your original claim expires
after 12 months,
you may need to
file a new claim.
Let’s break this down.
You must reapply for a new claim
if you earned enough wages
to establish one in the last
18 months and are still
unemployed or working part-time,
even if you are currently on an extension.
We know from your past employers
if you earned enough wages
and will notify you when your
new claim is processed.
This usually takes two to three weeks.
You do not need to reapply
if you did not earn enough wages
in the last 18 months to establish
a new claim,
regardless of whether you are on
a regular claim,
a federal extension,
or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
We will continue to process federal
extension weeks on your claim.
Continue to certify for benefits if
you have weeks available and check
your payment status on UI Online.
Thanks Eddie,
how will I know if I have enough
wages to reapply?
We want to make finding out
as easy as possible for you.
The fastest method is to log in to
UI Online and select
the File New Claim button.
We will either immediately tell you that
you do not have enough
wages to establish a new claim,
or you will be provided instructions
on how to submit a new application.
If you don’t have access to UI Online,
use our unemployment benefit calculator
on the EDD website at
edd.ca.gov/
Unemployment/
UI-Calculator.htm.
After you enter your wages for the
last 18 months,
we will let you know if you earned enough
wages to establish a new claim.
Thanks Eddie,
please make sure I have this correct.
I haven’t been back to work because of the
pandemic.
I’m not required to reapply,
and I will still continue to receive
benefits I’m eligible for.
Is that correct?
Exactly!
If you haven’t been back to work,
you haven’t earned enough wages
for a new claim.
The EDD is automatically processing
your federal extension weeks.
You just need to continue to certify for
benefits when weeks are available.
This automation is the result of recent
changes at the EDD to help customers like
you,
who haven’t earned enough
wages in the last 18 months,
but continue to certify on
a federal extension.
How will I know when my benefit year ends?
Good question!
You can locate when your benefit
year ends in 4 different ways:
1. A message will display on the stub of
of your final check
2. You’ll receive a letter in the mail
with the title,
Your Unemployment Insurance Claim Ends on
about two weeks before your claim expires.
3. A banner message will display at the
top of the page when you log in to UI
Online alerting you to open a new claim.
and 4. The Benefit Year date available
from your UI Online home page
tells you when your claim began.
Once you receive the notification that
your claim is ending, log in to UI Online
and submit a new application, but only if
you've earned enough wages
in the last 18 months.
Don't worry about trying to figure out if
you are eligible
just answer the questions and leave
the rest to us.
But what about a PUA claim?
I head you can only have one
of those claims.
That's true, but customers on a PUA claim
now get up to 86 total weeks of benefits
to help them get back on their feet.
There is still no need to reapply at the
end of the benefit year.
Thanks Eddie.
For customers who must reapply because
they earned enough wages in the past 18
months, how long will it take before their
payments get back on track?
We understand how frustrating it can be to
wait and we are working hard
to process claims.
It typically takes us two to three weeks
to complete this process,
so it's very important to make sure you
submit a new application as soon as your
benefit year expires.
Also, make sure you watch for any
notifications in UI Online,
and respond promptly to any requests
for additional information.
So be sure to check for our notifications.
Reapply after receiving our request to,
continue to certify for benefits when you
have weeks available,
and let us handle the rest.
For help with understanding certification
questions, visit:
and watch my video,
Unemployment Benefit Certification
Question Information on YouTube.
You'll find this video and other how to
videos at:
Your claim can be delayed if you answer
questions incorrectly.
If you have any other questions, see me at
Ask EDD Online.
I'm happy to answer many questions!