Requirement to Look for Work, from the California Employment Development Department (EDD). Hi,
I’m Eddie and today I’d like to talk with you about the EDD requirement to look for
suitable work to obtain unemployment benefits. The EDD recently put this requirement back
in place, and we want you to know that there are many resources available to help you return
to work as the state’s economy bounces back. Hi Eddie. I’m currently receiving unemployment
benefits. How does this affect me? It means that beginning July 11, 2021, most customers
are expected to look for work to meet eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits. Let
me give you some background information. The requirement to search for work has been a
part of the unemployment insurance program since the program started. During the COVID-19
pandemic, the federal government temporarily allowed states to waive this requirement,
and since March 2020 the work search requirement has been suspended in California. When customers
were asked if they had looked for work when completing their weekly certification for
benefits, they were allowed to answer No and still be eligible for benefits. The EDD’s
requirements to look for work have changed. Now that the economy is improving, most people
must look for suitable work each week if they want to be eligible to receive benefits. If
you are required to look for work, we will mail a notice to you explaining your new work
search requirement. We also have many resources available to help workers find reemployment
services and return to safe and suitable work. Every customer who is currently collecting
unemployment benefits must certify for benefits by completing a form every two weeks. Certifying
is the process of answering basic questions on the Continued Claim form—or as many people
refer to it, the UI Claim Form. This form tells us if you are meeting eligibility requirements
on a weekly basis and allows us to pay you if you are. The UI Claim Form asks you six
(6) questions to see if you are eligible to receive unemployment benefits. Question 3
asks, “Did you look for work?” In a few minutes I’ll review a long list of work
search activities you can complete to honestly answer Yes to this question. If you answer
No, stating you did not look for work as required, you may be scheduled for an eligibility interview
to get more information, which could result in a denial of your payments for that time
period. Eddie, When do I need to start looking for work? Most people collecting unemployment
benefits are expected to start looking for work no later than July 11, 2021. You will
receive a notice from us in the mail titled Work Search Requirement. This notice will
tell you that your work search requirement is effective immediately. We hope you have
already started looking for work, beginning July 11th, so you can honestly answer “Yes”
that you have been looking for work when you certify for benefits. With the state’s economy
reopening, job opportunities are available now. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of
free job-search assistance available to you through America’s Job Center of California.
To find a location near you, visit edd.ca.gov/office_locator/. Hey Eddie, what does it mean to look for work?
That’s a really good question—thanks for asking. Any reasonable effort to look for
work is acceptable. Looking for suitable work can include activities such as preparing for
your job search; searching for work online; applying for jobs; and contacting employers
or individuals about potential jobs. We have a new webpage called Job Seekers: Returning
to Work (edd.ca.gov/ReturnWork.htm), which has a long list of work search activities
you can complete to allow you to honestly answer “Yes” to the certification question,
“Did you look for work?” Here is a sample list of some of the most common work search
activities: Searching for jobs online, in newspapers, or in other publications. Applying
or interviewing for a job, or taking an exam for civil service. Talking with friends, past
employers, and community members virtually or in person about job openings. Sending résumés
to employers or adding a résumé to a job board. Contacting employers, including past
employers, about a job or a résumé that you submitted. Creating a user profile on
a professional networking site. Registering with a staffing service, temp agency, recruiter,
or placement agency. Attending a job-seeker event such as a job fair, virtual job fair,
networking event, or job club. Preparing for your job search by updating your résumé,
watching videos on job-search topics, etc., and Participating in training courses that help
you gain employment and don’t interfere with your availability to accept work. Some
examples include courses in computer literacy or English as a Second Language (ESL). If
you’re collecting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits, there are many
other actions you can take as well, particularly for small business owners and independent
contractors. PUA work search activities include: Rebuilding your business by getting new clients,
bidding on new contracts, or performing marketing efforts. Expanding your network by attending
networking events, participating in relevant workshops, and making any efforts to expand
your business beyond services typically performed. Participating in training or education courses
that will help your business and don’t interfere with your ability to return to full-time self-employment.
Establishing an account. If you are an independent contractor who is available for work and performed
work for an online platform, you can establish an account on another online platform to search
for suitable work. For additional lists of work search activities, as well as services
available to help you find your next work opportunity, be sure to visit the
Job Seekers: Returning to Work webpage. Please note that if you are a union member, you should
answer “Yes” to certification Question #3, “Did you look for work?” if you’re
registered with your union and meet the union’s reporting and dispatch requirements. Some
people may be exempt from the requirement to look for work. You can learn more by visiting
the Job Seekers: Returning to Work webpage. Thanks Eddie! It looks like there are a lot
of work search activities I can get involved in immediately. Yes, and as long as you are
actively seeking work, you can answer “Yes” to Question #3. Remember, if you answer “No”,
we may need to schedule a determination interview so we can talk to you, as you may not be eligible
to receive unemployment benefits now that the state has reopened and your requirement
to look for work has changed. The EDD is committed to helping all Californians get back on their
feet, financially speaking. We want to help every person in the state find safe and suitable
work. I hope I’ve been helpful. The next time you certify for benefits, and we ask
you, “Did you look for work?” we want you to be ready to say “Yes I did!” If
you have any other questions, see me at Ask EDD online. I’m happy to answer many questions!