SACRAMENTO, Calif — The ABC10 community, which stretches from Northern California to the Central Valley, has asked thousands of questions about coronavirus and how it is impacting our everyday lives. During this time, we're working to bring you the facts.
Many people had questions about the process of filing for unemployment insurance, so ABC10 reached out to the Employment Development Department to get the answers.
What is the process?
EDD: In our Step-by-Step chart, we talk about what claimants should expect and what actions they need to take after initially filing an Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim.
Step 1: Create an account on UI Online.
Step 2: Check for an email with a subject line of "New Online Account Created." That means your registration was automatically completed in the UI Online system. For those who do not receive that email and have not filed a UI claim in the past several years, they will receive a letter with an EDD Customer Account Number in the mail.
Step 3: Follow instructions to start certifying for your benefits and make sure to click save as you go along.
NOTE: All customers will still receive important EDD claim information in the mail about two weeks after they apply. This will include a notice telling you what our wage records indicate you could receive in weekly UI benefits.
Who oversees applications?
EDD: Unemployment insurance applications are overseen by the EDD's unemployment insurance branch and follow guidelines established by federal law. Our unemployment insurance branch is the entity that reviews incoming UI applications and processes claims.
Why was I denied?
EDD: Denial can be due to several circumstances, including, but not limited to, not having enough earnings over the past 12-18 months or meeting other eligibility criteria.
Also, if a person is self-employed, an independent contractor, or gig worker, they need to have fulfilled certain qualification to qualify for UI benefits.
Editor's note: Self-employed and independent contractors can qualify for unemployment benefits under specific qualifications. A previous version of this story misstated how those job titles would qualify. ABC10 apologizes for the confusion.
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