“Unemployment benefits” and “EDD benefits” are often used to mean the same thing, and the overlap causes confusion. This guide sets out what each term covers.
The Short Answer: Yes
The Employment Development Department, or EDD, manages unemployment insurance for the state of California. Therefore, any government benefits you receive for unemployment come through this department. To receive benefits, you must file a claim with the EDD and wait for a notice of determination.
Filing an Unemployment Claim
The EDD offers a convenient, secure online service to help people file and manage unemployment claims. If you have a W-2 and are fully or partially unemployed due to a layoff, furlough, reduced wages, or reduced hours, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits.
To file a claim with the EDD, you must compile your employment history, information about your last employer, and identity documents to submit to the EDD. Presenting clear, accurate information will prevent the EDD from throwing out your claim. Once you file a claim, the EDD will decide if you will receive benefits.
What Happens If You Don’t Receive Benefits?
When you receive your notice of determination and it says you will not receive benefits, you can file an appeal. Within 30 days of receiving your notice, file an appeal that presents further evidence for why you should receive unemployment benefits. You can further state your case during your hearing. If the EDD still denies you benefits, you can file a second-level appeal within 30 days of the previous notice of determination.
Should You Get a Lawyer?
The EDD fails to deliver benefits to many qualified claimants, and you may be one of them. Instead of facing the EDD alone, seek an unemployment benefits lawyer who will advocate for you. They’ll help you gather and present evidence at unemployment appeal hearings.
The two terms get used interchangeably, but the distinction matters when you are reading a notice. Our note on California unemployment benefits covers what the programs actually provide, and if a claim has been denied, our unemployment benefits team works with claimants on appeals.