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Fact Sheet: How Unemployment Insurance Benefits Are Computed

This document provides information about how unemployment insurance benefits are calculated in California. It explains that benefits are based on wages earned during a base period, which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before a claim begins. To be eligible, a claimant must have earned at least $1,300 in their highest quarter or $900 in their highest quarter plus total base period earnings of 1.25 times the high quarter. If a person does not qualify using the standard base period, an alternate base period of the last four completed quarters may be used instead.

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122 views2 pages

Fact Sheet: How Unemployment Insurance Benefits Are Computed

This document provides information about how unemployment insurance benefits are calculated in California. It explains that benefits are based on wages earned during a base period, which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before a claim begins. To be eligible, a claimant must have earned at least $1,300 in their highest quarter or $900 in their highest quarter plus total base period earnings of 1.25 times the high quarter. If a person does not qualify using the standard base period, an alternate base period of the last four completed quarters may be used instead.

Uploaded by

Joseph Rocha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fact Sheet

How Unemployment Insurance Benefits


Are Computed
Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits are available to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own.
When applying for UI benefits, individuals must first meet monetary eligibility criteria. After the Employment
Development Department (EDD) determines an individual earned enough money during a four-quarter base period,
the EDD determines if the individual meets other criteria, such as being able and available to work, and actively
seeking work. The following information describes the monetary requirements to establish a UI claim.
Your UI weekly benefit, called the weekly benefit amount, and the total benefits available in your claim, called your
maximum benefit amount, are both based on the wages you earned in the base period of your claim. To establish a
valid claim, you must have earned at least:
• $1,300 in the highest quarter of your Base Period.
• $900 in your highest quarter and total base period earnings of 1.25 times your high quarter earnings.
Your base period is a 12-month period of time. Each base period has four quarters of three months each. There are
two types of base periods that may be used to establish a claim:
• Standard Base Period
• Alternate Base Period
For more information regarding the two types of base periods, see the explanations below.

Standard Base Period not enough wages earned in the Standard Base Period
The Standard Base Period is the first four of the last five to file a monetarily valid UI claim, and there are enough
completed calendar quarters prior to the beginning date wages in the Alternate Base Period.
of the UI claim. The Alternate Base Period is the last four completed
For information on what your standard Base Period may calendar quarters prior to the beginning date of the
be when you file your claim, refer to the chart below. claim. For information on what your alternate Base
The shaded area represents the Base Period. The non- Period may be when you file your claim, refer to the
shaded area represents the month the claim is filed. chart below. The shaded area represents the Base
Period. The non-shaded area represents the month the
OCT JAN APR JULY JAN If your claim is filed.
NOV FEB MAY AUG FEB
claim
DEC MAR JUNE SEPT MAR
begins An Alternate Base Period claim can only be filed when
JAN APR JULY OCT APR
FEB MAY AUG NOV MAY in: there are not enough wages earned in the Standard
MAR JUNE SEPT DEC JUNE Base Period to file a valid claim, and you meet all other
APR JULY OCT JAN JULY eligibility criteria to qualify for UI benefits.
MAY AUG NOV FEB AUG
JUNE SEPT DEC MAR SEPT
JULY OCT JAN APR OCT
JAN APR JULY OCT JAN If your
FEB MAY AUG NOV FEB
AUG NOV FEB MAY NOV claim
MAR JUNE SEPT DEC MAR
SEPT DEC MAR JUNE DEC
APR JULY OCT JAN APR begins
MAY AUG NOV FEB MAY in:
Alternate Base Period JUNE SEPT DEC MAR JUNE
JULY OCT JAN APR JULY
If you do not have sufficient wages in the Standard Base AUG NOV FEB MAY AUG
Period to establish a claim, the EDD will automatically SEPT DEC MAR JUNE SEPT

consider whether you have enough wages to file a claim OCT JAN APR JULY OCT
NOV FEB MAY AUG NOV
using the Alternate Base Period. The Alternate Base DEC MAR JUNE SEPT DEC
Period can only be used to file a UI claim when there are
DE 8714AB Rev. 5 (9-18) (INTERNET) Page 1 of 2 CU 28
How can I file for Unemployment Insurance?
You may file for UI through one of the following
methods:
Online
UI OnlineSM is the fastest and most convenient way to file
your UI claim. Visit www.edd.ca.gov/UI_Online to get
started.
You can file your claim with UI Online during the times
listed below:
Monday 4 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Tuesday - Friday 2 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday 2 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday 5 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Phone
Representatives are available at the following toll-free
numbers, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. to
12 noon (Pacific Time) except state holidays.
English 1-800-300-5616
Cantonese 1-800-547-3506
Vietnamese 1-800-547-2058
Spanish 1-800-326-8937
Mandarin 1-866-303-0706
TTY 1-800-815-9387
Fax or Mail
File your UI claim by accessing the paper
Unemployment Insurance Application at
www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/Filing_a_Claim.htm.
For faster and more secure processing, fax the
completed application to the number listed on the form.
If you mail your application, use the address on the form
and allow additional time for processing.

The EDD is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with
disabilities. Requests for services, aids, and/or alternate formats need to be made by calling 1-866-490-8879 (voice). TTY users, please
call the California Relay Service at 711.
DE 8714AB Rev. 5 (9-18) (INTERNET) Page 2 of 2

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