Welcome to the Employment Development Department

Federal Unemployment Insurance Extended Benefits

en Español

Federal legislation enacted in July 2008 provided up to 13 weeks of extended benefits for workers who exhausted their regular UI benefits in California and across the country. New legislation enacted in November 2008 adds up to 7 weeks to the earlier extension, for a total of up to 20 weeks of extended benefits. The new legislation states that these added benefits are only payable for weeks beginning on or after November 23, 2008. The new legislation also includes a second extension of up to 13 weeks for high unemployment states, which includes California. Eligible workers will receive a total of up to 33 weeks of extended benefits.

If you are affected by the additional extended benefit weeks or the second extension, the EDD will notify you by mail to file an application. You do not have to wait for a notification letter from EDD to apply for federal extended benefits. If you are still unemployed and not receiving regular UI benefits, you can apply for federal extended benefits online anytime using the same application that is used for regular unemployment benefits. Individuals must collect all the benefits on their current claim prior to filing for federal extended benefits.

The programming necessary for EDD to process federal extended benefit claims was completed on December 10. If you have already filed online or by phone for the additional benefits, you will receive a claim form in the mail. You should fully complete the form and send it back as quickly as possible. If you meet all UI eligibility requirements, a check should arrive within 10 days of when you mailed the claim form to EDD.

First Extension

Second Extension

FIRST EXTENSION

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE FIRST EXTENSION

The first extension can be filed on or after July 6, 2008, and the last date the first extension can begin is March 22, 2009. You may be potentially eligible for the first extension if you:

  • Are fully or partially unemployed on or after July 6, 2008,
  • Have exhausted your entitlement to a regular UI claim,
  • Are not qualified to file a new regular claim,
  • Have had a valid claim that began on or after May 7, 2006, AND
  • Meet all eligibility criteria.

If you already have an extended benefit claim, refer to the “WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE SECOND EXTENSION” section below for more information.

HOW TO FILE

To find out if you are eligible for the first or second extended unemployment claim you may apply online or call one of the telephone numbers listed below. The EDD anticipates high call volumes so you are encouraged to apply online.

  • English: 1-800-300-5616
  • Spanish: 1-800-326-8937
  • Cantonese: 1-800-547-3506
  • Mandarin: 1-866-303-0706
  • Vietnamese: 1-800-547-2058
  • TTY: (NON VOICE): 1-800-815-9387

BENEFIT AMOUNT OF FIRST EXTENSION

If you are eligible for the first extension:

  • Your weekly benefit amount will be the same as your regular claim;

    AND
  • A maximum benefit amount will be the lesser of:
    • 80 percent of the maximum benefit amount of the regular claim,

      OR
    • 20 times the weekly benefit amount of the regular claim.

Example: If the weekly benefit amount on the regular claim is $180, for 22 weeks, totaling the maximum benefit amount of $3960 (180 x 22), each extension claim would have:

  • A weekly benefit amount of $180 (the same as the regular claim).
  • A maximum benefit amount of $3168 (17.6 x $180, or 80 percent of your maximum benefit amount on your regular claim).

SECOND EXTENSION

Once you have collected all extended benefits on your first extension claim, you may be eligible to file a second extension claim. If you are eligible to file a second extension, the Department will automatically file the second extension and send you additional continued claim forms. No action is required on your part.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE SECOND EXTENSION

The first date a second extension can be filed is November 23, 2008, and the last date the second extension can begin is August 23, 2009. You may be eligible for the second extension if you:

  • Were eligible for the first extension,
  • Collected all benefits on the first extension by March 31, 2009,
  • Are not qualified to file a new regular claim, AND
  • Meet all eligibility criteria.

BENEFIT AMOUNT OF SECOND EXTENSION

If you are eligible for the second extension:

  • Your weekly benefit amount will be the same as your regular claim;

    AND
  • A maximum benefit amount will be the lesser of:
    • 50 percent (half) of the maximum benefit amount on your regular claim,

      OR
    • 13 times the weekly benefit amount of the regular claim.

Example: If the weekly benefit amount on the regular claim is $180, for 22 weeks, totaling the maximum benefit amount of $3960 (180 x 22), each additional extension claim would have:

  • A weekly benefit amount of $180 (same as the regular claim)
  • A maximum benefit amount of $1980 (11 x $180, or 50 percent (half) of the maximum benefit amount on your regular claim).

HOW THIS COULD AFFECT INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY RECEIVING CALIFORNIA TRAINING BENEFITS (CTB), TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE (TAA), OR DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE (DUA) EXTENSIONS

If you are currently receiving California Training Benefits (CTB), Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), or Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) extended benefits and you are eligible for federal extended benefits, you will be switched over to collect federal extended benefits.

If you are eligible to collect on any federal extended benefit claim, you must collect those benefits until they are gone or until the extension has ended. Once you have collected all benefits or your extended benefits have ended, you may be eligible to return to the CTB, TAA, or DUA extensions.

FUNDING

Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) extended benefits are entirely federally funded from the Extended Unemployment Compensation Account, which means employers’ reserve accounts will not be charged for any EUC extended benefits paid to claimants.