EDD Unemployment & Disability Insurance

If you lost work through no fault of your own, you can file for unemployment insurance through EDD. Apply with myEDD and UI Online at edd.ca.gov. The weekly benefit is $40 to $450 in 2026, set by how much you earned in the prior 18 months. Regular unemployment pays up to 26 weeks within a one-year benefit period. To qualify, you must be unemployed through no fault of your own and be able and available to work.

When you apply online, EDD routes you through ID.me identity verification. Your Social Security number, name, and date of birth must match Social Security or DMV records, so have your ID ready. This step is required before your claim can move forward, and it is a common place where claims get stuck.

There is a one-week unpaid waiting period before your first payment. After you apply, you must certify every two weeks to keep payments coming. You answer a few questions, and you report any work and wages, even if you have not been paid yet. You must also look for work each week. Part-time workers can still draw partial unemployment, since being partly unemployed counts.

For help, the UI customer service line is 1-800-300-5616 on weekdays, and there is 24/7 automated self-service at 1-866-333-4606. If your claim is denied, you can appeal in writing within 30 days of the mailing date on your Notice of Determination. An administrative law judge hears the appeal. Keep certifying every two weeks while you wait, because you can only be paid for weeks you certified if you win.

EDD also runs two other programs. State Disability Insurance covers wage loss from a non-work-related illness, injury, pregnancy, or childbirth. In 2026 it replaces 70 to 90 percent of your wages, up to $1,765 a week, after a 7-day unpaid waiting period. File within 9 to 49 days after your disability begins, and a licensed health professional must certify it. Paid Family Leave pays up to 8 weeks in a 12-month period at the same rates, for bonding with a new child or caring for a family member.