California Unemployment Benefits

• In California, workers who lose their employment may be entitled to state unemployment benefits if they meet the program requirements. Those who are fired for misconduct, quit voluntarily, or are on strike may not qualify for compensation. The California Employment Development Department issues state unemployment benefits to eligible claimants for up to 26 weeks.
  
  

The Federal EUC Program

• After workers exhaust their initial California unemployment benefits, they may qualify for federal EUC assistance. The U.S. government provides EUC in four separate benefit tiers. Tier 1 extends benefits for 20 weeks, Tier 2 adds 14 weeks, and Tier 3 offers 13 additional weeks of compensation. Tier 4 is a special six-week extension for workers in states with high unemployment rates. At the time of publication, California qualifies to issue Tier 4 EUC benefits.
  
  

California State Extended Benefits

• Along with EUC benefits, the state of California provides a state-administered extended benefit program called FED-ED. Workers who qualify for FED-ED can receive an additional 20 weeks of unemployment compensation after their EUC runs out. To continue receiving FED-ED, claimants must submit to stringent work search requirements and be willing to accept employment outside of their area of expertise.
  
  

Receiving a California Unemployment Extension

• Generally, eligible Californians do not have to submit an application to begin receiving extended unemployment benefits. The California EDD notifies those who qualify for extended compensation and automatically moves them on to the appropriate benefit program. These claimants then receive the necessary forms to continue filing their weekly benefit claims. Workers who have not received a notice or a forms packet within 10 days of their last benefit payment may have to file a new claim in order to receive extended benefits. These claimants should contact the EDD to inquire about their status.