If you have lost work or have had your hours reduced we encourage you to apply for Employment Development Department (EDD) Unemployment Insurance (UI). In California Governor Newsom has waived the one-week waiting period for benefits and is looking at expanding UI claim offerings.
For comprehensive guidance and resources about state benefits related to employment and COVID-19, we highly recommend this
FAQ page
from EDD.
As of March 18, 2020 most of our offices have been closed. Please claim benefits virtually if you are able. There are multiple ways to do so:
- By-phone: Representatives are available at the following toll-free numbers, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific time except on state holidays.
- 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 1-800-815-9387
- Mail or by Fax: File your UI claim by accessing the paper Unemployment Insurance Application. For faster and 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
How to Apply for UI Benefits (File a Claim) YouTube videos