You may be eligible for FED-ED benefits if you are unemployed and you:
- Have a regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim that started on or after May 19, 2019.
- Used all benefits on your UI claim and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation extension, or your claim has expired.
- Do not qualify for a new UI claim in California or any other state.
- Meet UI eligibility requirements and are not disqualified.
- Made enough earnings in the base period of your regular UI claim.
FED-ED extensions are only available for regular UI claims.
Base Period Earnings
To be eligible for FED-ED, you must have enough earnings in the base period of your regular UI claim. Your total base period earnings must be more than either of these:
- 40 times the weekly benefit amount.
- 1.5 times the earnings in the highest quarter of the base period of your regular UI claim.
For example, you earned $11,800 in the first quarter of the base period and $2,000 each in the second, third, and fourth quarters. The total base period earnings for this claim are $17,800 and a weekly benefit amount of $450. To calculate both options:
- Weekly benefit amount: $450 x 40 = $18,000
- Highest quarter earnings: $11,800 x 1.5 = $17,700
This claim qualifies for FED-ED extension because your total base period earnings ($17,800) are more than the highest quarter earnings ($17,700).
For more information about the base period and benefit calculations for regular UI claims, refer to How Unemployment Insurance Benefits Are Computed (PDF).
How to Get FED-ED
We are identifying those who have collected all of their Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) extension benefits. If you are eligible, we will automatically file your FED-ED extension after you collect all PEUC benefits. There is no one-week unpaid waiting period for a FED-ED extension.
After we file your extension, we will mail you a Notice of Determination for Federal-State Extended Duration Benefits (FED-ED Extension) (DE 6330FED-E) within 5-7 days. This notice will include the effective date of the extension, eligibility requirements, and your potential benefit amounts. You will then need to complete the usual bi-weekly certifications to determine eligibility for ongoing payments.
If You’re Not Eligible
If we review your claim and you are not eligible for FED-ED, we will mail you a Notice of Determination for Federal-State Extended Duration Benefits (FED-ED Extension) (DE 6330FED-D) within 5-7 days. This notice will explain why you are not eligible and will include information on how to appeal if you do not agree with the determination.
But, if you are not eligible for FED-ED, we will open a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claim for you or reopen your claim if you already had a PUA claim in the past. We will send you a notice of Immediate Action Required – Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Self-Certification (DE 4365PUA). You must verify that you meet PUA eligibility requirements, including that you became unemployed, partially unemployed or unable or unavailable to work due to one of the federally recognized COVID-19 reasons. If you do not complete and return the form within 10 days, your PUA benefits may be delayed or denied.
Note: PUA benefits are only available through September 4, 2021.
Benefit Payments
Payments will be the same as the weekly benefit amount from your regular UI claim. You will be paid in the same way that you were paid for your UI claim. The maximum benefit amount depends on your last regular UI claim. Your maximum benefit amount will be the lesser of either:
- 50% of the maximum benefit amount of your UI claim.
- 13 times the weekly benefit amount.
For example, you received a weekly benefit amount of $400 and a maximum benefit amount of $8,800 in your last regular UI claim and you have collected all of the maximum benefit amount. To calculate the FED-ED maximum benefit amount:
- Calculation 1: 50% of $8,800 = $4,400
- Calculation 2: 13 X $400 = $5,200
Your FED-ED maximum benefit amount will be $4,400 because Calculation 1 is the lesser of the two.
As part of federal assistance, if you are paid FED-ED extension benefits for weeks between May 10 and July 25, 2020, the EDD will pay an additional $600 in federal unemployment compensation on top of your current weekly benefit amount. If you are paid FED-ED extension benefits for weeks between December 27, 2020, and September 4, 2021, the EDD will pay an additional $300 in federal unemployment compensation on top of your current weekly benefit amount.
We will automatically add the federal unemployment compensation to each week of benefits that you are eligible to receive.