Unemployment benefits are designed to provide financial stability for those who are temporarily out of work. The Employment Development Department (EDD) in California works hard to deliver important services to unemployed Californians. To avail unemployment benefits, fill out the online application or mail a written form to the EDD.

To qualify for unemployment benefits, one must have lost their job through no fault of their own. Also, the claimant must have earned at least a minimum amount in their base period and should be ready to actively seek work each week they claim benefits.

The EDD provides benefits to eligible workers through the UI program. The amount of benefits you’re eligible to receive is based on your earnings in the base period. The base period is a four-quarter period over the last 12 to 18 months before you filed your claim. The EDD calculates your weekly benefit amount by dividing your earnings for the highest paid quarter of the base period by 26.

There are two methods to apply for benefits: online, which is the preferred method, and by mail. To apply online, visit the EDD website, create an account, and follow the instructions to complete the application. To apply by mail, download the application form from the EDD website, fill it out, and mail it to the address provided on the form.

The EDD works on a week-to-week basis for benefit payments. So it is important to certify for benefits every week you want to claim. You can certify either online, by phone or by mail.

To know how your claim is progressing, check the status online by logging into your account on the EDD website. There you can see the status of your claim and payments.

For those unsure of how to get through to EDD, the best method is online through your EDD account. As the EDD deals with a high volume of calls, phone lines may often be busy. For smooth and quicker resolution of queries, contacting online is a faster and more efficient method. Eddcaller.com can also provide some information about contact methods for the EDD.