This is such a frustrating situation but you're definitely not alone! I went through something similar with a small tech company last year. A few things that really helped me: 1. When you call EDD, try calling right at 8am when they open - I had much better luck getting through early in the morning rather than later in the day. 2. Keep a detailed timeline of everything - when you were hired, pay dates, termination date, when you filed your claim, etc. EDD reps love having all the dates laid out clearly. 3. If your employer is still operating, you might also want to send them a certified letter requesting they submit the missing wage reports to EDD. Sometimes having something in writing gets their attention when phone calls don't work. 4. While waiting for the wage investigation, apply for any local emergency assistance programs in your area. Many counties have rent relief or utility assistance that can help bridge the gap. The whole process took about 6 weeks for me, but I did eventually get all my back benefits plus the waiting week penalty. Stay persistent and don't let EDD's confusing system discourage you - you clearly have all the documentation you need to prove your case!

Hey Andre! I'm new to this community but just went through a very similar situation with my former employer not reporting wages to EDD. A couple things that really helped me get through the process: First, when you gather your documentation, make sure to include your final pay stub AND your bank statements showing the direct deposits. EDD seems to really like seeing both the employer-issued pay stub and the actual bank record of payment - it makes your case much stronger. Second, I found it helpful to write up a simple one-page timeline of your employment with key dates and dollar amounts. Include your hire date, each pay period, your termination date, and when you should have received your final check. Having this ready when you talk to EDD reps saves a lot of time and makes you sound more organized. One thing I learned the hard way - even though your employer eventually paid you your final check, you should still mention the delay to the Labor Commissioner when you file your wage claim. California law is really strict about final pay timing and you may be entitled to additional compensation. The whole process is definitely frustrating but with all the documentation you have, your case should be pretty straightforward. Keep copies of everything you submit and don't give up! This community has been super helpful for navigating all the EDD bureaucracy.

Glad you got it sorted out with EDD directly! Just want to add one more thing that might help others in similar situations - when you're documenting your job search, make sure to save copies of job postings that clearly state "full-time" in the requirements. If EDD ever questions your work search efforts, having evidence that you're actively applying to appropriate full-time positions that match your career goals really strengthens your case. It shows you're genuinely seeking suitable work and not just being picky about offers.

Really glad to see you got this resolved! For anyone else who might be in a similar situation, I'd also recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet or document tracking all your job applications - date applied, company name, position title, whether it was full-time/part-time, and any responses you got. I learned this the hard way when EDD asked me to provide my work search log during a phone interview. Having everything organized made that conversation so much smoother. Also, if you do end up taking part-time work while continuing to look for full-time, remember that your work search requirement doesn't stop - you still need to keep applying and be available for full-time work to maintain your benefits eligibility.

Just went through this exact same situation last month as a paraprofessional through Educational Staffing Solutions! Filed my claim on my last day before Thanksgiving break and got approved within a week. The key things that helped me: 1) Got a written layoff notice from my staffing company (not the school), 2) Made it super clear on the application that I work for ESS, not the district directly, and 3) Selected "temporary layoff - lack of work" as my reason. One heads up though - even with guaranteed return date, you still have to do work searches. I focused on searching for educational aide positions and tutoring opportunities to keep it relevant. The unemployment payments definitely helped cover rent and groceries during that unpaid period. Don't let anyone scare you away from applying - third-party contractors have different rules than direct district employees!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the timing of when your benefits actually start. Even though you file on December 13th, there's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits kick in, so your first payment might not come until after Christmas. Just something to plan for financially! Also, if you have any unused vacation or sick time with your contracting company, make sure to ask about that before you file - having paid time off during your "layoff" period can sometimes complicate your unemployment claim. Better to use it up before the break or save it for when you return.

To clarify some misinformation in this thread: You are absolutely eligible for partial unemployment benefits in California when your hours are significantly reduced. Here are the facts: 1) File your claim online at edd.ca.gov 2) When certifying, report ALL hours worked and earnings accurately 3) If your weekly earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount, you'll receive the difference (minus a small deduction) 4) There is no specific hour threshold - it's based on earnings 5) Your employer cannot legally prevent you from filing or retaliate if you do The current maximum weekly benefit amount in California is $550, so if you're earning less than that in your reduced schedule, you'll likely qualify for some assistance. Finally, keep detailed records of all communications with your employer about the hour reduction. This will help if there are any disputes about your claim.

I'm in a similar situation with my restaurant job - they cut me from 35 hours to just 12 hours per week and told me the same thing about not being eligible. Reading all these responses is really helpful because I was starting to believe my manager! I'm definitely going to file online tonight too. It's frustrating that employers try to discourage us from getting benefits we're legally entitled to. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it gives me confidence to move forward with my claim.

I'm also in film production and went through this headache about 6 months ago! The confusion about payroll companies vs actual productions is so real - I initially tried to list every single show I worked on as separate employers and it was a total mess. Here's what worked for me: treat the payroll service as your employer, period. So if you worked through Entertainment Partners, Cast & Crew, and Central Casting over the past year, that's three employers max, not dozens of different productions. For the hours calculation, I know it feels wrong to put such a low average, but that's genuinely how our industry works. I worked 1,200 hours through various payroll companies over 2 years, which averaged to about 12 hours per week when I divided by total weeks. Seemed ridiculously low, but EDD didn't bat an eye. One thing that really helped: I created a simple table with columns for payroll company, first date worked, last date worked, and total hours. Made filling out the application so much easier and I had everything ready when they called for my eligibility interview (which they definitely will - almost all entertainment workers get flagged for review, but it's routine, not suspicious). Good luck with your claim! The film industry unemployment process is confusing but totally doable once you understand the payroll company principle.

As someone who's been working in film/TV for over a decade and has filed multiple UI claims, I can confirm everything the others are saying is spot-on. The payroll company IS your employer - this is the most important thing to understand. Here's my step-by-step approach that's worked every time: 1. **Gather ALL paystubs first** - organize them by payroll company (EP, Cast & Crew, PES, etc.) 2. **Create one employer entry per payroll company** - use the very first date you worked through them as start date, most recent as end date 3. **Calculate true average hours** - total all hours worked through that specific payroll company, divide by total weeks in your date range (yes, it'll be low - that's normal!) 4. **Use the payroll company's corporate address** - not the production locations 5. **Select "work completed" or "lack of work"** as separation reason The eligibility interview is almost guaranteed for entertainment workers, but don't stress - it's routine. They just need to verify our unusual work patterns. Having your paystubs organized by payroll company and being able to clearly explain the intermittent nature of film work makes it smooth. I've never had a claim denied following this method. The key is understanding that EDD knows how our industry works - they see these patterns all the time. You're not trying to trick the system, you're just accurately reporting how entertainment employment actually functions. One last tip: start gathering your work search documentation now too. For our industry, agent submissions, casting calls, union hall visits, and networking events all count as valid work search activities.