Understanding the Certification Questions
To receive unemployment benefits, you must provide the EDD eligibility information every two weeks. This is known as certifying for benefits. The fastest way to certify for benefits and report work and wages is through myEDD. To get started, log into myEDD and select UI Online.
You can also certify by phone using EDD Tele-Cert.
Avoid payment delays! Your payment can be delayed if you answer questions incorrectly. Review the following for help answering the certification questions. You can also view Unemployment Benefit Certification Question Information (YouTube).
Certification Questions
A No Answer
Answer No, I was able to work or start a new job, if offered if:
- You were physically able to work or start a new job, if offered.
A Yes Answer
Answer Yes, I was too sick or injured to work if either:
- You were unable to work because of sickness or injury.
- You had to delay starting a new job because of sickness or injury.
If you answer Yes, you may be scheduled for an eligibility interview to get more information, which could delay your payment.
If you answered yes, enter the number of days (1 through 7) you were unable to work.
You will not get benefits for any days you were not able to work.
Important: Unemployment benefit payments are based on the number of days you were able to work each week. Your benefits are reduced for each day you cannot work because of sickness or injury.
A No Answer
Answer No if you were available to work or start a new job if offered. You must accept work in your field that matches your job skills and experience.
A Yes Answer
Answer Yes if you were not available to work or start a new job, if offered, for reasons other than than being too sick or injured. If you answer Yes, you may be scheduled for an eligibility interview to get more information, which could delay your payment.
Important: To be eligible to receive benefits, you must be available to accept full-time work. In some situations, you can work part time and still be eligible for benefits. If so, you will receive more information.
Most people will be expected to look for work to be eligible for unemployment benefits.
A Yes Answer
Answer Yes if you looked for work that matches your skills and experience this week. Looking for work includes:
- Searching for jobs online, in newspapers, or in other publications.
- Applying or interviewing for a job, or taking an exam for civil service.
- Talking with friends, prior employers, or community members virtually or in person about job openings.
- Sending resumes to employers or adding a resume to a job board.
- Contacting employers, including past employers, about a job or a resume that you submitted.
- Creating a user profile on a professional networking site.
- Registering with a staffing service, temp agency, recruiter, or placement agency.
- Attending a job-seeker event such as a job fair, virtual job fair, networking event, or job club.
- Preparing for your job search by updating your resume, watching videos on job-search topics, etc.
- Participating in training courses that help you gain employment and don’t interfere with your availability to accept work. Some examples include courses in computer literacy or English as a Second Language (ESL).
Union members: Answer Yes if you are registered with your union and meet their reporting and dispatch requirements.
A No Answer
Answer No if you did not participate in any of the activities listed above or you did not look for work this week.
Union members: Answer No to this question if you are not registered with your union or are not meeting their reporting and dispatch requirements.
For more information, view Requirements to Look for Work (YouTube).
A No Answer
Answer No if you did not refuse any offers of work this week. This means you did not receive an offer of work or you received an offer and accepted it.
A Yes Answer
Answer Yes if you refused an offer of work from any employer this week. Union members: If you refused a union job referral, answer Yes.
If you answer Yes, you will be scheduled for an eligibility interview, which could delay your payment.
Important: To be eligible for benefits, you must be ready and willing to accept work related to your skills and education.
A No Answer
Answer No if you did not start attending school or training this week.
A Yes Answer
Answer Yes only if you started attending school or training, or started a new term or a new class this week. If you are not available for full-time work because you started school or training, you will be scheduled for an eligibility interview or you will receive a form to complete and return, which could delay your payment
Important: To be eligible for Unemployment benefits, you must be available to accept full-time work, even if you are attending school or training. Only report school or training during the week you actually started attending
The best way to report school or training is with UI Online or EDD Tele-Cert If you are attending training that is approved by the EDD, you are no longer required to get a signature from a training provider or an authorized representative for Section C on the Continued Claim Form.
For examples on how to complete this question, visit How to Report School or Training.
A No Answer
Answer No if you did not work this week.
A Yes Answer
Answer Yes if you worked, even if you have not been paid. Report your earnings for the actual week you worked, not when you were paid.
Did you receive any income other than wages for work?
A No Answer
Answer No if you did not receive any income other than wages for work.
A Yes Answer
Answer Yes if you received vacation pay, severance pay, a bonus, or any income other than wages for work.
The best way to report work and earnings is through myEDD.
Use the Weekly Wage Reporting Tool on the UI Online homepage to help you calculate your gross wages before you certify.
If you use EDD Tele-Cert, you must complete and mail the paper form to report your earnings using questions 6a and 6b.
6a. Enter earnings before deductions here.
Look at the date each week begins and ends. Enter your total earnings before taxes (gross earnings before deductions). If your earnings are $1,000 or more in a week, enter $999.99 on the paper form. If you do not know your gross earnings, contact your employer for the weeks that you need to certify for. If your payroll weeks are different than the weeks you are certifying, keep a record of your earnings for each day to make sure you correctly report your earnings.
Usually, you can calculate the amount by multiplying the hours worked by your hourly wage. For example, if you worked 10 hours and are paid $12 per hour, your weekly earnings are $120.00. You must also report other types of income including pensions, back pay, and in-lieu-of-notice pay.
If you make a mistake when you report your earnings, contact us immediately to avoid an overpayment and penalties. If you are working part time, you may be able to receive reduced unemployment benefits even if your earnings are higher than your weekly benefit amount. We will calculate the amount to deduct and the amount you are eligible to receive.
6b. Report employment or source of earnings information.
Look at the date each week begins and ends. Enter the last day you worked that week and the employment details. If you earned other income, include the source of your earnings (such as, severance, in-lieu-of-notice pay, residuals). If you worked for more than one employer in the same week, be sure to list the last day you physically worked that week and the details of the last employer you worked for. If you are still working, write “still working.”
Details
For examples and more information, refer to:
If you want to have federal income taxes withheld, select your choice.
If you do not want federal income taxes withheld, leave this blank or answer No if using EDD Tele-Cert. You can update your choice on your next certification.
You can use myEDD to update your contact information in your personal profile. If you use EDD Tele-Cert, you must complete and mail the paper form to update your contact information.