Supporting Federal Workers Impacted by the Government Shutdown and Layoffs

Published: October 20, 2025

If you’re one of the 248,000 federal workers in California and are affected by the recent government shutdown or layoffs announced on October 1, we are ready to help you. Whether you’ve been laid off, had your hours cut, or are furloughed due to the shutdown, we can help you apply for unemployment benefits and explore job opportunities across the state.

How EDD Can Help

We have a webpage just for federal workers with resources designed to guide you through this challenging time.

If you have lost your job or had your hours reduced because of the shutdown or a federal layoff (known as a Reduction in Force), you may qualify for unemployment benefits. These benefits give you temporary income to help you while you look for work or wait for your situation to improve.

You can apply for unemployment benefits online through myEDD, which is fast and available in English, Spanish, Armenian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. You can also apply by fax or mail using the Unemployment Insurance Application (Federal Employee) (DE 1101IBD)(PDF).

If you have questions or need help, you can call the dedicated federal workers line at 1-855-327-7055 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (except state holidays).

"We understand how deeply a federal government shutdown can affect the lives of federal workers and their families. During these uncertain times, EDD is here to provide meaningful support — offering resources and assistance to help our fellow Californians navigate financial hardship and find stability.”

-Nancy Farias, EDD Director

Unemployment benefits provide partial income replacement. The weekly amount can range from $40 to $450, based on the wages you earned in the 18 months before your claim. You can receive benefits for up to 26 weeks in a year, as long as you remain unemployed or work reduced hours and meet all eligibility rules.

Note: Federal employees who are required to work during the shutdown but are not being paid (“excepted” employees) do not qualify for unemployment benefits because they are not considered unemployed.

When applying, you’ll need to provide your separation form from your employer, such as:

Standard Form 8 (SF8) (PDF)
Notice to Federal Employee about Unemployment Insurance
Standard Form 50 (SF50) (PDF), Notice of Personnel Action

We review each claim individually to decide eligibility. Claims can be backdated to the first week you were affected by the shutdown, but not earlier than September 28, 2025.

federal workers in California and are affected by the recent government shutdown or layoffs image

What You Should Know About Back Pay

After the 2019 shutdown, the federal government agreed to pay back wages to furloughed workers once they returned to work. If you receive unemployment benefits and later get back pay for the same period, you will need to repay the benefits to EDD. You will receive a notice with repayment details and can set up a payment plan if needed.

After You Apply

Once your claim is filed, we will mail you important information about your claim and your first Continued Claim Form (DE 4581) to request benefit payments.

Before benefits can be paid, we must verify your wages with your federal employer. Because this process is different from how wages are verified for private employers, some delays are possible. You may first receive a notice showing $0 while EDD waits for confirmation from your federal agency. After verification, we will send you an updated notice showing your actual benefit amount.

Certifying for Benefits

To keep receiving payments, you must certify your eligibility every two weeks. The fastest way to certify is online through myEDD. You can also certify by phone at 1-866-333-4606, or by mailing in your completed and signed Continued Claim Form. If mailing, allow 10 days for processing.

For information on how to answer the certification questions, visit Understanding the Certification Questions or contact us.

When the Shutdown Ends

If you return to work full time, simply stop certifying for benefits and your claim will close automatically.

If you return part time, you may still qualify for partial benefits by continuing to certify every two weeks and reporting your hours and wages.

More Help and Resources

For more information about unemployment benefits for federal workers (including eligibility, how to apply, and how claims are processed) visit Unemployment Benefits for Federal Workers. This page also links to additional support for job seekers and related resources.

We are committed to supporting federal workers through this difficult time. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out. You’re not alone. We’re here to help you every step of the way.

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