Certifying for Unemployment Insurance Benefits

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To receive Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits, you must provide the EDD eligibility information every two weeks. This is known as certifying for benefits. You must also meet all weekly eligibility requirements. If you filed a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claim, you must report your work and wages differently than a regular unemployment claim.

For help answering the certification questions, review Unemployment Insurance Benefits: What You Need to Know (DE 1275B) (PDF).

If you stopped claiming benefits, even for one week, you will need to reopen your claim. If your claim has expired, you will need to file a new claim.

Important: If you withhold or give false information to receive benefits, such as not reporting work or wages, you are committing fraud. Penalties may include a loss of benefits, a false statement disqualification, and/or criminal prosecution.

Ways to Certify for UI Benefits

Submit your certification using one of the following:

To avoid common errors and reduce payment delays, certify online or by phone.

Certify with UI OnlineSM or UI Online MobileSM

UI Online is the fastest way to certify for benefits and report work and wages. If you don’t have work or wages to report, you can use UI Online Mobile from your smart phone or tablet.

To get started, log in to Benefit Programs Online and select UI Online or UI Online Mobile.

Check the Notifications section of your homepage. If weeks are available, select Certify for Benefits and answer all questions. If no weeks are available, the system will tell you when to check again and will send you an email reminder.

Note: The Work Search Record screen is optional and provides a helpful tool to record your work search efforts. To skip this screen, select Next.

You will receive a confirmation number when your certification has been successfully submitted. Keep this number for your records.

UI Online Resources:

Certify with EDD Tele-CertSM

EDD Tele-Cert is a convenient and easy way to certify for UI benefits over the phone. (Note: If you are receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or Federal-State Extended Duration benefits, you cannot use EDD Tele-Cert to certify. You must certify using UI Online or by mail.)

Follow these steps to request your benefits:

  1. Call the UI Self-Service Phone Line at 1-866-333-4606.
  2. Select Menu Option 2.
  3. Enter your four-digit PIN. If you do not have one, the system will tell you how to create one.
  4. Answer all certification questions and confirm your answers.

You will receive a confirmation number when your certification has been successfully submitted. Keep this number for your records.

Note: If you need to report work and wages, a change of address, or a phone number, certify through UI Online or by mail.

Certify by Mail

If you certify for UI benefits by mail, you must complete, sign, and mail a Continued Claim Form (DE 4581CTO) (PDF) to the EDD every two weeks. You will receive your first claim form within 10 days of the EDD processing your application. Additional claim forms will be mailed to you each time you need to certify for benefits.

Important: For faster processing of your certifications, and to avoid mail delays and common errors with the paper claim form, submit your certifications through UI Online or by phone through EDD Tele-Cert.