Should I include 1099 work when filing for unemployment in CA?

May 1, 2012 2:28 PM

My employment history is a crazy jumbled mess. Help me file for unemployment, Hive Mind!

I'm attempting to file for unemployment in California, and in addition to having worked for a messy patchwork of production companies and temp agencies, I worked a few jobs as an independent contractor. Do I include those jobs on my unemployment application? I've tried calling EDD, but I can't get anyone on the phone. (I've been trying all day).

In sum: Do independent contractor jobs count as part of my employment history when filing for unemployment in CA?

posted by ablazingsaddle to Work & Money (3 answers total)

Not usually, as the company doesn't pay into the system for you. I only included those jobs where taxes were withheld from my paycheck.
posted by Ideefixe at 2:33 PM on May 1, 2012

When I got unemployment I included contracting and temp work in my application. Be sure that you actually have the correct name of your employer - this was a problem for me when working through a staffing agency.

Also, you can't get through to California EDD on the phone, at least not around here (SF Bay area). To speak to someone on the phone I had to go to the office and wait in line to be put on the phone to someone at some EDD office somewhere who, to be fair, was generally pretty helpful.
posted by smartyboots at 2:33 PM on May 1, 2012

Seconding what Ideefixe said. I worked for Unemployment (a long time ago, but the basic rules haven't changed that much). The contractor jobs have absolutely no effect of whether or not you're eligible and how much you get.
posted by gteffertz at 4:19 PM on May 1, 2012