Unemployment CA, tried to file new claim and opened old (2015, calculation)

[jessicajones]

Hi guys,

I have a convoluted question about my unemployment situation. Any and all advice needed and welcome!

Here is the background:

In May 2015, I started a contractual assistant job in entertainment (I live in LA). The show I was working on went on hiatus in June (from June 1 to July 6) so all the assistants applied for unemployment. For me, it turned out that I hadn't worked the job long enough to receive unemployment through them so I was given a tiny amount through my previous job for $90/week.

July 2015, I went back to the contractual assistant job in entertainment. Fast forward to November 2015, I was abruptly ~let go so I immediately applied for unemployment that night. Through my own calculations of the EDD formula, I figured out that I should be getting around $350/week. Anyway, had my interview Dec. 11 and had the first deposit to my EDD card Dec 16th -- but for the $90/week I was getting previously, not the $350/week.

I immediately called EDD and through some finagling, got through pretty easily. The lady explained that my may 2015 claim for $90/week goes through may 2016. She told me that the new claim would allot me more than $350/week even, but I have to finish the $90/week claim before I can access the new $350/week one.

My questions are the following:

1) Can I and/or SHOULD I cancel the current claim for $90/week and re-apply for the $350/week claim so I can get to it faster? If I do that, aside from losing another 3-5 weeks with no benefits at all, am I risking a swift denial?

2) If May 2016 rolls around and I'm still not working, will I have to go through the interview process AGAIN for the contractual assistant job ($350/week) and risk the employer not consenting this time and having to appeal and all that or will it go through automatically?

I'm super stressed about this because living on $90/week is not even close to possible for me right now and the $350+/week would really turn my financial situation around.

Thanks!!

[nightlysparrow]

For such a technical question, try here:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/unemployment/