EDD Waiting Week for Unemployment Benefits Waived in Case of Disaster

Individuals who lost their jobs or who cannot work due to a disaster or emergency may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI), Disability Insurance (DI), or Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits.

Generally, there is a non-payable one-week waiting period for individuals obtaining UI. However, Governor-declared emergencies waive the waiting period for regular UI benefit payments to eligible individuals affected by current disasters. Get details here, including a list of current Governor-declared disasters.

Disaster Unemployment Insurance (DUA)
The federal DUA program provides unemployment benefits to self-employed and jobless individuals who have become unemployed as a direct result of a Presidential-declared major disaster, such as a wildfire. Get details from EDD's DUA Fact Sheet.