SDI claim denied - EDD says I withdrew from job market early, but I didn't. Help with appeal?
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a pickle with my SDI claim. They denied it saying I withdrew from the job market early, but that's not true. I got a letter dated 5/16 saying my claim was disallowed from 4/21 through the end of the year. They're saying I was self-employed for profit and not suffering wage loss due to disability. Has anyone dealt with this before? I'm planning to appeal but could use some advice on how to approach this. What should I include in my appeal letter?
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Fidel Carson
Ugh, the EDD strikes again! 🙄 I've been through something similar. Here's what you need to do: 1. Write a detailed appeal letter explaining your employment situation 2. Gather all your evidence - pay stubs, employment contracts, anything that proves you weren't self-employed 3. Submit your appeal ASAP - you only have 30 days from the date on that letter 4. Be prepared to wait... and wait... and wait some more Good luck! The system is a mess, but don't give up!
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Isaiah Sanders
•This is solid advice. I'd add: make copies of EVERYTHING you send them. The EDD has a habit of 'losing' documents 🙄
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Xan Dae
•fr fr 💯 edd be playin games wit our paperwork
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Ana Rusula
•Thanks for the tips! Any idea how long the appeal process usually takes?
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Fidel Carson
•In my experience, it can take anywhere from 2-6 months. But I've heard of some cases dragging on for a year. It's a waiting game, unfortunately.
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Fiona Gallagher
I found a way to actually get someone on the phone. I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ
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Thais Soares
•Sounds sketchy. Is this legit?
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Fiona Gallagher
•Yeah, it's totally legit. I was skeptical at first too, but it saved me hours of hold time. Worth every penny imo
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Nalani Liu
•20 bucks to skip the hold? sign me up! 🙌
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Axel Bourke
•How does it work exactly? Do they give you a specific time to be ready for the call?
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Fiona Gallagher
•They start calling right away and text you updates. When they get someone, they call you and connect you. You just gotta be ready to answer when they do.
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Aidan Percy
have you tried contacting your local assemblymember? sometimes they can help speed things up with edd. worth a shot!
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Fernanda Marquez
This happened to me last year! It's so frustrating. Make sure you emphasize in your appeal that you were NOT self-employed. They love to use that as an excuse to deny claims. Hang in there!
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Ana Rusula
•Thanks for the support! Did your appeal end up being successful?
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Fernanda Marquez
•Yes, but it took about 4 months. Stay persistent!
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Norman Fraser
the whole system is rigged against us i swear. good luck op, youre gonna need it 😩
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Kendrick Webb
•Preach! 🙌 EDD more like Every Denial Department amirite?
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Hattie Carson
•lmao too real 💀
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Destiny Bryant
Quick question - were you working right up until your disability started? If there was a gap, that might be why they're saying you withdrew from the job market.
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Ana Rusula
•No gap at all. I was working full-time until the day before my disability leave started.
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Destiny Bryant
•Then you should definitely appeal! Sounds like they made a mistake on their end.
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Dyllan Nantx
Pro tip: when you write your appeal letter, use their own language against them. Quote the specific parts of the California Unemployment Insurance Code that support your case. Show them you know your stuff!
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TillyCombatwarrior
edd be wildin fr fr 🤡 stay strong op
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Anna Xian
•fr they always try to deny first smh
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Jibriel Kohn
I went through something similar and what really helped was getting a letter from my employer confirming my employment status and that I wasn't self-employed. Also, if you have any documentation from your doctor about when your disability started, include that too. The key is showing a clear timeline that proves you were employed when you became disabled. Don't let them intimidate you - if you know you're right, fight it! The appeal process is frustrating but worth it if you have a legitimate claim.
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