Yes, getting the closure and return dates in writing is absolutely advisable. A simple email confirming "Our facility will be closed from December 22, 2025 to January 3, 2026, with regular operations resuming on January 4, 2026" would be perfect documentation. One additional point: If there's any chance of you working at all during the shutdown (like if they might call you in for inventory or other tasks), make sure you're clear about your availability. If you indicate you're available for work during certification but then decline work if they offer it during the closure, that could potentially create issues with your claim. It's best to have clear expectations on both sides.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - when you're certifying during the shutdown weeks, pay close attention to the work search requirement questions. Even though you're technically still employed, you still need to be conducting work searches to maintain eligibility. Some people think they can skip this step during temporary shutdowns, but EDD still requires it. Keep a record of your job search activities (even if it's just updating your resume or checking job boards) because they can audit this at any time. Also, if your temp agency has other positions available during the closure, you might be expected to accept suitable work through them. Good luck with everything - the holiday closure situation is super stressful when you're already tight on money!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and it's been such a relief to read everyone's experiences and advice! I discovered fraudulent unemployment claims in my name just last week and have been panicking about what to do. Based on everything I've read here, it sounds like the standard advice of calling the fraud hotline is basically useless, and the real solution is to bypass EDD's broken system entirely by going straight to your state assembly member's office. That's such a valuable insight that I never would have figured out on my own. I'm planning to follow the roadmap several people have outlined: 1. File police report for case number 2. Email identitytheft@edd.ca.gov with full details 3. Contact my assembly member's office immediately (and CC them on the EDD email) 4. File complaints with State Auditor and other agencies for paper trail 5. Put fraud alerts on credit reports and monitor for tax implications One question for those who successfully resolved this - did you ever find out how the identity thief got your information in the first place? I'm worried about what other accounts or documents might be compromised. Also, for anyone who had to deal with the IRS side of things, was Form 14039 difficult to file or did it help protect you from tax issues? Thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences instead of just the "official" steps that clearly don't work. It's given me so much hope that this nightmare can actually be resolved with the right approach!

I'm dealing with this same nightmare right now and honestly, reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring and frustrating. It's crazy how many of us are going through this exact same situation with EDD! I've been trying the fraud hotline for three days straight with zero success - just busy signals and disconnections. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like I need to completely abandon that approach and go straight to: 1. Police report (doing this today) 2. Email identitytheft@edd.ca.gov 3. Contact my assembly member's office ASAP @James Maki - thank you for mentioning that specific email address! I had no idea it existed and was just getting lost in the general EDD website maze. @Dana Doyle @Zachary Hughes - the assembly member tip seems to be the real game-changer here. I'm looking up my representative right now. The tax implications are what's keeping me up at night. I'm terrified of getting hit with a 1099-G for benefits I never received. Going to file Form 14039 with the IRS preemptively based on @Miguel Ramos's advice. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become experts in navigating broken government systems just because criminals stole our identities, but I'm grateful for everyone sharing what actually works vs. what we're "supposed" to do. Time to skip the front door and go straight to the people who can actually help!

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I'm definitely going to continue keeping detailed records and doing legitimate job searches. The potential consequences aren't worth the risk. I'll check out CalJOBS and set up that email folder system too. Better safe than sorry!

Smart decision to keep doing everything legitimately! I've been on unemployment twice and always kept meticulous records - it's definitely worth the extra effort for peace of mind. One tip that helped me: I started using a simple Google Form to log my job search activities in real-time instead of trying to remember everything later. You just fill it out right after applying somewhere and it automatically creates a spreadsheet with timestamps. Way easier than manually maintaining records and you'll never forget the details. Plus having that timestamp data could be really helpful if you ever need to prove when you applied somewhere.

I work in banking and see this issue pretty frequently with prepaid debit cards like the Money Network cards. What's happening is likely that your card has different authorization settings for different transaction types. ATM withdrawals use a different processing network than point-of-sale (POS) purchases at merchants. When you call Money Network tomorrow, here's exactly what to say: "My card works at ATMs but is declining at all retail locations. Please check if my card is restricted to ATM-only transactions and enable full POS/merchant purchases." Also ask them to verify there are no daily spending limits that might be different for retail vs ATM transactions. This is almost always a quick fix once you get the right person on the phone who knows how to toggle those settings. The early morning call strategy others mentioned is spot on - 8-9 AM tends to have the shortest wait times. Good luck!

I've been dealing with this exact same issue for the past two weeks! My Money Network card works perfectly at ATMs but gets declined everywhere else - Target, Safeway, gas stations, you name it. Reading through all these comments has been so helpful because I had no idea this was such a common problem. I called Money Network twice already but clearly didn't ask the right questions. Tomorrow I'm going to call at 8 AM sharp and specifically ask them to "enable POS transactions" and check if my card is stuck in "ATM only" mode. It's so frustrating having to withdraw cash every time I need to buy anything, especially when the app shows I have plenty of funds available. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and the exact phrases to use when calling - this thread is a goldmine of information!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this thread has been! I've been struggling to find my EDDCAN for the past few weeks and was getting really discouraged. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions has given me a clear action plan. I'm definitely going to try the technical support line at (833) 978-2511 that so many people have had success with - it sounds way better than the impossible-to-reach main UI line. I'll also check my UI Online profile section and dig through my old EDD paperwork. It's amazing how this community has come together to solve what should be a simple problem but has become such a nightmare for so many of us. Thank you to everyone who shared their methods - having multiple approaches to try makes me feel so much more hopeful about finally getting this resolved!

I'm new to this community and have been struggling with finding my EDDCAN for over three weeks now! This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there were so many different approaches to try. The askedd.edd.ca.gov site didn't work for me either, so I'm really grateful to see all these alternative methods. I'm definitely going to try the technical support line at (833) 978-2511 that multiple people have mentioned having success with - it sounds so much better than the main UI line that I can never get through on. I'll also check my UI Online profile section and dig through my old EDD mail. It's amazing how this community has crowdsourced solutions that EDD should really be providing upfront. Thank you to everyone who shared what worked for them - having multiple options gives me real hope that I can finally get this resolved!