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If you're looking for your Customer Account Number (ECN), here are a few reliable methods: 1. **Check your mail** - typically sends your account number within 10 business days of enrollment 2. **Log into your account** - If you can access UI Online, your account number should be visible in your profile or account settings 3. **Use Ask EDD** - Go to the Ask portal, select "Unemployment Insurance Benefits" → "UI Online" → " Customer Account Number" 4. **Call directly** - Though wait times can be long, they can provide your account number over the phone If you're having trouble accessing your online account or haven't received anything in the mail after 2 weeks, calling would be your best option. Make sure to have your SSN and other identifying information ready when you call. Good luck getting this sorted out!
Thank you so much for this comprehensive breakdown! I'm in a similar situation and have been waiting about a week for something in the mail. It's really helpful to know that it can take up to 10 business days - I was starting to worry something went wrong. I'll try the Ask portal first since that sounds like the quickest option. Really appreciate you taking the time to list out all the different ways to get the ECN!
I was in the same boat a few months ago - couldn't find my ECN anywhere! What worked for me was calling the number early in the morning (around 8:02 AM right when they open) to avoid the crazy wait times. They were able to give me my account number right over the phone after verifying my identity with SSN and date of birth. One tip that helped me get through faster: when you call the main number, press 1 for English, then 2 for existing claims, then 1 again. Sometimes this bypasses some of the longer automated menus. Also, if you do end up waiting for the mail, make sure to check that your address is correct in your application - I had a friend who was waiting weeks only to find out there was a typo in his street address! Hope this helps and you get your ECN sorted out quickly!
This is such great advice about calling early! I never thought about the timing making such a difference. The address tip is really smart too - I should probably double-check mine just to be safe. Do you remember roughly how long you were on hold even calling right at 8:02 AM? I'm trying to plan when to make the call and wondering if I should block out my whole morning or if it was pretty quick once you got through at that time.
Update: I called EDD using that Claimyr service and got through to someone who explained everything. For anyone else who needs to know: You mark "No" for the days you're at jury duty when they ask if you were able and available for work. Then report the jury pay as income. They said as long as you're honest about it, there's no issue with your claim. Thanks everyone for the help!
Just wanted to add that if you're on a longer jury trial (like 2+ weeks), you might want to contact EDD directly to discuss your situation. I served on a 3-week trial last year and they were actually pretty accommodating - they adjusted my certification schedule so I didn't have to worry about missing deadlines while in trial. The key is being proactive and transparent with them about your jury service dates.
That's really good to know about longer trials! I was wondering what would happen if I ended up on something that lasted weeks. Did you have to provide any special documentation from the court to EDD about the extended jury service? And did they pause your job search requirements during that time too?
Hey Kayla! I just wanted to add one more reassuring perspective - I had my EDD interview about 2 months ago and was absolutely terrified beforehand, but it ended up being one of the most straightforward government calls I've ever been on. The interviewer introduced herself, explained that they just needed to verify some information, and then asked very specific, factual questions. In my case, the issue was that I had reported my separation reason as "laid off" but my employer had told EDD it was a "workforce reduction" - same thing, just different terminology. The whole call took maybe 12 minutes and she was actually quite nice about it. One thing I wish someone had told me: they might ask you to verify your identity at the beginning with your SSN and birthdate, so have that ready. Also, they may reference specific weeks or dates, so having your original claim paperwork in front of you is super helpful. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like you're incredibly well-prepared. The fact that you care this much about getting it right tells me you're going to be just fine. This community has your back, and we'd love to hear how it goes! Wishing you the best of luck with your interview.
@Levi Parker Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It s'really comforting to hear that the interviewer was nice and straightforward - I ve'been imagining something much more intimidating. The terminology difference between laid "off and" workforce "reduction is" exactly the kind of thing I was worried about. My company used the term reduction "in force in" their official communication, but I think I put laid "off due to lack of work on" my application since that seemed like the closest option. That could definitely be the source of confusion! I ll'have my SSN and all my claim paperwork ready to go. Everyone in this thread has been so incredibly helpful - I went from complete panic this morning to feeling actually prepared and optimistic. I promise to update everyone after the interview. Thank you all for being such an amazing support system!
I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago and I completely understand the fear and anxiety you're feeling right now! Reading through all the responses here, it sounds like you're getting amazing advice and preparing really well. I wanted to share one more tip that helped me: if possible, try to do the interview from a landline or at least make sure your cell phone is fully charged and you're in an area with strong signal. My first scheduled interview got cut short because of connection issues and they had to reschedule, which just added more stress to the whole process. Also, something that really calmed my nerves was realizing that the EDD interviewer has probably done hundreds of these calls - they're not trying to catch you in a lie, they're just working through their checklist to verify information. Most of the time they already know what the discrepancy is before they even call you. From everything you've shared, it really sounds like you've been doing everything right and this is probably just a simple administrative issue. The fact that you've been so thorough in preparing and reaching out for advice shows you have nothing to hide. You're going to do great, and I'm looking forward to hearing your positive update after the interview!
@Marcelle Drum Thank you for the phone connection tip - that s'something I definitely hadn t'considered! I was planning to use my cell phone but you re'absolutely right that the last thing I need is technical issues adding more stress. I ll'see if I can borrow a landline or at least make sure I m'somewhere with perfect signal. It s'really reassuring to hear your perspective about the interviewers just working through a checklist rather than trying to catch people in lies. I keep having to remind myself that they deal with these situations all the time and probably see the same types of simple discrepancies over and over. After reading everyone s'experiences today, I m'feeling so much more confident that this will turn out to be something minor. This community has been absolutely incredible - I went from complete panic to feeling actually prepared. I ll'definitely post an update after my interview to help anyone else who might go through this in the future. Thank you for all the encouragement!
This is such a widespread problem and it's honestly infuriating! I went through the same thing last year - got denied twice even with all my EDD paperwork. What finally worked was calling my county's Medi-Cal office directly (not the main state number) and speaking with a local eligibility worker. She was able to see exactly what was missing from my application and walked me through resubmitting everything properly. Turns out they needed me to specifically check a box indicating I was applying due to "loss of employer coverage" rather than just general eligibility. Also make sure your application reflects that your unemployment is TEMPORARY income - sometimes they treat it like it's permanent employment income which puts you in the wrong category. The local county offices seem way more helpful than trying to navigate the state system. Don't let them wear you down - you absolutely deserve coverage while you're job searching!
That's really smart advice about calling the county office directly instead of the state number! I hadn't thought about that but it makes total sense that local workers would be more familiar with common issues and able to actually help troubleshoot. And wow, I had no idea there was a difference between applying due to "loss of employer coverage" vs general eligibility - that could definitely be part of my problem since I lost my job at the hospital. I'm going to look for that specific checkbox when I reapply. It's so helpful to hear from someone who actually got through this process successfully. Thank you for sharing what worked for you - gives me hope that there's light at the end of this bureaucratic tunnel!
I'm new to this community but dealing with the exact same issue right now! Lost my job in retail back in January and have been getting EDD benefits since then. Applied for Medi-Cal about 3 weeks ago with all my unemployment documentation and just got the denial letter yesterday saying "insufficient income verification" - makes zero sense! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been SO helpful though. Sounds like the magic combo is: 1) Submit bank statements showing the EDD deposits, 2) Make sure you're applying for EXPANDED Medi-Cal (had no idea there was a difference!), 3) Put together that complete evidence packet approach, and 4) Maybe try calling the county office directly instead of the state line. It's absolutely mind-boggling that two California state programs can't talk to each other properly. We're already stressed about being unemployed and then they make getting basic healthcare coverage feel impossible! Thank you all for sharing your stories - knowing I'm not the only one going through this bureaucratic nightmare really helps. Definitely not giving up on this!
Welcome to the community! I'm also new here but going through this exact same frustrating situation. It's honestly such a relief to find this thread and realize how common this problem is - I was starting to think I was doing something fundamentally wrong with my application! Your summary of the key steps is spot on from what I've gathered reading everyone's experiences. I'm definitely going to try the expanded Medi-Cal route and put together that comprehensive evidence packet approach. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops when we're already dealing with the stress of unemployment, but at least now I feel like I have a actual game plan instead of just submitting the same docs over and over hoping for different results. Thanks for laying out those steps so clearly - super helpful for those of us just figuring this mess out!
Jean Claude
any update?? did ur $ come thru yet??
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Annabel Kimball
•Yes!! It finally hit my account this morning (Thursday)! Just a weird delay like you and others mentioned. Thanks everyone for the reassurance - helped keep me from panicking!
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Charity Cohan
•Great to hear it resolved itself! For future reference, always give it at least 72 hours after certification before worrying about payment delays. The EDD system has scheduled maintenance periods that can occasionally cause these temporary hiccups. As long as your UI Online account shows 'paid' status, the money is on its way.
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Ravi Patel
I'm so glad this worked out for you! This is actually a really helpful thread for anyone else experiencing similar delays. I've been on EDD for about 6 months now and had two random payment delays like this - both times the money eventually came through within 3-4 days just like yours did. It's frustrating that EDD doesn't communicate these system hiccups better, but at least we know now that "paid" status means the money is definitely coming, even if it takes longer than usual. Thanks for updating us with the resolution!
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Norah Quay
•This thread is a lifesaver! I'm new to the EDD system and just started claiming last month, so when my payment didn't show up on Tuesday like usual, I was convinced I'd somehow messed up my certification or that my claim got flagged. Reading through everyone's experiences here really helped calm my nerves. It's crazy how common these random delays seem to be, yet EDD doesn't warn anyone about it. Definitely bookmarking this for future reference - the 72-hour rule seems like solid advice!
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