This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently in the middle of this process myself - got married 2 months ago and finally getting around to updating everything. I already did Social Security (took forever but it's done), and now I'm tackling EDD. I tried calling the regular EDD line last week and it was a nightmare - kept getting the "call volume too high" message. But after reading all the advice here about the 1-800-300-5616 number and the Tuesday/Wednesday 8am strategy, I'm feeling way more optimistic about actually getting through to someone! One thing I wanted to add that might help others - when I updated my name with Social Security, they told me it can take up to 2 weeks for the change to fully propagate through all government systems. So even if you get your new SS card right away, it might be worth waiting a couple weeks before calling EDD to make sure everything matches up properly on their end. Also huge props to everyone who shared the certified mail tip - I would have definitely just sent regular mail and then stressed about whether they received everything. You all have saved me so much time and anxiety! Planning to call this Wednesday morning with everything ready to go. 🤞

This thread is incredible - thank you everyone for such detailed and practical advice! I'm about to start this process after getting divorced and needing to change my name back to my maiden name. Reading through all these experiences has been so helpful and way less intimidating than I expected. I'm definitely following the gameplan that's emerged from everyone's advice: 1) Make sure Social Security is updated first (doing that next week), 2) Get all my documents organized including the court order for my name change, 3) Call that 1-800-300-5616 number on Tuesday or Wednesday at 8am sharp, 4) Ask for the emailed checklist, and 5) Use certified mail for everything. One question for those who've been through this - did anyone deal with changing FROM a married name back to a maiden name? I'm wondering if the process is any different than changing TO a married name, or if the court order works the same way as a marriage certificate for verification purposes. Either way, feeling so much more prepared thanks to this amazing community! You all have probably saved me weeks of frustration and confusion. 🙏

For what it's worth, I've been using direct deposit with EDD for about 6 months now and the timing has been pretty consistent - usually 1-2 business days after it shows "paid" status. The key thing I learned is to always check that it shows "Outstanding" in the payment activity section, not just "Paid" in your certification history. One time mine got stuck because my bank flagged it as suspicious since it was a larger amount than usual, so I had to call my bank to release the hold. Might be worth giving Chase a heads up that you're expecting an EDD deposit if it's your first time, just in case their fraud detection kicks in.

Congrats on getting your payment so quickly! I've been dealing with EDD for about a year now and direct deposit is definitely the way to go. One thing I learned the hard way - always screenshot your "Outstanding" payment status and keep track of when it changes. I had one payment that seemed to disappear from my account (turned out to be a system glitch) and having those screenshots helped when I had to call EDD to sort it out. Also, if anyone is still on the fence about switching from the debit card to direct deposit, just do it - the peace of mind is worth it, especially during holiday weeks like this!

This whole thread is incredible! I'm dealing with the same lockout issue right now - forgot my password and those security questions are impossible. I've been putting off calling because I was dreading the busy signals, but seeing Norman's success and everyone's detailed advice has given me the confidence to try. I'm going to call the 1-833-978-2511 number tomorrow at 8am sharp with all my documents ready. The tip about writing down a script is brilliant - I always get tongue-tied on important calls. It's so reassuring to know this is a common problem with actual solutions. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and tips - this community support makes dealing with EDD issues so much less stressful!

Wow, this thread is a treasure trove of information! I'm currently dealing with this exact same issue - got locked out after forgetting my password and completely blanking on those security questions. I've been stressing about it for days, but reading through everyone's experiences has been so reassuring. The tip about calling right at 8am seems to be the golden rule here, and I love all the practical advice about having documents ready, writing down a script, and even finding good cell service. It's amazing how this community has turned what seemed like an impossible bureaucratic nightmare into a step-by-step solution. Going to follow everyone's advice and call the 1-833-978-2511 number tomorrow morning with everything organized. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it really helps to know you're not alone in dealing with these EDD system issues!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been doing gig work while on partial unemployment for about 4 months now. All the advice here is spot-on - you absolutely MUST report every dollar to EDD, even tiny amounts. The $600 thing that confused you is about 1099-K tax forms from the platforms, not EDD reporting requirements. I made the same mistake early on thinking small daily earnings didn't matter, but EDD will eventually catch unreported income through tax record matching. Trust me, the overpayment penalties aren't worth trying to hide anything. The partial benefit calculation actually works great though! You keep the first $25 or 25% of weekly earnings (whichever is higher) without any benefit reduction. So if you make $120 from DoorDash, you'd keep the first $30 (25%) and only have $90 deducted from your UI payment. You end up with more total income than just staying on full unemployment. My system: I use a simple phone note to track daily earnings by platform, then sum it up each week for certification. Takes maybe 2 minutes total per day and keeps me compliant. Also definitely track your miles - at $0.67/mile for 2024, the tax deduction adds up fast. Stay honest with reporting and you'll be fine! The system actually encourages working while on unemployment, so there's no reason to risk penalties by hiding income.

I just went through this exact same confusion last month! The $600 threshold you're thinking of is definitely about tax reporting (specifically 1099-K forms from the gig platforms), not EDD certification requirements. These are completely separate systems with different rules. For EDD, you must report EVERY dollar you earn from gig work when you certify - even if it's just $20 for the day. I learned this the hard way when I thought small amounts "didn't count" and almost got hit with compliance issues. The good news is that the partial benefit formula actually works in your favor! You get to keep the first $25 or 25% of your weekly earnings (whichever is higher) without any reduction to your UI benefits. So if you make $200 from DoorDash in a week, you'd keep the first $50 (25% of $200) and only have $150 deducted from your weekly benefit amount. You'll always end up with more total money by working + partial unemployment than just staying on full benefits. My advice: start tracking everything immediately in a simple spreadsheet or phone app. I log my daily earnings right after each shift - takes 30 seconds but keeps me compliant and stress-free. Don't risk the overpayment penalties that others have mentioned here. Better to report everything and get partial benefits than deal with EDD enforcement later! Good luck with both the gig work and job search! The partial unemployment system is actually designed to encourage people to work while looking for permanent employment.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works at a local workforce development center - we help people with EDD issues daily. Based on what I see here, everyone's giving solid advice about using your laptop over phone. One thing I'd add that I don't think was mentioned: if you're having trouble with the fax going through (which happens A LOT with EDD's system), you can also try uploading documents through your EDD online portal if that option is available for your specific request. Sometimes the online upload actually processes faster than fax, and you get immediate confirmation that the files were received. Also, if you're really stuck and the deadline is tight, some of our local libraries have fax machines and staff who can help ensure your documents are formatted correctly before sending. Don't panic about the rent deadline - EDD can backdate payments once your claim is approved, so focus on getting the documentation right rather than rushing and having to resubmit!

I went through this exact situation about a month ago and it was so stressful! After reading all these responses, I'm kicking myself for not finding this community sooner. I initially tried using my phone with a fax app and got rejected twice - EDD said my documents were "illegible" even though they looked clear to me on my phone screen. Finally switched to my laptop and used HelloFax, converted everything to high-quality PDFs, and it went through immediately. One thing I learned the hard way that I don't see mentioned much here: make sure your claim number is not just ON every page, but actually embedded in the document text, not just handwritten on top. EDD's scanning system sometimes cuts off handwritten notes at the margins. I typed my claim number directly into each PDF using a PDF editor before sending. Also, for anyone else reading this who's stressed about rent deadlines - I was in the same boat and it worked out. Once EDD processed my corrected documents, they backdated everything and I got a lump sum that covered all the weeks I'd been waiting. Hang in there Isaiah, you've got great advice in this thread and you'll get through this!