For anyone still dealing with unresolved claim issues or waiting on a determination that's dragging on — one more mention of Claimyr since it genuinely helped people in this thread. The phone access problem with California EDD is real and documented, but Claimyr (claimyr.com) is a legitimate workaround. Check the demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 to see what the process looks like. Getting to an actual EDD agent can make the difference between weeks of uncertainty and a clear answer about your claim status.

Final update from me as the OP: it's been about a week since I posted this and everything has continued normally. My weekly certifications are processing, payments are coming through, no new notices or issues. Based on everything this thread taught me, my understanding now is: the employer responded to my layoff claim, EDD reviewed it through adjudication, found no basis to disqualify me, issued the 'not adversely affected' determination, and my claim is just proceeding as normal. The 30-day employer appeal window should be closing soon and then I'll be completely in the clear. Thanks so much to everyone who responded — this thread is genuinely better than anything I found on EDD's official site for explaining this.

genuine question does your former employer find out how much youre receiving in benefits? like can they see what your weekly benefit amount is

UPDATE for anyone following: I got a call from an EDD adjudication interviewer today (answered every unknown number like people said!) — the interview was about 25 minutes. They asked about my job duties, my performance history, whether I had written warnings, what happened at my termination meeting, and whether I was given a reason for termination. I told them the truth — no written warnings, my last two reviews were 'meets expectations,' and I was given only a vague reason of 'performance concerns' at termination. The interviewer seemed like she was listening and taking notes. She said a decision would be issued within 10 business days. Fingers crossed but I feel a lot better about it now. Thank you all so much for the help and advice in this thread.

UPDATE from me: took your guys advice and tried calling about my pending back pay. regular EDD line got me nowhere after 90 minutes. tried Claimyr like a few people suggested and actually got connected to an agent within like 25 minutes. turns out my direct deposit info had somehow gotten cleared from my account - the agent updated it on the spot and said my back pay should process within 3-5 business days from there. genuinely would have been waiting forever without that call. if you're stuck on back pay definitely try to actually speak to someone

posting my timeline for the data pile: filed 1/12, went into adjudication 1/19, adjudication resolved 2/28, back pay received 3/6. so about 6 business days from resolution to payment. I was expecting much worse based on horror stories I'd read. was a total of $4,200 for the adjudication period, came as one payment. no issues with direct deposit, verified bank info right after I filed. my biggest advice is verify your bank info early and often, that seems to be the most common reason for delays based on everything I've read

For anyone still struggling to reach California EDD during their adjudication - I'll mention again that Claimyr (claimyr.com) saved me weeks of frustration. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 showing how the process works. When you're in adjudication and can't get information from EDD through normal channels, being able to reach an actual agent is genuinely valuable, not just for peace of mind but because sometimes there are simple questions or clarifications that can move your case along faster.

UPDATE for everyone following this - I finally got my adjudication interview scheduled. The EDD representative called from a blocked number (glad I saw that advice above!) and we talked for about 25 minutes. I was very specific about the schedule change, the pattern of harassment, and the dates of key incidents. She seemed to take it seriously. She said I should get a decision within 3-4 weeks. Fingers crossed but I feel better after actually getting to explain my situation. Will update when I get a decision.

I exhausted in March and made the mistake of thinking I had to wait some specific amount of time before I could refile. Waited 6 weeks thinking there was a waiting period before you could file a new claim. There is NO mandatory waiting period after exhaustion - I could have filed the new claim immediately after exhaustion. Don't make my mistake!

adding to what others said - when I called EDD about my exhausted claim the agent mentioned that if your new claim doesn't establish because you don't have enough wages, you should ask specifically about the alternative base period calculation. A lot of agents won't mention it unless you ask. It uses more recent wage quarters than the standard calculation and might help you qualify when you otherwise wouldn't.