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Hey everyone! New member here and honestly feeling a bit overwhelmed reading through all these experiences. I just got laid off last week from my job at a marketing agency and I'm dreading having to deal with the EDD system based on what I'm seeing here. Already tried calling a few times and just get the busy signal or hang up message. This thread is both helpful and terrifying at the same time! 😅 I'm definitely taking notes on all the strategies being shared - the Monday 8 AM tip, keeping detailed logs, and reaching out to assemblyperson offices. It's insane that we have to become experts in gaming the system just to get the benefits we're entitled to. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and tips. Hopefully I can avoid some of the worst pitfalls with the knowledge from this community. Fingers crossed my claim goes smoother than what some of you have experienced! 🤞
Welcome Sophia! I totally understand that overwhelming feeling - I felt the same way when I first found this community a few weeks ago. The good news is that you're getting ahead of the game by learning these strategies before you get stuck in the system like some of us have. My advice would be to start that detailed log from day one and maybe even take screenshots of any error messages you get. Also, don't wait too long to try the assemblyperson route if you hit roadblocks - I wish I had known about that option earlier in my process. The fact that you're already aware of these strategies puts you in a much better position than most people going into this. Stay positive and remember that most claims do eventually get processed, even if it takes longer than it should. You've got a whole community here rooting for you! 🙌
Just joined this community after getting laid off from my tech job two weeks ago. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both eye-opening and nerve-wracking! I haven't even submitted my claim yet because I've been trying to gather all my documentation first after seeing how important that seems to be. The strategies everyone is sharing are incredibly valuable - I'm already planning to start calling on a Monday at 8 AM sharp and I've bookmarked my assemblyperson's contact info. It's honestly ridiculous that we need a whole playbook just to access unemployment benefits, but I'm grateful this community exists to help navigate the chaos. Planning to document everything from the start based on all the advice here. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's making me feel less alone in this process! 🙏
Julian, you're being really smart by getting organized before you even submit your claim! That's already putting you ahead of the curve. I'm also pretty new here (just a few weeks in) and it's amazing how much this community has helped me prepare for what seems like an unnecessarily complicated process. Since you're in tech, you might also want to look into those browser extensions that Hattie mentioned for automating the calling process - could be a game changer given your background. The fact that you're already thinking strategically about documentation and timing shows you're going to handle this way better than most people do. Keep us updated on how it goes once you submit - we're all learning from each other's experiences! Good luck! 🚀
Hey Emily, I just went through this exact situation a few months ago and want to share what worked for me. First, definitely apply for CalFresh ASAP - even if you think you won't qualify, you might be surprised. I got $194/month which was a huge help with groceries. Second, check if your county has an Emergency Rental Assistance program. I'm in Riverside County and they helped me with 2 months of rent when I was between unemployment ending and finding work. Each county runs their own program so search "[your county] emergency rental assistance." Third, consider looking into California's Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program if you have any dependents, or General Assistance if you don't. The amounts are small but every bit helps. Last thing - I ended up finding work through a staffing agency that specialized in warehouse/logistics. They had positions that started immediately and some even offered temp-to-perm opportunities. Try Randstad, Kelly Services, or Adecco if they operate in your area. You're going to get through this! The period between benefits ending and finding stable work is terrifying, but there are safety nets available if you know where to look. Feel free to DM me if you want specific info about any of these programs.
This is incredibly detailed and helpful - thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! I'm definitely going to look into all of these options. The emergency rental assistance program sounds like exactly what I need right now, and I had no idea that existed. I'm in San Bernardino County so I'll search for their specific program today. It's really reassuring to hear from someone who actually made it through this situation successfully. The staffing agency tip is great too - I'll reach out to those companies you mentioned. Sometimes it feels like you're drowning in all this bureaucracy, but hearing real success stories like yours gives me hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel. I might take you up on that DM offer if I run into any roadblocks with the applications!
I'm going through something similar right now and this whole thread has been a lifesaver! Just wanted to add one more resource that helped me - check if your local community colleges have any free job training programs or career services. I'm enrolled in a free forklift certification course at my local CC that only takes 2 weeks, and they help with job placement afterward. Many warehouses prefer certified operators and it could give you an edge in your job search. Also, if you're really struggling with rent, don't forget about local churches and community organizations - even if you're not religious, many have emergency assistance funds for community members facing hardship. I was embarrassed to ask at first, but the church near me helped with a $300 grocery card when I was at my lowest point. One last tip - download apps like Indeed Flex, Wonolo, or Instawork for same-day gig work. They often have warehouse shifts available with next-day pay. It's not consistent income but it can help bridge the gap while you're looking for permanent work. Hang in there - you're definitely not alone in this struggle!
This is amazing advice, Sofia! I had no idea about those same-day work apps - that could be a game changer for covering immediate expenses while I'm still job hunting. The forklift certification idea is brilliant too, especially since I already have warehouse experience. I never thought about community colleges having free programs like that. And you're absolutely right about not being embarrassed to ask for help from local organizations - sometimes pride gets in the way when you really just need to focus on getting through this tough period. I'm going to download those apps today and look into what my local community college offers. Thanks for sharing your experience and reminding me that there are people out there who understand exactly what this feels like!
Brooklyn, congratulations on your new job! 🎉 I can totally relate to your privacy concerns - I had the exact same worries when I started my current position after being on unemployment for about 4 months last year. From my experience, EDD did not contact my employer at all. What I learned is that EDD's main focus is on fraud prevention (people who work while still collecting benefits) rather than verifying every legitimate job placement. Their wage verification process is typically done through automated quarterly wage matching using data that employers already submit for tax purposes - not direct contact about individual cases. Your new employer will only receive standard new hire paperwork (DE 34 form) that they're required to file for ALL new employees, regardless of unemployment history. Nothing in that documentation would reveal your previous benefit status. Just be completely accurate when you report your new job on your final certification and stop certifying once you start working full-time. Then you can focus entirely on doing amazing at your new role! You've earned this opportunity after months of searching - time to celebrate this fresh start! 💪
Landon, thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's incredibly reassuring to hear from someone who went through almost the exact same timeline (4 months of unemployment) and had no issues with EDD contacting their employer. I've been reading through all these responses and the consistent message from people who've actually experienced this situation is really helping calm my anxiety. Your explanation about automated wage matching versus direct employer contact makes perfect sense - it would be so inefficient for EDD to manually verify every person who finds legitimate work when they already have access to all that quarterly wage data. I'm definitely going to follow everyone's advice: be completely honest on my final certification, stop certifying once I start full-time, and then just focus on crushing it at this new job. After 4 months of searching, I'm ready to put unemployment behind me and start this new chapter with confidence! Thanks for the congratulations and encouragement! 🙏
Hey Brooklyn, huge congrats on landing the new job! 🎉 I went through this exact same situation about 10 months ago after being unemployed for 3 months, and I totally understand your privacy concerns about EDD potentially contacting your new employer. The good news is that EDD never contacted my employer at all, and from reading through this thread, that seems to be the overwhelmingly common experience. EDD's primary focus is really on fraud prevention - catching people who continue collecting benefits while working - rather than verifying every person who legitimately transitions back to employment. When they do wage verification, it's through automated quarterly wage matching using data that employers already submit for tax purposes, not direct calls or letters about individual former claimants. Your employer will only receive standard new hire paperwork (DE 34 form) that they process for ALL employees regardless of employment background. My advice is exactly what everyone else has said: be completely accurate when reporting your new job on your final certification, stop certifying once you start full-time work, and then focus entirely on excelling in your new role. You've more than earned this fresh start after 4 months of searching! Don't let these privacy worries overshadow your amazing achievement. You can start your new job with confidence knowing your unemployment history will stay private. Best of luck! 💪
Honorah, thank you so much for sharing your experience and for the congratulations! It's really helpful to hear from someone who went through this 10 months ago - that gives me even more confidence that this is truly the standard experience. Reading through everyone's responses in this thread has been such a relief. I was definitely overthinking the whole situation, but hearing the same consistent message from so many people who've actually been through this exact scenario is incredibly reassuring. Your point about EDD focusing on fraud prevention rather than individual job verification makes perfect sense from both a resource and logic standpoint. I'm feeling much more confident now about starting my new position without worrying about awkward conversations with HR or my new manager. I'm definitely going to be completely honest on my final certification and then just put all my focus into succeeding in this new role. After 4 months of job searching, I'm so ready to move forward and start fresh! Thanks for taking the time to share such encouraging words - this community has been absolutely amazing! 🙏
The call in notice response system worked better pre-pandemic when you could visit offices in person. Now it's all phone-based and the infrastructure can't handle the volume.
Final update: Got my call in notice response completed using automated calling service. Took 28 minutes total vs the 6 days I spent trying manually. Should have done it from day 1.
I'm in the exact same situation right now - day 4 of trying to get through for my call in notice response with only 6 days left on the deadline. Reading all these experiences really shows how broken this system is. I think I need to bite the bullet and use Claimyr too. The manual calling approach seems like it could easily eat up my remaining time with no guarantee of success.
Just signed up for Claimyr after reading all these horror stories about manual calling. I'm on day 5 of my 10-day deadline and can't risk running out of time. The fact that so many people here have had success with it while spending weeks failing manually really says everything about how broken the regular system is. Will update once I get my callback!
Anastasia Smirnova
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently dealing with this exact same registration issue - got my CAN letter two days ago and kept getting that "information doesn't match" error despite triple-checking everything. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear the 24-48 hour waiting period is the key factor that EDD doesn't mention anywhere on their site. I finally got it to work this morning after waiting the full 48 hours and using my exact driver's license name format (including middle initial without a period). One additional tip I discovered - if you're using Safari on Mac, try switching to Chrome or Firefox. Safari seemed to have issues with the EDD form validation that other browsers didn't have. Thanks to everyone who shared their solutions - this community knowledge is invaluable for navigating EDD's confusing system!
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Chloe Delgado
•Congratulations on getting it to work! That's such a relief when you finally get through. The Safari tip is really valuable too - I never would have thought about browser compatibility being an issue with EDD's site, but it makes total sense. Their system seems pretty finicky about everything from formatting to timing to which browser you use. It's frustrating that we have to figure out all these technical workarounds on our own, but at least this thread will help future people avoid the same headaches. Did you also set up the two-factor authentication right away like others suggested? I want to make sure I don't run into account access issues later on.
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Andre Lefebvre
I'm having the exact same issue right now! Just got my CAN letter yesterday and have been trying to register since this morning with no luck - that "information doesn't match our records" error is so maddening when you know you're entering everything correctly! This thread has been a total lifesaver though. I had absolutely no idea about the 24-48 hour waiting period that everyone keeps mentioning - EDD really needs to put that info right on their registration page instead of just giving us a confusing error message. Going to wait until tomorrow night and try again using all the amazing tips from this thread: exact name format from my driver's license, SSN without any dashes, double-checking I have the actual CAN number, and attempting it late at night when the system isn't overloaded. It's incredible how much helpful information this community shares that EDD should really be providing upfront! Thanks everyone for all the detailed advice - gives me so much hope that I'll finally be able to access my account soon.
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