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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who's also dealing with unemployment and unexpected expenses, I had no idea about the base period employer complications or the difference between hardship withdrawals and distributions. @Sofía Rodríguez - I really hope the 401k loan option through Meridian works out for you! That seems like the ideal solution to avoid both the tax penalties and potential EDD issues. The math that Emily broke down is eye-opening - losing $4-5k in taxes/penalties for a $3,100 repair really puts it in perspective. One thing I wanted to add that I don't think anyone mentioned - if you do end up needing to go the withdrawal route and talk to EDD, you might want to also ask them about the appeals process upfront. Given some of the horror stories shared here about penalty weeks and claim cancellations, it would be good to know your rights and options if something goes wrong, even if you report everything correctly. Also, for anyone else reading this thread in the future - document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots of EDD website pages, save emails, write down dates/times/names when you call. The system seems complicated enough that having a paper trail could be crucial if disputes arise later. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and resources. This community is amazing for looking out for each other during these tough times!
This is such great advice about documenting everything and asking about the appeals process upfront! I hadn't thought about getting that information preemptively, but given how many people have shared stories about unexpected penalties and complications, that's really smart planning. You're absolutely right about the paper trail being crucial - it seems like EDD disputes can get messy quickly, and having documentation could make all the difference in resolving issues. I'm definitely going to start taking screenshots and keeping detailed records of any conversations I have with them. @Sofía Rodríguez - I m'also rooting for the 401k loan option to work out for you! After reading through everyone s'experiences and advice, it really does seem like the best path forward if it s'available. Fingers crossed that Meridian s'HR department has good news for you on Monday. This whole discussion has been such a valuable learning experience about navigating these complex financial situations while on unemployment. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences - it s'exactly this kind of community support that makes such a difference when you re'dealing with these stressful situations.
I'm also dealing with unemployment and unexpected expenses right now, so this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! The complexity around base period employers and retirement withdrawals is something I never would have understood without reading everyone's experiences here. @Sofía Rodríguez - I'm really hoping the 401k loan option works out when you call Meridian on Monday! That seems like it could solve your transportation issue without any of the tax penalties or EDD complications that everyone's warned about. What strikes me most about this discussion is how many resources exist that most of us probably don't know about - the 2-1-1 hotline, United Way programs, CalWORKs Emergency Aid, professional association grants, and EAP benefits for former employees. It makes me realize how important it is to exhaust all these options before touching retirement savings, especially given the potential tax implications. For anyone else in similar situations, I think this thread shows why it's so crucial to get official guidance from EDD before making any major financial decisions. The conflicting experiences people have shared really highlight how individual circumstances can lead to very different outcomes. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this kind of community support makes navigating unemployment so much less isolating. Please keep us updated on how things work out!
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I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Been trying to log in since this morning and it just sits there loading forever after I enter my password. Really glad I found this thread - I was starting to think my account got hacked or something. The timing couldn't be worse since I need to certify soon too. Thanks everyone for confirming it's a system-wide issue and not just me! Definitely going to look into switching to direct deposit after reading all these horror stories about Money Network outages.
I totally understand the panic of thinking your account might be compromised! I went through the same thought process earlier today. It's such a relief when you find out it's just a system-wide maintenance issue and not something wrong with your specific account. Based on what others have shared here, the outage should be resolved now (some people mentioned they were able to get back in), so you might want to try logging in again. But yeah, after reading all these comments about direct deposit being so much more reliable, I'm definitely planning to make that switch too. No more worrying about whether the Money Network site is going to work when you need it most!
This happened to me too! I was getting so frustrated thinking it was my internet connection. I tried everything - restarting my router, using mobile data, even borrowed my neighbor's laptop thinking mine was the problem. It's such a relief to know it was just scheduled maintenance and not something wrong on my end. I actually didn't know about the automated phone line Maya mentioned - that's super helpful for future reference! After reading everyone's experiences here, I'm seriously considering switching to direct deposit. Seems like Money Network has these issues way too often and it's always stressful when you can't access your own money.
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Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through with any of these methods? I'm curious which one worked for you. Also, make sure you're not calling the main EDD unemployment line by mistake. The SDI specific number is 1-800-480-3287 for English.
Great news! I FINALLY got through this morning using a combination of the tips here. Called at 8:02am exactly as someone suggested, then waited silently for about 30 seconds before choosing options. Still got the busy message twice, but on the third try I got into the queue with a 45-minute wait. The agent was able to fix the issue with my claim and said payments should resume within 3 days. THANK YOU all for the help - I was seriously about to have a breakdown over this!
That's such a relief to hear @Fatima Al-Qasimi! I'm dealing with the same phone nightmare right now for my own SDI claim. Going to try the 8:02am + silent wait combo tomorrow morning. Really glad you got it sorted out before your rent was due. These tips from everyone here are gold - saving this whole thread for future reference!
So glad you got through @Fatima Al-Qasimi! This gives me hope. I've been stuck in the same loop with SDI for my disability claim - called probably 80+ times this week alone. The new phone system is absolutely brutal. Going to try the 8:02am timing with the silent wait trick tomorrow. It's insane that we have to develop these elaborate strategies just to talk to someone about our benefits. The stress of not being able to reach them when you're already dealing with a disability is just cruel. Thanks everyone for sharing what actually works - this thread is more helpful than anything on EDD's actual website!
@Effie Alexander You re'absolutely right about the stress - it s'like they designed the system to make us give up! I just went through this exact same nightmare and wanted to share one more tip that helped me: if you re'still having trouble with the timing tricks, try calling during their less "popular hours" like right after lunch 1:15-1:30pm (or) late afternoon 3:30-4:00pm (.)Also, make sure you have a backup plan ready - I had to submit that online contact request through SDI Online as someone mentioned, and it actually got a response in 2 days when the phones failed me completely. Don t'give up, the persistence really does pay off eventually!
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Just wanted to follow up - did you ever get through to the SDI office? Were you able to find out what's happening with your claim? I'm curious because I'll need to deal with an IME review later this year too.
Yes! I finally got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Turns out my IME report WAS submitted on time but was sitting in someone's queue. The SDI rep marked it as urgent and my payment was processed 2 days later. The whole system is so frustrating but at least it's resolved now.
I'm dealing with a similar IME situation right now and this thread has been so helpful! One thing I learned from my case worker is that you can actually request a status update on your IME report through the SDI online portal - there's a "Contact Us" section where you can send a secure message asking specifically about IME report processing times. This way you have a written record of your inquiry and they're supposed to respond within 5 business days. It's been more reliable for me than trying to get through on the phone lines. Also, if your payments do get interrupted while waiting for the report, make sure to keep certifying for benefits if you're still within your benefit period - the payments should be retroactive once everything gets sorted out.
This is really useful info, thank you! I had no idea you could send secure messages through the online portal for status updates. That sounds way better than spending hours on hold. Quick question - when you say "keep certifying for benefits" during the interruption, do you mean the regular bi-weekly certification or is there a different process for SDI? I want to make sure I don't miss anything while waiting for this whole IME mess to get resolved.
Vanessa Figueroa
I'm currently going through the WIOA process myself and this entire thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm at week 20 of my regular UI benefits and honestly had no clue about the DE 8736 form or that CTB was a completely separate process from WIOA approval. My case manager never mentioned any of this - they made it sound like everything would be automatic once WIOA went through. Reading everyone's experiences here, I realize I need to stop being passive and start taking control of this situation. Planning to call EDD tomorrow at 8:01 AM asking specifically for the "Training Extension Unit" and that DE 8736 form. Also going to show up at my WIOA office in person this week since my case manager has been ignoring my emails for over 10 days now. For anyone still struggling with the math portion like I am - Khan Academy's arithmetic section has been super helpful, and several people mentioned asking about calculator accommodations which I had no idea was possible. The test is apparently mostly percentages, fractions, and basic word problems, so it's not as impossible as it seems at first. The most frustrating part is realizing how much time I've wasted waiting for things to happen automatically instead of being proactive about both processes simultaneously. But seeing all these success stories proves it's definitely possible if you stay persistent and don't give up. Thank you to everyone who shared their specific timelines, forms, and strategies - this community support is honestly keeping me sane through this bureaucratic nightmare! 🙏
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Lucas Kowalski
•You're absolutely right about needing to take control instead of waiting for things to happen automatically! I just went through this exact situation a few months ago and made the same mistake of thinking everything would be coordinated between WIOA and EDD - it definitely is not! The 8:01 AM call strategy really works - I finally got through to the Training Extension Unit on my third try using that timing. Make sure you have your Social Security number and UI claim info ready because they'll ask for it right away. Also, when you go to your WIOA office in person, bring multiple copies of any documents you've already submitted - their filing system seems pretty disorganized and having backups saved me from having to start over. For the math prep, I'd also suggest checking if your local library has GED prep books you can borrow. The practice problems in those are really similar to what's on the WIOA assessment. And definitely ask about the calculator accommodation - it made a huge difference for me! Don't beat yourself up about the time you feel like you've "wasted" - the system is deliberately confusing and most people don't know about these separate processes until they stumble into the same situation. You're being proactive now and that's what matters. Keep us posted on how your EDD call goes - rooting for you! 💪
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Kendrick Webb
I just went through the WIOA program successfully last year and want to share some hope! Yes, it absolutely can extend your EDD benefits through the California Training Benefits (CTB) program, but you need to be strategic about timing. Here's what worked for me: 1. **Call EDD TODAY** - Don't wait for WIOA approval. Ask specifically for the "Training Extension Unit" and request form DE 8736. I called at 8:00 AM sharp and got through on the second try. 2. **For your math retest** - Ask your case manager for practice materials and if you can use a basic calculator. The test focuses on percentages, fractions, and word problems. Khan Academy's arithmetic section is perfect for prep. 3. **Go in person** - Stop relying on emails! I had to physically show up at my WIOA office with a written retest request to get action. Bring copies of everything you've submitted. 4. **Document everything** - Keep a log with dates, names, and what was discussed. This saved me when different reps gave conflicting info. My timeline: Applied for WIOA in March, got approval in May, started training in June with CTB benefits covering the gap. The key was running both processes (WIOA and CTB) simultaneously instead of waiting for one to finish. You're at 21 weeks, so you have about 5 weeks to get that DE 8736 submitted to EDD. It's stressful but totally doable if you stay persistent! The system is broken but you CAN navigate it successfully.
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