I've been following this thread and wanted to share my recent experience with this method. I was stuck waiting for an interview for 10 weeks and decided to try the fax approach last month. I included a cover letter with my SSN and claim number, copies of my medical bills showing ongoing treatment, past due rent notices, and a letter explaining how the delay was affecting my ability to keep my apartment. I faxed everything to (714) 736-3103 on a Tuesday, then called the main EDD line (1-833-978-2511) that Thursday. When I got through, I told the tier 1 rep that I had faxed hardship documentation and asked to speak with a tier 2 specialist about expediting my case. The tier 2 rep was able to pull up my fax and actually cleared my pending issues without needing the full interview! Got my first payment within 5 business days. The key seems to be having legitimate hardship documents and being persistent but polite when calling back. Don't give up - this method really does work for some people!

This is incredibly helpful - thank you for sharing your success story! I've been stuck waiting for my interview for about 6 weeks now and feeling completely overwhelmed by the whole process. Can you clarify a few things about the fax cover letter? Should it include just the account number or also SSN and other identifying information? Also, when you called back and asked for tier 2, did you specifically mention that you faxed hardship documents or did you wait until you were connected with the tier 2 rep to explain? I'm dealing with both identity verification and potential overpayment issues, so I'm wondering if this approach would work for multiple types of pending problems. Really appreciate you taking the time to help others navigate this nightmare system!

I actually just completed this process last week and wanted to share what worked for me since I see a lot of great advice here already. The "proof of social security ownership" wording threw me off initially too - it's such a confusing way to phrase it! Here's what I learned that might help others: - Take multiple photos from slightly different angles/lighting and pick the clearest one before uploading - If you wear glasses like me, make sure there's no reflection on the card when taking the photo - I uploaded both my SS card photos AND my most recent W-2, and I think having both documents actually helped speed up the process - The approval came through in exactly 4 business days for me One thing that really helped my peace of mind was checking my UI Online account twice daily after submitting. Even though there's no confirmation email, you can see status changes in your inbox and claim summary section. For anyone still waiting for their approval - I know the silence is nerve-wracking, but hang in there. As long as you submitted clear, readable photos within the deadline, you should be good. The processing time seems to vary between 3-10 business days based on what I've seen in this thread and other forums.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this entire thread has been incredibly reassuring! I got the "proof of social security ownership" request yesterday and immediately thought it might be some kind of scam because the wording is so strange and vague. After reading everyone's experiences, I feel much more confident about what I need to do. It's clear this is legitimate and becoming standard procedure for EDD. I'm planning to follow the advice here about taking high-quality photos of both sides of my SS card using natural window lighting and a dark background for contrast. One thing I wanted to ask - has anyone had issues with uploading the photos through the UI Online portal? I've heard their system can be glitchy sometimes. Should I try uploading during off-peak hours, or does the time of day not really matter for document submissions? Also, for those who included additional documents like W-2s along with the SS card photos - did you upload them as separate files or combine them somehow? I want to make sure I'm organizing everything correctly to avoid any potential processing delays. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It's such a relief to know I'm not alone in being confused by EDD's communication style!

Sofia, entiendo perfectamente tu frustración - yo pasé por exactamente la misma situación hace algunos meses y sé lo agotador que es no poder comunicarse con nadie del EDD cuando más necesitas ayuda. He leído todos los consejos excelentes que han compartido aquí y quiero agregar mi experiencia: **Mi estrategia que finalmente funcionó:** • Llamaba al 1-800-300-5616 exactamente a las 8:00 AM con todos los documentos preparados • Usaba la secuencia 1-2-1 rápidamente, luego esperaba 3-4 segundos antes de cualquier otra acción • Si no pasaba, colgaba inmediatamente y remarcaba - llegué a hacer 45+ llamadas seguidas • A las 10:00 AM cambiaba al número técnico (1-833-978-2511) si no había tenido suerte **Lo que realmente cambió todo:** Contacté a mi asambleísta estatal a través de su página web el mismo día que empecé a llamar. Incluí detalles específicos sobre mi situación financiera y capturas de pantalla de mis intentos de llamada. Me respondieron en 2 días y resolvieron mi caso directamente. **Consejo clave:** Cuando finalmente logres hablar con alguien, pide el nombre completo del representante y un número de referencia. También pregunta específicamente si pueden transferirte a un representante "Tier 2" si tu caso es complejo. Sofia, mira todos estos comentarios - cada persona aquí ha estado exactamente donde tú estás y TODOS hemos salido adelante. Con persistencia y las estrategias correctas que todos hemos compartido, tu situación se va a resolver. ¡No te rindas y mantennos al tanto de tu progreso! Esta comunidad increíble está contigo. 💪❤️

Sofia, mi corazón está contigo - pasé por esta misma pesadilla hace 4 meses y sé exactamente esa desesperación de no poder hablar con nadie cuando tus cuentas se acumulan. **Lo que finalmente me funcionó después de 3 semanas de lucha:** • Llamar al 1-800-300-5616 a las 7:59 AM exactamente (un minuto antes que todos los demás) • Secuencia 1-2-1 súper rápida, luego contar hasta 5 antes de hacer cualquier otra cosa • Si falla, colgar y remarcar inmediatamente hasta 80 veces seguidas (sí, lo conté) • Tener múltiples números listos: principal, técnico (1-833-978-2511), y el local de mi condado **El game changer real:** Contacté a mi asambleísta estatal Y mi senador el mismo día por sus páginas web. Incluí fotos de todas mis cuentas vencidas, capturas de pantalla de llamadas fallidas, y una cronología detallada. Mi asambleísta me respondió en 24 horas y resolvieron mi caso en 5 días. **Tip que cambió todo:** Pedí a mi mamá que me llamara cada 30 minutos para mantenerme motivada. Sin ese apoyo emocional, habría abandonado. Sofia, mira esta conversación - tienes DECENAS de personas que hemos estado en tu lugar exacto. TODOS salimos adelante con persistencia. Tu situación se va a resolver - ya no es cuestión de "si" sino de "cuándo". Con todas estas estrategias combinadas que hemos compartido aquí, estoy segura de que vas a tener éxito pronto. ¡Por favor mantennos al tanto de tu progreso! Esta comunidad increíble va a estar aquí para celebrar contigo cuando lo logres. 💪❤️✨

Congratulations Miguel! That's amazing news after 4 months of searching. I just went through this exact situation in November and can confirm what everyone else is saying - no need to report the job offer in advance or stress about calling EDD. Here's exactly what I did: I kept certifying normally through my last week before starting work. When I certified for the week that included my start date, I answered "YES" to the work/earnings question and entered my hours and gross pay for just the days I actually worked that week. The system walked me through it step by step. A few practical tips that helped me: Download the EDD app if you haven't already - it makes certifying much easier than the website. Take a photo of your work schedule that first week so you have exact hours when you certify. And don't worry if your first paycheck is delayed - you report based on hours worked, not payment received. The transition was honestly way less complicated than I expected. You've got the hardest part done - landing the job! The EDD stuff is just paperwork. Wishing you all the best with your new position!

Congratulations on landing the job, Miguel! After 4 months of searching, this must be such a relief. I went through this exact same process just a few weeks ago in December, and I can confirm what everyone else is saying - you absolutely do not need to report the job offer in advance or call EDD. Here's what worked perfectly for me: Continue your regular bi-weekly certifications right up until January 23rd. When you certify for the week that includes your start date, you'll see the familiar question about whether you worked or earned money - just answer "YES" and then enter your hours and gross earnings for only the days you actually worked that week. One thing I wish someone had told me - your first week might feel a bit chaotic with new job orientation, paperwork, meeting people, etc. I found it helpful to set a calendar reminder for my certification date during that transition period so I didn't accidentally miss it while adjusting to the new routine. The EDD system handles everything automatically once you input your work hours and earnings. You might still qualify for partial benefits that first week depending on how much you earn, but the system calculates all of that for you. You've already done the hard work by landing the position - the EDD reporting piece is honestly the easy part! Best of luck with your new role!

To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

I'm in the exact same situation! My claim also ended on 9/4/21 and I can't certify for benefits anymore. From what I understand, this is because the federal pandemic programs (PUA, PEUC, Fed-Ed) all expired on September 4th, 2021. If you're still unemployed and have wages from the last 18 months, you'll likely need to file a new regular UI claim. The system won't automatically let you certify until you do this. I'd recommend calling EDD as soon as possible to get this sorted out - the sooner you file a new claim, the sooner you can start receiving benefits again if you qualify. Don't wait too long though, as there might be time limits on when you can file. Good luck getting through to them!