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If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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This is exactly what I needed to see! I'm dealing with the same issue right now - updated my address last week and suddenly all my old weeks from my previous claim are showing as disqualified. It's been keeping me up at night worrying they'll want the money back. Reading that Jayden got it resolved so quickly through Claimyr gives me hope. I'm definitely going to try that service tomorrow. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful!
@Drew Hathaway I m'so glad this thread helped ease your worries! I was in the exact same boat as you and Alexis just a few weeks ago. The anxiety of seeing those disqualified "statuses" is terrible, especially when you know you legitimately received and spent that money months ago. Definitely try Claimyr - it seems like it s'been a game changer for people trying to actually reach EDD. Keep us posted on how it goes for you!
@Drew Hathaway You re'definitely not alone in this! I went through the same panic when I saw all my old weeks suddenly marked as disqualified after updating my info. The worst part is that sinking feeling that they might demand repayment for benefits you received months ago and have already spent. But based on what everyone s'shared here, it really does seem to be just a system glitch that happens when you make account changes. The fact that Jayden got it resolved so quickly with one phone call is really reassuring. Good luck with Claimyr tomorrow - hopefully you ll'have the same quick resolution!
I'm experiencing this exact same issue right now! Updated my address about a week ago and just noticed all my previous claim weeks from last year are showing as "disqualified" even though I was paid for all of them. It's such a relief to read that this is a known system glitch and not something more serious. Based on what Jayden shared about getting it resolved quickly through Claimyr, I'm going to try that route rather than waiting it out. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's really helpful to know I'm not the only one dealing with this weird EDD system bug!
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Have you tried reaching out to your local assembly member's office? They can sometimes help push things through with EDD.
I hadn't thought of that. How do I find my assembly member?
Just google '[your city] assembly member'. Most have forms on their websites specifically for EDD issues. They've been swamped lately, but it's worth a shot!
Call 1-800-300-5616 - Answer No (2) to all answers. You'll get a live person, give them the address you have on file for EDD. Then tell them you need to reset your password - they will email you a link that gets you in. Took me 25 minutes after a week of failed attempts calling the other number.
This is exactly what I needed! Just tried this number and got through on the second attempt. The rep was super helpful and reset my password in minutes. You're a lifesaver @Chris Mc - wish I had seen this days ago!
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One final important note: If your DoorDash earnings reduce your weekly benefit amount, that's actually a good thing in the long run. Each week you receive partial benefits extends your claim duration, effectively stretching your maximum benefit amount over a longer period of time. Many people don't realize this advantage of reporting partial earnings properly.
Wait is this true?? I thought once you hit your maximum benefit amount that's it regardless of how long it took? Can someone confirm this works this way???
Yes, it's absolutely true. Your claim has both a maximum benefit amount and a benefit year (typically 52 weeks). When you earn partial income, your weekly payment is reduced, but you're still drawing from the same total maximum benefit amount. This means your benefits last longer within that benefit year. It's one of the most misunderstood aspects of UI that actually benefits claimants who work part-time or gig jobs.
Just wanted to add something that helped me a lot when I started gig work while on UI - download a mileage tracking app like MileIQ or Everlance. Even though you can't deduct expenses on your EDD certification, you'll still need those records for tax time when you file your 1099. DoorDash only tracks your "online" miles, not the miles you drive TO your first pickup or back home after your last delivery. Those extra miles add up and can save you hundreds on taxes. I wish someone had told me this when I first started!
This is such great advice! I just downloaded MileIQ after reading your comment. I've been doing DoorDash for 3 weeks now and never thought about tracking the miles to my first pickup or home from my last delivery. That's probably an extra 10-15 miles per day that I've been missing. Do you know if there's a specific way to categorize these miles in the app, or do I just mark them all as business miles? Also, have you found any good resources for understanding what other DoorDash expenses are deductible at tax time?
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I'm so sorry for your loss. Losing someone you've been caring for is heartbreaking, and dealing with the practical concerns while grieving makes everything so much harder. I haven't been through this exact situation myself, but I've been reading through all the responses here and I'm amazed by how much helpful information this community has shared. It's really clear that you absolutely do qualify for unemployment benefits as an IHSS provider - everyone who's been through this seems to confirm that IHSS providers are considered employees of the county/Public Authority for unemployment purposes, even when caring for family members. The advice about applying online immediately, listing your county's IHSS Public Authority as the employer (not your stepdad), and having your provider ID number and paystubs ready seems to be the consistent theme from people who've successfully navigated this process. It's also good to know that some EDD representatives might not understand IHSS employment status, so being prepared to ask for a supervisor if needed could save you time and frustration. What strikes me most about this thread is how many people have taken the time to share their personal experiences during what were obviously difficult periods in their own lives. The level of detail and practical advice here is incredible - from work search documentation to certification questions to potential processing delays. You're clearly taking all the right steps by applying quickly and being prepared with your documentation. I hope your claim process goes smoothly, and thank you for sharing your situation - it's helping educate others in the community about IHSS unemployment benefits.
Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful summary of all the advice shared in this thread! You're absolutely right that this community has been incredible - I'm overwhelmed by how many people have taken the time to share their personal experiences and detailed guidance during what were clearly difficult times in their own lives. Reading through everyone's responses has given me so much confidence that I'm on the right track with my application. It's reassuring to see the consistent themes you mentioned about listing the Public Authority as employer, having documentation ready, and being prepared to advocate for myself if needed. This thread has become such a valuable resource that I know will help other IHSS providers facing similar situations in the future. The support and knowledge-sharing here has truly helped me get through one of the most challenging times in my life. Thank you for being part of this amazing community!
I'm so sorry for your loss. Going through this situation myself right now - my grandmother passed away last month after I was her IHSS provider for over two years. The grief combined with sudden loss of income is overwhelming. I want to echo what everyone else has said - you absolutely DO qualify for unemployment benefits! I just got approved last week. Here's what worked for me: - Applied online immediately (within days of her passing) - Listed my county's IHSS Public Authority as employer, NOT my grandmother - Put "lack of work due to recipient passing away" as separation reason - Had my IHSS provider ID and recent paystubs ready - Made sure to indicate I'm able and available for full-time work The hardest part emotionally was checking that "able and available" box when you're still processing the loss, but it's required. I started my work search by applying to other IHSS cases and senior care facilities - it felt like honoring the caregiving work while meeting requirements. One thing I learned - if your claim gets stuck in "pending" status, don't wait. Call EDD right away. Mine was flagged for manual review (apparently common for IHSS cases) but got resolved quickly once I spoke to someone who understood the employment relationship. You've been paying into the system and deserve these benefits. Don't let anyone tell you family caregivers don't qualify - that's completely wrong. This community has your back if you run into any issues. Take care of yourself during this difficult time.
Sara Unger
This thread should honestly be pinned to the top of this community! As someone who works in customer service for a different government agency, I can tell you that these special character database sync issues are unfortunately common across many older government systems. What Derek and others have experienced is a classic case of legacy databases that weren't designed to handle Unicode characters properly. The fact that ID.me uses modern character encoding but EDD's systems strip out or convert special characters during data transfer is a textbook example of poor system integration. For anyone still struggling with this, here are a few additional tips: 1) When you get through to an EDD rep, ask them to check not just how your name appears, but also ask them to verify the CHARACTER COUNT matches what's on your documents - sometimes invisible characters get added during transfers. 2) If possible, ask them to update your name in ALL their systems during the same call rather than just fixing one database. 3) Screenshot your successful login once you get it working - you'll want that exact format if you ever need to re-register. It's absolutely shameful that people have to become database troubleshooting experts just to access unemployment benefits, but this community knowledge-sharing is invaluable for navigating these broken systems!
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Adriana Cohn
•This is such valuable insight from someone who actually works in government systems! Your explanation about Unicode characters and legacy databases really helps explain why this problem is so widespread. The tip about checking character count is brilliant - I never would have thought about invisible characters being added during transfers, but that makes total sense from a technical standpoint. Your suggestion about having them update ALL systems during the same call is also really smart - it would prevent the exact issue Derek ran into where his name was correct in one database but not another. It's so helpful to have someone with professional experience validate that these aren't isolated incidents but systematic problems with how these older government systems handle data. Thanks for taking the time to share your expertise - posts like yours and Derek's success story are exactly why this community is so valuable for people navigating these bureaucratic nightmares!
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Amara Okafor
This thread is an absolute goldmine for anyone dealing with EDD and special character issues! I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to EDD problems. My wife has a hyphenated maiden name (Chen-Williams) and we've been stuck in the exact same loop Derek described for almost 2 months now. The ID.me verification was "successful" according to their system, but we keep hitting that dreaded "information doesn't match our records" error when trying to register for UI Online. We've been using telecert for now, but it's so limited compared to what you can do online. Reading all these success stories with Claimyr is giving me hope that there's actually a light at the end of this tunnel. It's honestly criminal that in 2025 we still have government systems that can't handle basic name formatting, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people share real solutions. The technical insights from Sara and Ryder about database sync issues really help explain why this keeps happening to so many people. Going to try Claimyr first thing Monday morning and will definitely ask them to check ALL their systems like everyone has recommended. Thanks Derek for sharing your detailed experience and thanks to everyone else for adding their solutions - you're all heroes for helping people navigate this broken system!
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Noland Curtis
•Welcome to the community, Amara! Your situation with Chen-Williams sounds exactly like what Derek went through - it's so frustrating that you've been dealing with this for 2 months! The fact that you're able to use telecert at least means you can certify while working on the online account issue, which is good. Based on all the success stories in this thread, Claimyr really seems to be the most reliable way to get through to someone who can actually fix these database mismatches. When you do get connected on Monday, definitely mention that you have a hyphenated name and ask them to verify how it appears in both their claims system AND their UI Online registration system - that seems to be the key issue based on Derek's experience. Also consider asking them to spell it out character by character like James suggested. Two months is way too long to be dealing with this, but seeing all these success stories proves it CAN be resolved once you reach the right person. Please update us on how it goes - your experience will help other people with hyphenated names who might be going through the same nightmare!
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