One more thing to keep in mind - if you're working for the same employer that you were with before your disability claim, they might have specific return-to-work protocols. Some companies require their own medical clearance forms in addition to what EDD needs. Also, make sure you understand your state's disability discrimination laws - your employer is required to provide reasonable accommodations for your medical condition. Document any conversations you have with HR or your manager about your reduced hours just in case any issues come up later. Good luck with your recovery!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! One thing I learned that might help - when you're filling out the DE 2500A forms, they ask for your "gross earnings" for each week. Make sure you report the actual week you earned the money, not when you got paid. So if you worked Monday-Friday but got paid the following week, report it for the week you actually worked. This tripped me up initially and caused some confusion with my benefit calculations. Also, keep a simple log of your daily hours worked - it makes filling out the forms so much easier than trying to remember everything later!

I'm in this exact same situation and finding this thread has been such a relief! Had my eligibility interview on April 26th and the interviewer told me everything looked "straightforward" and I'd hear back "within 10 business days." Well, it's been over 2 weeks now and my claim is still stuck in that dreaded "under review" status. I was starting to panic thinking I said something wrong during the interview or that my file got lost, but reading everyone's experiences shows this 4-6 week wait is unfortunately the new reality. It's so frustrating how they make it sound quick during the interview when we're all stuck waiting over a month! I've been certifying every two weeks like everyone suggested, and I'm definitely going to try that UI Online messaging system tomorrow morning. Also going to attempt calling right at 8am like CyberSamurai recommended. If I don't hear anything by next week, I might look into that Claimyr service too. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and tips - it's keeping me sane knowing we're all in this waiting game together. The system is clearly broken but at least we have each other for support! Hang in there everyone! 🤞

I'm going through the exact same thing and this thread has been such a lifesaver! Had my eligibility interview on April 29th and was told everything looked "great" and I'd hear back "soon." It's only been about 2 weeks but I was already starting to panic thinking something went wrong. Reading everyone's experiences here has been so reassuring - I had no idea that 4-6 weeks was becoming the new normal! I've been certifying every two weeks and obsessively checking my account multiple times a day, but after reading Isabella's advice I'm going to limit myself to twice daily. Definitely going to try that UI Online messaging system once I hit the 3-week mark, and if needed I'll look into Claimyr too. It's absolutely insane that they make it sound quick during the interview when we're all stuck waiting over a month, but I'm so grateful for this community. Knowing we're all in the same boat makes this so much less isolating. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips - we'll get through this together! 🙏

I had this exact same error message last year! When I called EDD, I found out that sometimes their system has glitches where it doesn't recognize your SSN or name even though you've already filed. The rep told me to try clearing my browser cache and cookies first, then attempt to log in again. If that doesn't work, ask them to verify your personal information on file - sometimes there are small discrepancies like middle initials or hyphens in names that cause the mismatch. Also, make sure you're using the exact same name format that was on your original claim. Good luck with the call!

When you call EDD about this error, be prepared with all your documentation ready! Have your SSN, full legal name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card, and your claim confirmation number if you have it. I had a similar issue and it turned out my middle name was entered differently than expected. Also, try calling right at 8:00 AM when they open - you'll have a better chance of getting through. If the first rep can't help, politely ask to speak with a technical specialist since this sounds like a system sync issue. Don't hang up until it's fully resolved, even if it takes a while on hold!

This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for sharing your experiences and strategies! I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation as the original post, with EDD owing me around $3,800 from late 2020/early 2021. After reading through everyone's advice, I'm going to try calling tomorrow at 8:01am sharp and ask specifically for the "Claim Review Unit about retroactive certification for unpaid weeks from 2020-2021." I've spent tonight gathering all my documentation - claim number, exact dates of the unpaid weeks, old determination letters, and even found some screenshots of my certifications from that time. If the direct calling approach doesn't work within a week, I'll escalate to contacting my assembly member's office and filing a formal complaint through the EDD website. It's frustrating that we have to become experts at navigating bureaucracy just to get money we're legally owed, but seeing recent success stories like Mei's gives me hope that there are finally people at EDD who can resolve these pandemic-era issues. I'll update this thread with my results - whether successful or not - since this conversation has become such a valuable resource for all of us still fighting for our benefits. We shouldn't have to deal with this in 2025, but at least we can support each other through the process!

I've been reading through this entire thread and it's both reassuring and infuriating to see so many of us still fighting for pandemic-era benefits. EDD owes me about $2,600 from March 2021 when my claim got flagged during their fraud sweep, even though I was legitimately unemployed. What really caught my attention was Mei's success story about using the specific phrase "Claim Review Unit about retroactive certification" - that seems to be the magic words to get transferred to someone who actually knows how to handle these old cases. I'm definitely going to try that approach at 8:01am sharp. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I just discovered that if you still have access to your old UI Online account, you can print out your payment history which shows the weeks that were certified but never paid. This creates a clear paper trail that proves you were owed the money. Look under "Payment Activity" and filter by the date range from your pandemic claim. It's absolutely ridiculous that we're all still dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare in 2025, but this thread has given me more actionable strategies than years of frustrating phone calls. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - we shouldn't have to become EDD experts just to get our own money, but here we are!

I went through a very similar experience in 2020-2021 and it took me almost two years to finally get resolution through my assembly member's office. What really made the difference was having EVERYTHING documented when I contacted them - not just the basic paperwork, but also a detailed written account of every phone call, every letter, every interaction with EDD staff. One thing I learned that might apply to your case: EDD sometimes made errors in how they calculated base periods during the initial automated approvals, especially for people who had worked at restaurants or other businesses that reported wages quarterly. The judge might have been looking at a different set of quarters than what EDD originally used to approve you. This kind of computational error is exactly the type of thing assembly offices can sometimes get reversed even years later. Also, don't underestimate the power of social media when dealing with EDD - if you haven't already, try reaching out to them on Twitter (@CA_EDD) with your claim number and a brief summary. Sometimes their social media team can escalate cases that have been stuck for years. It's worth a shot while you're gathering documents for the assembly member route. Keep fighting for what you're owed - $4,750 is serious money and you shouldn't have to eat that loss because of their administrative confusion!

Reading through all these responses, I'm struck by how many people went through similar experiences with EDD during the pandemic - it really shows how broken the system was. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you might want to check if your restaurant filed for PPP loans or other pandemic relief programs. Sometimes there's documentation in those filings about exactly when and why the business closed due to COVID, which could be helpful evidence for your case. Also, when you contact your assembly member's office, be prepared for it to take some time - from what I've heard, they're still working through backlogs of EDD cases from the pandemic era. But the fact that you never received ANY payments despite initial approval really does make your case stand out. That's not just a dispute over eligibility - that's a clear administrative failure that should have been caught and corrected. Don't let anyone tell you to "just move on" from this. You were put through bureaucratic hell during one of the most stressful times in recent history, and you deserve answers about what happened to your approved benefits. The money would obviously help, but beyond that, you have a right to understand why the system failed you so badly.