I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago! EDD levied $340 from my account before I won my appeal for a bogus $2,800 overpayment claim. Here's what worked for me: 1. Submit the DE 800 form immediately (as others mentioned) with certified mail 2. Call the Benefit Overpayment Section specifically - don't waste time with general customer service 3. Keep detailed records of every interaction, including names and dates 4. Follow up every 2-3 weeks by phone to check status The whole process took about 11 weeks for me, which was frustrating but I did get every penny back plus a small amount of interest. One thing that helped speed things up was when I mentioned to the rep that I was considering filing a complaint with the California Labor Commissioner - suddenly they became much more responsive. Also, if you haven't already, document any financial hardship the levy caused you (overdraft fees, missed bill payments, etc.). Sometimes they'll reimburse those costs too, though they don't advertise that fact. Stay persistent - you WILL get your money back!

I'm going through something similar right now - EDD levied $450 from my account last month for an alleged overpayment, and my appeal hearing is coming up in two weeks. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening about what to expect if I win. One question I have for those who successfully got refunds: did any of you have to deal with EDD trying to claim they couldn't locate your appeal decision in their system? I'm worried about that scenario since so many people mentioned communication issues between different EDD departments. I'm planning to get multiple certified copies of whatever decision comes out of my hearing just in case. Also, has anyone tried submitting the DE 800 form electronically through their online system, or is mail the only reliable way? I know everyone's emphasizing certified mail, but I'm curious if the online option might be faster for tracking purposes. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's reassuring to know that persistence eventually pays off, even though the process sounds like a nightmare. I'll definitely be following the advice about calling right at 8 AM and asking specifically for the Benefit Overpayment Section if I win my appeal.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Just went through this with my sister's claim last week. The weekend certification issue is almost always because there's a "pending determination" or review flag on new claims that blocks the automated systems - even though EDD doesn't tell you this upfront. A few things that helped us: 1. Try calling the UI customer service line (1-800-300-5616) at exactly 8:00 AM on Monday - we got through on the third try using this timing 2. For the online account setup, make sure you're entering the EXACT name format from the award letter, including any middle initials or abbreviations exactly as shown 3. Sometimes clearing your browser cookies/cache completely helps with the "information doesn't match" error The really frustrating part is that these review flags are super common for first-time filers but EDD's communication about them is terrible. Once we got through to a rep, they cleared the flag in literally 2 minutes and my sister could certify normally after that. Don't give up - it's annoying but totally solvable once you reach a human! The system is just designed poorly for new claimants.

I'm having the EXACT same problem right now with my dad's claim! Filed about a week and a half ago, first time certifying, and we're getting the same "call during business hours" message on the weekend phone line even though it's supposed to be 24/7. The online account setup also keeps failing with "information doesn't match" no matter how carefully we enter everything. After reading through all these responses, it's really eye-opening to see how common this is for first-time filers. Sounds like there are automatic review flags that block the automated systems but EDD just doesn't bother telling people about them - you have to figure it out through trial and error like this. I'm definitely going to try calling that technical support line (1-833-978-2511) first thing Monday at 8:00 AM sharp based on the advice here. Also going to try the DI line workaround (1-800-480-3287) if that doesn't work. It's so frustrating that something as basic as unemployment benefits has to be this complicated, especially when you're trying to help an older family member navigate it all. But at least now I know we're not doing anything wrong - it's just EDD's terrible system design. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I went through something very similar when my company did layoffs last year. Just to echo what others have said - definitely report that retention bonus! I made the mistake of thinking it was "different" from regular income and didn't report a $2,800 stay bonus initially. EDD caught it about 6 weeks later and I had to pay back the benefits I received during that week plus a penalty. It was a nightmare to deal with. One thing I learned is that when you're certifying, there's usually a dropdown for income type - make sure you select "bonus pay" or "other compensation" rather than regular wages. This helps EDD categorize it correctly in their system. Also, don't stress too much about losing benefits for that one week - I know $5,600 seems like a lot, but it's better to be honest upfront than deal with overpayment issues later. The rest of your claim should proceed normally after that week. Good luck with everything!

I'm going through a similar situation right now with a retention bonus from my employer before getting laid off. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning that I need to report it for the week I actually receive the payment, not when I earned it. The distinction about selecting "bonus pay" instead of regular wages when certifying is something I definitely wouldn't have known otherwise. It sounds like the consensus is clear: report it honestly for that specific week, expect zero benefits that week since the bonus will likely exceed the weekly benefit amount, but then everything should proceed normally after that. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's really reassuring to hear from people who have actually been through this process!

Wow, this thread is exactly what I needed to see! I'm going through the same issue right now - filed my appeal 4 weeks ago and just noticed yesterday that my certification weeks aren't showing up in UI Online. I was getting really worried that I was missing something important or that my appeal was affecting my ability to get benefits. Reading everyone's experiences here, especially @334def0feab9's detailed solution, gives me so much relief. It's absolutely ridiculous that EDD's system has this kind of technical bug that goes against their own policy, but at least now I know it's fixable. I'm going to try calling first thing Monday morning, and if that doesn't work, I'll definitely check out that Claimyr service. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so valuable when dealing with EDD's confusing system!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation - filed my appeal 5 weeks ago and just discovered this weekend that my certification options have vanished from UI Online. I was starting to panic thinking I'd somehow messed up my appeal or missed a critical step. Reading through everyone's experiences here, especially the detailed solutions, has been incredibly reassuring. It's mind-boggling that EDD's own system creates technical barriers that contradict their policy of continuing to certify during appeals. I'm planning to try the Claimyr service first since so many people here had success with it. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and solutions - it's frustrating that we have to figure out these workarounds for basic system functionality, but at least we're helping each other navigate this bureaucratic maze. Will definitely update once I get this resolved!

I had this EXACT same problem last week and was getting so frustrated! What finally worked for me was switching to the desktop version (not mobile) and then going to UI Online homepage > Claim Summary > scroll ALL the way down past your weekly benefit amount, past the claim dates, and look for a section that says "Maximum Benefit Amount" with your original $7800, and right below that should be "Remaining Balance". Mine was literally at the very bottom of that page and I must have missed it like 5 times because I wasn't scrolling far enough down. Also make sure you're looking at the right benefit year if you've had claims before - there's usually a dropdown at the top to select which claim period you want to view. Hope this helps and you can find it!

I just want to add one more thing that helped me - if you're using Chrome and still having display issues even on desktop, try opening an incognito/private browsing window. Sometimes browser extensions or saved login data can mess with how EDD's site displays information. I spent hours trying to find my balance on my regular Chrome browser, but when I opened an incognito window and logged in fresh, everything showed up perfectly in the Claim Summary section exactly where everyone said it would be. Also, if you're worried about running out of benefits, you should get a notification in your UI Online inbox when you're getting close to exhausting your claim balance, but it's definitely smart to keep track yourself so you can plan ahead!