Can't reach California Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
To answer your latest question - yes, you should still be actively looking for work while collecting UI benefits, even if you expect to return to your job. This is a requirement for receiving benefits. Document your job search activities for each week you certify. If your administrative leave ends and your employer calls you back, you can simply report that you've returned to work when you certify.
This puts me in a weird position. If I find another job and then my current employer clears me to return, I'd have to choose between jobs. But I guess I need to prioritize having income right now.
One more thing - when you do manage to talk to an EDD representative, ask them specifically about your work search requirements given your unique situation. Sometimes in temporary separation cases where there's an expected return date, they can adjust the work search requirements. Be totally upfront about your circumstances though - transparency is key with EDD.
That's good advice, thank you. I'll make sure to ask about this specifically when I get through to someone. I'm going to try that Claimyr service tomorrow to see if I can finally talk to a real person.
Join the conversation
One important thing to add: make absolutely sure you continue to certify for benefits every two weeks, even if your balance is getting low. If for some reason an extension or additional program does become available, you need to have an active claim with consistent certification history.\n\nAlso, once your claim is exhausted, you'll receive a notice about applying for a new claim when your benefit year ends. Even if you haven't worked, you should still complete this application as it will trigger a review of your eligibility for any other programs.\n\nThe CTB program others mentioned typically takes 2-3 weeks for approval, so if you're interested in that route, start the application process at least a month before your benefits are set to run out. You'll need to select an approved training provider and program, and EDD will verify that it qualifies.
Join the conversation
The REAL solution is to avoid the Money Network card entirely. As soon as I switched to direct deposit for my EDD payments, all these headaches disappeared. The app is garbage, their customer service is garbage, and the whole system is designed to make Bank of America money off our unemployment benefits. Set up direct deposit ASAP and you'll never deal with this again!
Join the conversation
THE EDD SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!!! they dont want to help regular people. they MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE to get extentions even when theres no jobs!!!!! why do we even pay into this system if it abandoned us when we need it most???
I understand your frustration, but unemployment insurance was never designed to be a long-term solution. The standard UI claim in California lasts for 26 weeks (about 6 months), which is actually more generous than many states. Extensions typically only happen during periods of very high unemployment or national emergencies (like during COVID). The current unemployment rate in California is around 5.4%, which isn't considered high enough to trigger any extension programs. It's not that the system is rigged - it's operating as designed for non-emergency times.
Since you mentioned having a child, you might want to check if you qualify for CalWORKs, which provides cash aid to families with children. The income limits are strict, but if you're about to have zero income, it's worth investigating. Also, make sure you're using all the free job search resources available through EDD and America's Job Centers. They offer resume reviews, interview coaching, and sometimes have connections with employers looking to hire quickly. If you need to speak with EDD about your options, definitely call early in the morning right when the phone lines open. That's usually the best time to get through without excessive wait times.
Thank you! My daughter is 4 now so I believe we would qualify for CalWORKs if needed. I'll check out the America's Job Centers too - I honestly didn't know they offered those services. I've been mostly using Indeed and LinkedIn for my job search. I tried calling EDD yesterday and couldn't get through (kept getting the message about too many callers). I'll try right when they open at 8am tomorrow.
Join the conversation
I had my RESEA appointment but mine was completely different than what everyone is describing here. They asked me about my past work experience and whether I was willing to take a pay cut for a new position. Then they scheduled me for some mandatory workshop about resume building even though I already have a good resume? The whole thing seemed like a waste of time tbh. But I guess I'm still getting my benefits so whatever.
The interviews can vary quite a bit depending on your work history and which interviewer you get. Some of those workshops can actually be helpful though - they often have connections with employers who are actively hiring.
Quick update: Had my RESEA appointment today and it went smooth! The interviewer was actually really helpful and not intimidating at all. She mainly wanted to make sure I understood the work search requirements and offered some resources for job hunting in my field. She did ask about specific jobs I'd applied to recently, so I'm glad I had that information ready. Thanks again for all the advice - it really helped me prepare and feel less anxious!
Great to hear it went well! This is typically the experience most people have. The RESEA program is designed to help claimants return to work faster through personalized assistance. Did they schedule any follow-up appointments or workshops for you?
Join the conversation
have u applied for calfresh? might help with food costs while ur sorting this out
Yes, we do receive CalFresh benefits which has been a huge help. Every little bit counts right now.
After reading through this thread, I think your best options are: 1. Apply for Paid Family Leave through SDI Online for intermittent caregiving 2. Request the compelling family circumstances exemption for your work search requirements 3. Contact your local assemblyperson if you hit roadblocks 4. Consider reaching out to disability rights organizations as they often have resources for parent caregivers The California Work & Family Coalition might also have resources specific to your situation. Their website has guides for navigating these benefits.
Thank you for summarizing all this! I'm going to start with PFL and the exemption request. I really appreciate everyone's helpful suggestions.
Join the conversation
back in 2023 i had same issue and ended up having to just file a new claim even though my benefit year wasnt over yet. the edd rep said something about my base period changing? i'm still confused about what happened but anyway...my payments came through ok
The rep might have been referring to a potential benefit increase. If you had higher wages during your most recent base period than your original claim was based on, filing a new claim might result in a higher weekly benefit amount. However, this is an exception, not the rule. Generally, reopening an existing claim is the correct approach within the same benefit year.
Update: I used Claimyr this morning after trying to call for 2 days with no luck. Got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes! She said my account had a weird technical glitch that was hiding the "Reopen Claim" button. She fixed it on her end and now I can see the option. Already submitted my information. Thanks everyone for your help! For anyone with the same issue, definitely call if you can't see the reopen option - it might be a system problem, not user error.
glad u got it fixed!! edd and their glitchy system 🤦♂️
Yay!!! So glad u got it working. Make sure u keep all ur paystubs from partial work. They sometimes ask for proof of ur hours later. That happened to my cousin.
Join the conversation
To answer your follow-up question - you don't need to notify EDD if you switch from paper to online certification. The system is designed to accept your certification through either method. Once you start certifying online, they'll eventually stop sending paper forms, though it might take a cycle or two for that to happen. Just make sure you're certifying through only one method for each period to avoid confusion in their system.
Perfect, thank you! I'll set a calendar reminder to certify online this Sunday morning.
Just one more thing to watch out for with online certification - ALWAYS save or screenshot your confirmation number after submitting!!! There have been rare cases where the system glitches and doesn't record your submission properly. Having that confirmation number is your proof if anything goes wrong!
Join the conversation
wait guys im confused... i thought if u say ur lookin for work on ur cert that's all u need to do? nobody told me bout keepin records lol
That's a common misunderstanding. When you certify and say "yes" to looking for work, you're declaring under penalty of perjury that you actively searched for work and met the requirements. EDD can request proof of your work search activities at any time during your claim or up to 3 years afterward. If you can't provide that proof, they can determine you were ineligible and demand repayment of benefits.
I just went back through my emails and found confirmation emails for 5 job applications I submitted over the past few weeks. I also attended a virtual job fair but don't have proof of that. Is it worth calling EDD to explain my situation before they potentially audit me? I'm so worried about getting hit with an overpayment notice!
Start by creating a record of everything you can document, then continue properly logging your activities going forward. I wouldn't recommend calling to tell them you haven't been keeping records - that might trigger an audit that wouldn't have happened otherwise. If they do audit you, then explain that you were performing the activities but weren't aware of the documentation requirements.
Zara Khan
Quick update question - has your UI Online account been showing "paid" status for the weeks you've certified? If it's still pending, the money might not have been transferred to the Money Network card yet, which would explain why you can't access it. Just something to check on.
0 coins
Diego Fernández
•Yes, all my weeks show as "paid" in UI Online. That's why it's so frustrating - I know the money is there, just sitting in an account I can't access because I don't have the physical card!
0 coins
Anastasia Kuznetsov
Did you get this resolved? I'm curious if any of the suggestions worked for you. The Money Network card system has been a disaster for so many people during my time on unemployment.
0 coins
Diego Fernández
•I finally got through to EDD yesterday using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The rep was able to see that both cards were sent to the correct address but got returned to Money Network for some reason. They're sending a third card with expedited shipping and the rep noted my account. Fingers crossed this one actually arrives!
0 coins