California Unemployment

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.


Fox KTVUABC 7CBSSan Francisco Chronicle

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!

Read all of our Trustpilot reviews

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 :)

my payment was late last week to. i think they sometimes have issues with the payment processing company or whatever. usually sorts itself out by wed at the latest. dont stress out yet

0 coins

Good to know it's not just me. Anxiously watching my account like it's the stock market over here lol

0 coins

lol i know that feeling. refreashing the page every 10 mins wont make the money come faster tho... learned that the hard way!

0 coins

Update: EDD just posted on Twitter that all pending payments from yesterday and today should be processed by end of business day. They apologized for the delay and mentioned it was related to their quarterly system update. For future reference, their Twitter account (@CA_EDD) often has the most current status updates when these kinds of delays happen.

0 coins

Just got my payment about 10 minutes ago! Thanks everyone for the help and reassurance. Will definitely follow their Twitter account now.

0 coins

nice! 👍

0 coins

Just wanted to mention you can also set up direct deposit now with EDD instead of using the debit card. I switched last month and it's much better - money goes straight to my bank account in 1-2 days after payment is issued. You can change it on UI Online under payment preferences.

0 coins

That's true, but it only applies to future payments. For the payment that's already been issued, they'll still send a Money Network card. Once you get the card and access those funds, then switching to direct deposit for any additional payments is definitely the way to go!

0 coins

Update: Finally got through to EDD this morning! For anyone with this issue in the future - they confirmed my payment was sent to Money Network and a new card is being mailed automatically. Should arrive within 7-10 business days. I asked about getting a check instead but was told that's not possible for payments already processed. For future payments though, I've switched to direct deposit. Thanks everyone for the help!

0 coins

Thanks for the update! Glad you got it sorted. Direct deposit is definitely the way to go once you have access to this payment.

0 coins

Just wanted to share my experience - when I filed a new claim after my benefit year ended in January, they did NOT send me a new card. The funds were loaded onto my existing Bank of America EDD card. However, I did receive a letter in the mail about a week after my first payment was processed confirming that my existing card would be used. So you might get similar confirmation soon.

0 coins

Mei Liu

Thank you! This is really helpful. I'll watch for a letter like that. At least I know the money from the first week is safely on my card now.

0 coins

btw if ur second week stays pending too long u should ask for a tier 2 specialist when u call. regular agents cant fix certain holds on ur account

0 coins

Mei Liu

Good to know! I'll specifically ask for a tier 2 specialist if I need to call again. Really appreciate everyone's help here.

0 coins

Sarah Ali

To answer your follow-up question: Yes, you'll need your Customer Account Number for the phone certification. It's the 10-digit number on your EDD notifications. And regarding gig work like DoorDash - that actually explains a lot. The system sometimes flags for additional review when you first report gig economy earnings, especially if you're reporting as self-employment income vs. W2 income. The freeze is likely the system not knowing how to categorize your new income source. If you're still having trouble tomorrow, call early (right when they open at 8am) and specifically ask for a tier 2 specialist who can help with certification issues involving new income sources.

0 coins

Thank you for all the detailed help! I tried the whole dollar amount trick and it actually worked! Was able to complete my certification just now. For anyone else having this issue - don't enter any cents, just the dollar amount.

0 coins

this happens to me EVERY TIME i try to certify. edd website is garbage. sometimes i just give up and try again next day. so behind on my payments cause of this stupid website

0 coins

If you're consistently having this problem, you should request a paper certification form. You can call and ask them to mail you the paper forms for several weeks at once. Then you just mail them back. It's old school but works when the website is giving you trouble repeatedly.

0 coins

I want to clarify something important: Even though you can't collect more benefits now, you should CONTINUE CERTIFYING each week if the system still allows you to. This creates a record of your continued unemployment that may be relevant for other programs or if any extensions become available (though none are currently offered). Also, you mentioned having $3,200 left in your claim balance - that's actually impossible if you received the "all benefits payable" message. The system would never cut you off with a remaining balance. It's more likely you misinterpreted something else on your account page. Look into 211.org for local emergency assistance programs. Many counties have rental assistance and utility payment help for situations exactly like yours. Don't wait until you're behind on payments to apply! Finally, make sure you're registered with CalJOBS. Some EDD offices are offering special workshops for people who've exhausted benefits.

0 coins

Thank you - I'll check if I can still certify. You're probably right about the balance. Maybe what I saw was the original claim amount and not what was left? The 211 resource sounds helpful too, I'll definitely check that out. Really appreciate the advice.

0 coins

just wanted to add that I was in your situation last year and it SUCKS but it's not forever. I picked up gig work delivering food for a couple months until my benefit year ended. Then I filed a new claim and got approved again because I had enough wages from before my first claim. Hang in there!

0 coins

Mei Liu

Just to be super clear since there's confusion: UI (unemployment insurance) is for when you lose your job through no fault of your own and are actively looking for work. SDI (state disability insurance) is for when you can't work due to a medical condition and need temporary benefits. Paid Family Leave (PFL) is for caregiving or bonding with a new child. All are administered by EDD but have different eligibility requirements and application processes! For your situation, you want SDI. Make sure your doctor completes their portion accurately - that's the #1 reason for delays. And apply at least 9 days but not more than 49 days after your first day off work due to disability.

0 coins

i thought if ur company has paid sick time u have to use that first before sdi kicks in is that true??

0 coins

Mei Liu

@profile9 No, that's a common misconception. You're thinking of employer-specific short-term disability policies, which can sometimes require you to use up sick time first. State Disability Insurance (SDI) through California EDD does NOT require you to exhaust sick leave first. You can actually receive both, but your employer might have policies about using them concurrently. Check with your HR department about their specific policies.

0 coins

This whole thread has been super helpful, thank you everyone! I've started gathering the documentation I need for SDI and will be talking to my doctor at my appointment tomorrow to make sure they understand what parts they need to complete. I'll apply right after my appointment so there's plenty of time before my procedure next month.

0 coins

The waiting period is RIDICULOUS! You're already stressed about losing your job and then they make you wait an extra week for money? My husband lost 3 WEEKS of benefits because the EDD rep told him the wrong information about how to report some side gig income. Then they put a "false statement" penalty on his account! It took us FOREVER to get it fixed. The whole system is broken!!

0 coins

Sorry you had that experience. For reporting income, always be exact with dates and amounts. If you're ever unsure about how to report something, document your attempts to get clarification (take screenshots, note who you spoke with). This helps if you need to appeal decisions later. The EDD system can definitely be frustrating, but keeping detailed records helps protect yourself.

0 coins

Thanks everyone for the helpful info! I'm relieved to know this is normal and I didn't do anything wrong. I'll be certifying again this Sunday, so hopefully I'll get the full two weeks of benefits this time. Really appreciate all the explanations!

0 coins

Yes, you should receive payment for both weeks when you certify next time, assuming you meet all eligibility requirements. Just make sure you accurately report any work and earnings if you had any during those weeks. Good luck!

0 coins

The whole EDD system is designed to be difficult on purpose!! They make it hard to reach them so fewer people get benefits. I had to go to the Santa Barbara office THREE TIMES last month because they kept saying my identity verification didn't go through, even though I completed ID.me perfectly. When I finally got to speak to a supervisor, she admitted it was their system error all along. And yes, they're open Mondays, but it's a complete zoo that day.

0 coins

Same thing happened to me with ID.me! But I found out later that you're supposed to log back into ID.me and specifically authorize EDD access AFTER completing verification. They don't make this clear at all in their instructions. Did you have to do this too?

0 coins

YES! That's exactly what happened! I did the whole verification with selfie and everything but never got to that last step of authorizing EDD. Such a waste of time and nobody tells you this!

0 coins

Amina Sy

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I think I'll try to get there right when they open after lunch on Monday. Sounds like that's my best bet to get seen without an appointment. If that doesn't work, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. My issue is that my claim is stuck in pending after a school employment question popped up during certification, even though I don't work for a school. Really appreciate all the advice!

0 coins

That school employment question trips up so many people! If you answered yes by accident, that automatically flags your claim for review because of special rules for school employees during breaks. An EDD rep can easily fix this for you. Good luck!

0 coins

Based on what you've shared, you should definitely qualify for a new UI claim. Here's why: 1. Your previous benefit year has ended (UI claims are good for one year from filing date) 2. You worked 5 months (Nov 2023-Apr 2025) after your previous claim 3. At $4,200/month, you easily meet the earnings requirements for the base period When you file your new claim, the system will ask if you've filed a claim in the past, and you should answer honestly. The system will automatically check if your previous benefit year has ended and if you have enough new wages to establish a new claim. One tip: File your claim online rather than by phone if possible. The online system tends to process more quickly and you'll get a clearer picture of your eligibility status. Your new weekly benefit amount will be calculated based on your highest quarter of earnings during the base period, up to the maximum benefit amount (currently $550/week).

0 coins

This is so helpful, thank you! I'll definitely file online. Does that $550 maximum include the extra $300 pandemic supplement or is that long gone? (I remember getting extra when I was on UI during 2023

0 coins

The pandemic-related supplements ($300 FPUC and others) ended back in September 2021, so the maximum is just the regular California maximum of $550 per week. There are currently no federal supplements being added to regular UI payments.

0 coins

Got it, thanks for clarifying. I'll submit my application tonight and update this thread with what happens for anyone else in a similar situation.

0 coins

wait, do we have to officially close our claims?? i just stopped certifying when i got my job back in december. nobody told me i had to close anything!

0 coins

You don't HAVE to formally close your claim. If you stop certifying, your claim becomes inactive after two weeks of not certifying. However, formally closing a claim is helpful if you need documentation showing you're no longer receiving benefits, like the original poster needs for their new employer.

0 coins

Update for everyone: The EDD website now has a specific process for this situation. Log into UI Online, go to 'Contact EDD' and select 'Ask EDD.' Choose the category 'Unemployment Insurance Benefits' and then select the sub-category 'Claim Information.' In your message, specifically request a 'Verification of Claim Closure' or 'Proof of Benefits Termination' letter. This should generate a document you can download from your UI Online inbox within 5-7 business days. For immediate needs, calling is still the fastest option, but the online request will work if you have time to wait.

0 coins

Thank you so much for this detailed information! I just submitted the request through Ask EDD, but since I need the documentation by Friday, I'll still try calling tomorrow. Really appreciate everyone's help with this!

0 coins

Prev1...205206207208209...286Next