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 :)
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For technical issues specifically, make sure to tell the agent exactly what error messages you're seeing. They have different procedures for different types of lockouts.
That's the standard password lockout. Should be a quick fix once you get through to someone.
I had the same generic "Account temporarily locked" message when my account got locked three weeks ago. After finally getting through to an agent (took me 2 days of calling), they told me it was triggered by multiple failed login attempts from different browsers. They unlocked it in about 2 minutes and advised me to always use the same browser and clear cookies between sessions. The agent also mentioned that sometimes browser extensions can interfere with their login system, so try using incognito mode if you keep having issues.
I've been dealing with this exact same issue for the past 10 days! My account got locked after I accidentally used an old password a few times, and I've been calling the 800-300-5616 number constantly with no luck. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like Claimyr might be my best bet at this point. Has anyone had any luck with the early morning calling strategy, or is the auto-dialer service really the only reliable way to get through? I'm getting desperate since I'm already behind on my certifications.
I completely understand your frustration! I went through the same nightmare two weeks ago - account locked, missed certifications, and endless busy signals. I probably called 200+ times over 4 days before finally getting through. The agent fixed it in literally 30 seconds, which made all that wasted time even more infuriating. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'd honestly just go straight to Claimyr if I had to do it again. The manual calling is such a gamble - you might get lucky in an hour, or you might waste weeks like some people here. At least with the callback service you know you'll actually talk to someone. Good luck whatever you decide!
Sofia, I completely feel your frustration! I went through this exact same nightmare about 6 weeks ago - account locked after password issues, missed two certification weeks, and spent literally days calling with no success. I tried every strategy people mention: calling at 8am sharp, different phone numbers, various menu combinations, you name it. After 12 days of this insanity, I finally caved and used Claimyr. Got connected to an agent in 23 minutes who not only unlocked my account but also helped me certify for all my missed weeks retroactively. Looking back, I should have just used the service immediately instead of torturing myself for almost two weeks. The $20 was nothing compared to the stress and lost time. Honestly, at this point with how broken their phone system is, the auto-dialer services are basically the only realistic option for most people.
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guys i think the whole system is rigged. they make it so hard on purpose so people just give up. wake up sheeple! 👀
Take off the tinfoil hat, bro. It's just bureaucracy being bureaucracy 🙄
whatever man, you'll see. I'm just saying what everyone's thinking 💅
Hey Anthony, I went through something similar a few months ago! The first thing I'd recommend is logging into your EDD account and checking the "Wage and Potential Benefit Inquiry" section to see exactly what wages they have on file for you. Sometimes there's a lag in wage reporting, especially if you had a recent job change. If the wages look incorrect or incomplete, you'll want to contact your previous employers to make sure they submitted their quarterly wage reports to EDD properly. Also, make sure you're looking at the right base period - EDD uses a specific 12-month period to calculate eligibility, not just any recent 12 months. The system can be confusing but don't give up! You've got this 💪
This is really helpful advice! I'm dealing with a similar issue and didn't even know about the "Wage and Potential Benefit Inquiry" section. Quick question - do you know how long employers typically have to submit those quarterly wage reports? I'm wondering if my most recent job might not have reported yet since I just left a few weeks ago.
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This thread is so helpful! I'm a freelance writer who sometimes works through content agencies that handle payroll for multiple clients. I've been wondering about this exact same issue - whether to list the actual client companies I wrote for or just the agency that paid me. Sounds like the same principle applies - list each actual employer separately even if they all went through the same payment processor. The entertainment industry and freelance work have so many similar complications with EDD claims!
Yes, exactly the same principle! As someone who's dealt with both entertainment gigs and freelance writing through agencies, I can confirm you should list each actual client company separately. The content agency is just handling payments/payroll like Central Casting does for actors. EDD needs to see your complete work history with each actual employer to properly calculate your base period wages. It's frustrating that the system doesn't account for how common this setup is in gig work, but at least once you know the right way to report it, it's straightforward!
Great thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation but with commercial casting - worked on three different commercials in February, all paid through the same casting payroll service. Based on what everyone's saying here, I should definitely list each commercial client separately with their own dates and details, but use the casting company's EIN that shows up on my pay stubs. One thing I'm still unclear on though - for short gigs like this (some were just half-day shoots), do I put the actual shoot date as both start and end date? Or should I use the date range from when I was booked to when the job wrapped? The pay stubs don't always make this super clear for really short entertainment gigs.
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This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm scheduled for RESEA next month and was really stressing about that minimum wage question. Reading everyone's experiences shows it's really about being realistic rather than trying to game the system. I was making $34/hr as a network administrator before my layoff, so based on the advice here, I'm thinking around $28-29/hr would be reasonable (about 15% reduction). It's reassuring to know they're actually trying to help rather than find reasons to cut benefits. One thing I'm curious about - did anyone find the job search resources they provided actually useful? I've been mostly using the big job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn, but it sounds like they might have access to some specialized resources I don't know about. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially the updates on how appointments actually went!
Your minimum wage calculation looks perfect! $28-29/hr for your network admin background is definitely in the right ballpark. Regarding the job search resources - yes, they were actually quite helpful! In addition to the usual job boards, my RESEA counselor connected me with several resources I hadn't known about: a local tech industry networking group, a state-sponsored job training program that offered certifications, and access to a job placement service that specifically worked with IT professionals. They also had partnerships with some staffing agencies that weren't advertising publicly. The most valuable thing for me was learning about CalJOBS (the state's job portal) which had listings I wasn't seeing on the commercial sites. Some government contractors and state agencies post exclusively there. They'll also review your LinkedIn profile and resume during the appointment and might suggest improvements. My counselor caught a few formatting issues that were probably hurting my applications. Definitely take advantage of whatever resources they offer - some of their connections aren't easily found through regular job searching!
This is such valuable information! As someone who's been putting off scheduling my RESEA appointment because I was anxious about it, reading through all these real experiences has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like the process is much more supportive than I expected. I'm in a similar situation - was making $30/hr in technical writing before my layoff 6 weeks ago. Based on everyone's advice, I'm thinking $25-26/hr would be a reasonable minimum (around 15-17% reduction). What really stands out to me from all these responses is how the program seems genuinely focused on helping people get back to work rather than trying to trip them up. The fact that they provide actual job search resources and even review resumes makes it sound like it could be genuinely beneficial. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially those who came back with updates after their appointments. This thread should be pinned for anyone else stressing about RESEA!
I completely agree! This thread has been a lifesaver for understanding what RESEA is really about. I was also putting off my appointment because I was so nervous about saying the wrong thing on those forms. Your wage calculation sounds perfect - $25-26/hr for technical writing experience is right in that sweet spot everyone's been talking about. It shows you're being realistic without undervaluing yourself. I love how this community comes together to help each other navigate these processes. Between the actual appointment experiences, the wage calculation advice, and all the tips about bringing documentation and preparing explanations, this thread covers everything someone needs to know going into RESEA. Definitely should be required reading for anyone getting that appointment notice in the mail!
Dana Doyle
quick update - i just tried the website password reset thing from another comment and IT WORKED!!!! was able to transfer my money to my bank!!! says it'll take 2-3 business days but at least i know its coming now. try it OP!!!
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Edward McBride
•That's awesome news! I actually got through to a supervisor at Money Network this morning after calling for like 2 hours. They finally verified me using my address and last deposit date instead of the transaction time. My card should be working again within 24 hours. But I'm definitely setting up direct deposit for the future - this Money Network stress is not worth it!
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Dmitry Ivanov
As someone who just went through this exact nightmare last month, I feel your pain! Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Call Money Network early morning (7-8 AM) when wait times are shorter 2. When they ask those impossible security questions, politely say "I don't recall the exact time, but I can provide [whatever details you DO remember]" 3. Ask them to note in your file that you're having legitimate access issues due to their security requirements The key is persistence - I had to call 4 different times before getting a rep who was willing to work with me on alternative verification. Some reps are more flexible than others. Also, IMMEDIATELY set up direct deposit through UI Online once this is resolved. Go to "Payment Method" and switch from debit card to direct deposit. It takes 2-3 weeks to take effect, but you'll never deal with Money Network again. Trust me, it's worth the wait! Keep us posted on how the supervisor call goes - rooting for you to get this sorted quickly!
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StarSurfer
•This is really helpful advice! I'm new to dealing with unemployment benefits and had no idea the Money Network card could be such a hassle. Reading through all these comments is honestly scary - it sounds like this happens to a lot of people. I'm still waiting for my first payment but now I'm thinking I should set up direct deposit right away instead of even trying to use the card. Is there any downside to direct deposit vs the card? And do you know if there are fees for the bank transfers if you do get stuck with the card initially?
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