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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!
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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!
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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.
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As someone who went through a similar situation with EDD overpayment collections, I want to emphasize that time is critical here. The sooner you get that hardship reduction in place, the better. When I called EDD, I made sure to have all my documentation ready - rent/mortgage statements, utility bills, grocery receipts, anything showing our monthly expenses with two kids. Also, don't be discouraged if the first representative you speak with says they can't help or that 100% collection is "standard policy." Ask to speak with a supervisor or tier 2 representative who has authority to make adjustments. I had to escalate my call twice before finding someone who could actually process the hardship reduction. One tip for calling: try calling exactly at 8:00 AM or right after lunch around 1:30 PM. Those seem to be the best times to get through. Good luck - you shouldn't have to choose between paying rent and EDD getting their money back!
This is really helpful advice about timing the calls! I'm definitely going to try calling right at 8am tomorrow with all my documentation ready. It's good to know that I might need to ask for a supervisor if the first person says they can't help - I probably would have just given up if they said it was "standard policy." Having two kids makes this so much more stressful, but your success story gives me hope that we can get this sorted out. Thank you for sharing your experience!
I went through this exact nightmare last year and want to share what worked for me. EDD was taking 100% of my benefits for a $3,100 overpayment from 2022. After reading advice similar to what's been shared here, I called at exactly 8:00 AM and got through on my third try. The key was being persistent but polite, and having ALL my financial documents ready. I brought up my rent, utilities, groceries, and childcare costs, and explained that with zero income coming in, we couldn't even afford basic necessities. The tier 2 rep was actually understanding and reduced my collection rate to 30%. It made such a huge difference - I was finally getting some money each week instead of nothing. The whole process took about 45 minutes on the phone, but it was worth every minute. Don't give up if you get disconnected or if the first person says they can't help. Keep calling back and asking for someone with authority to adjust collection rates. You have rights as a claimant, especially when you have dependents and can prove financial hardship.
This gives me so much hope! Your situation sounds almost identical to ours - similar overpayment amount and the same 100% collection nightmare. I'm planning to call first thing Monday morning at 8 AM with all our financial documents organized. It's reassuring to hear that the tier 2 rep was understanding about your situation with dependents. Did you have to provide any specific forms or documentation during that phone call, or were you able to just explain your expenses verbally? I want to make sure I'm as prepared as possible when I finally get through to someone with authority to help.
During my call, I was able to explain everything verbally - rent amount, utility bills, grocery costs, and childcare expenses. The rep asked for specific dollar amounts but didn't require me to fax or email documentation during the call itself. However, having everything written down in front of me made it much easier to give accurate numbers quickly. I'd recommend having your monthly budget broken down by category (housing, utilities, food, childcare, etc.) so you can speak confidently about your financial situation. The rep seemed most concerned about basic living expenses versus discretionary spending, so focus on necessities. Good luck with your call Monday - persistence really does pay off with EDD!
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Congrats Victoria! That's such a relief after all that stress and waiting. Your case gives me hope - I'm dealing with a similar situation where my employer cut my hours from 40 to 15 per week and then acted surprised when I had to find other work. Filed my appeal last week and trying to stay optimistic. 18 days is actually pretty fast compared to some of the horror stories I've heard. Did you have to provide a lot of documentation during the hearing or was it mainly just testimony?
Hey Ava! Thanks so much! I had to provide quite a bit of documentation - I brought printouts of my work schedules showing the hour reduction, email chains with my manager discussing the cuts, and even my bank statements showing the drop in income. The judge seemed really interested in the timeline and wanted to see that the reduction was substantial and not temporary. The testimony was important too - I explained how I tried to work with my employer first but 15 hours just wasn't sustainable. Your situation sounds very similar so I'm hopeful you'll have good results too! The key is showing it was a forced choice, not just wanting to quit.
This is such helpful information for everyone going through appeals! Victoria, I'm so glad you got a positive outcome - 18 days is actually pretty reasonable given what others have shared. For anyone else waiting, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Keep certifying every two weeks no matter what, 2) Check UI Online daily since it might show up there first, 3) Expect 2-4 weeks typically but could be longer, and 4) Have all your documentation ready for the hearing. The fact that constructive dismissal cases like hour reductions seem to have good success rates is encouraging. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community really helps people navigate this confusing process!
This is such a great summary Connor! I'm new to this whole process and reading through everyone's experiences has been really eye-opening. I just filed my initial claim last week and got denied for "voluntary quit" even though my employer basically forced me out by changing my schedule to impossible hours (4am-7am shifts when I have no childcare available that early). Looks like I'll need to file an appeal. It's reassuring to see that people like Victoria can win these cases when they have good documentation. I'll definitely start gathering all my emails and schedule changes now while I prepare for the appeal process. Thank you all for sharing - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't get from the EDD website!
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I've been following this thread closely since I'm dealing with a similar email mismatch issue with EDD. What's really helpful is seeing all the different strategies people have tried and what actually worked. I'm planning to combine several approaches: first trying the 833-978-2511 number at exactly 8:01 AM using the "contact information audit" terminology, and if that fails, visiting my local EDD office with all my documentation. The documentation advice from Mateusius is spot-on too - I'm starting a call log today. It's frustrating that we need these workarounds for basic government services, but I'm grateful for this community sharing real solutions. Has anyone had success getting the email issue fixed through the secure messaging system in UI Online, or is phone/in-person the only way that actually works?
I tried the secure messaging route first and it was a dead end - took them 10 days to respond and they just sent a generic message saying to call the phone number. Same useless loop! The phone and in-person approaches definitely seem to be the only ways that actually get results based on what everyone's shared here. I'm in the same boat as you planning to try the 8:01 AM call tomorrow with that "contact information audit" language. If we both try it, maybe we can compare notes on how it goes? Good luck with whichever approach you end up using first!
Reading through all these responses, I'm amazed at how many people are dealing with the exact same email mismatch issue - it really shows how widespread this problem is with EDD's system! I'm planning to try the 833-978-2511 number tomorrow morning at 8:01 AM sharp and specifically request a "contact information audit" like Sadie suggested. If that doesn't work, the in-person office visit that Abby mentioned sounds like a solid backup plan. I also really appreciate Mateusius's advice about documenting everything - I'm starting a call log today so I don't lose track of what different reps tell me. It's ridiculous that we need all these strategies just to get basic account info corrected, but this thread has given me hope that there are actually ways to get through the system. Thanks everyone for sharing what actually works instead of just complaining (though the complaints are totally justified too!). Will definitely update once I make some progress.
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I've been having the exact same fingerprint loop issue for weeks! Reading through all these solutions, I'm going to try the app update fix first since that seems to have worked for several people. If that doesn't work, I'll go through the full troubleshooting steps that Natasha outlined. It's so frustrating that we have to become tech support experts just to access our own benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not going crazy and there are actual solutions to try!
Same here! I just joined this community because I've been dealing with this exact issue for over a month. It's reassuring to see so many people have found solutions. I'm definitely going to try checking for app updates first - that seems like the quickest fix. If that doesn't work, I'll work my way through all the other suggestions. It's ridiculous that accessing our benefits requires this much troubleshooting, but I'm grateful everyone here is sharing what actually works!
Keisha Thompson
I'm currently dealing with this exact situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Got my overpayment notice last month for $6,200 with fraud designation because I mixed up which weeks to report my seasonal retail earnings during the holiday rush. The job had me working different shifts every week and I got completely confused about the reporting periods. What's giving me the most anxiety is that I work in banking and we have to disclose any "fraud" issues to our compliance department. But based on what everyone is saying here about administrative vs criminal fraud, it sounds like I might be overthinking this? Has anyone here actually had to deal with employer disclosure requirements for EDD administrative issues? I'm planning to appeal using all the great advice in this thread, but I'm also wondering if I should proactively talk to HR or wait to see if the appeal is successful first. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - it's made me feel so much less alone in this mess!
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LunarEclipse
•I totally understand your anxiety about the banking disclosure requirements! From what I've learned lurking in this community, there's usually a big difference between what employers require you to disclose vs what actually shows up on background checks. Most compliance departments are looking for actual criminal convictions or regulatory actions, not internal EDD administrative determinations. That said, since you work in banking where compliance is super strict, you might want to check your employee handbook or talk to a trusted HR person about the specific disclosure requirements at your company. Some places only require disclosure if you're actually charged or convicted of something, while others might have broader language about "investigations." I'd personally lean toward waiting to see if your appeal is successful first, since getting the fraud designation removed would make this a non-issue entirely. But you know your workplace culture better than anyone here. Either way, the fact that this is an honest mistake about seasonal work scheduling should definitely work in your favor for the appeal!
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Heather Tyson
•I work in compliance at a regional bank and can offer some insight here! Most financial institutions distinguish between "reportable events" and administrative issues. EDD overpayment determinations, even with fraud designations, typically don't trigger disclosure requirements unless they result in criminal charges or regulatory sanctions. Your employee handbook probably has specific language about what constitutes a "material adverse change" or "regulatory action" - EDD administrative decisions usually don't meet that threshold. That said, every bank is different, so I'd recommend reviewing your specific disclosure policies. If you're really concerned, you could frame it as a hypothetical question to HR like "what would need to be disclosed if someone had an unemployment overpayment issue?" But honestly, I'd focus on the appeal first using all the great advice here. Seasonal retail scheduling confusion is exactly the type of honest mistake that EDD often removes fraud designations for. You've got solid grounds for appeal!
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Lucas Bey
I'm also going through this nightmare right now and honestly this thread has been more helpful than anything I could find on EDD's actual website! Got hit with a $4,200 overpayment with fraud designation because I was working as a substitute teacher with completely unpredictable schedules - some weeks I'd work 2 days, other weeks 5 days, and the pay would come at different times depending on which district I worked for. I tried my best to report accurately but clearly messed something up. The anxiety about this affecting my teaching career has been overwhelming, but reading everyone's experiences about the difference between administrative and criminal fraud is such a relief. I had no idea there was even a distinction! I'm definitely going to appeal using the language suggestions about "unintentional error" and "no intent to defraud" that @Isaiah Sanders mentioned. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone successfully argued that EDD's reporting system itself is confusing? Like, the fact that we have to report earnings for work periods that don't align with when we actually get paid seems like it sets people up for honest mistakes, especially those of us with irregular work schedules. I'm wondering if that's something worth mentioning in my appeal or if I should just focus on explaining my specific situation with the substitute teaching confusion. Thanks again to everyone sharing their stories - you're all helping so many people who are dealing with this stress!
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