extended benefits are a myth, change my mind 🤔

Hey Chad! I just went through this process last month. A few things that helped me: 1. Try calling the EDD technical support line (1-800-300-5616) instead of the main number - sometimes it's less busy 2. Have your Social Security number and all employment info from the last 18 months ready 3. The extended benefits eligibility depends on whether California's unemployment rate triggers the program (it changes quarterly) 4. You can also check your eligibility online through your EDD account under "Extensions" The whole process took me about 6 weeks from application to first payment, but that included some back-and-forth for additional documentation. Hang in there - it's frustrating but worth it if you qualify!

I'm going through this exact same issue right now! Been trying to update my direct deposit info for almost two weeks with zero success. The EDD website just keeps giving me that frustrating "unable to process request" error message every single time, no matter what browser I use or when I try. What's really stressing me out is that I closed my old bank account last month when I switched to a credit union, so I'm worried about what happens when my next payment tries to go through. I've been reading through all the suggestions here and I'm definitely going to try the 3 AM approach tonight when there's less traffic on their servers - that actually makes a lot of sense! I'm also going to attempt calling on Tuesday morning right at 8 AM like someone suggested. I know it's going to be a long wait, but at this point I'd rather spend hours on hold than keep hitting this brick wall with their broken website. It's honestly insane that in 2025 we're dealing with a system this outdated and unreliable for something as basic as updating payment information. These are people's lifelines we're talking about! Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences and tips - it really helps to know this is a widespread system issue and not just me doing something wrong. I'll report back if any of these methods work! 🤞

I'm so relieved to find this thread! I've been struggling with the exact same issue for the past week and was starting to think I was going crazy. Every time I try to update my payment method, I get hit with that super unhelpful "unable to process request" error. I've tried everything - different browsers, clearing cache, even borrowing my friend's laptop thinking it might be a device issue. Nothing works! What's really stressing me out is that I need to switch from my current bank to a new one for my job, and I'm terrified about missing payments while this system is broken. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both frustrating and comforting - frustrating that this is such a widespread issue that EDD clearly isn't fixing fast enough, but comforting to know I'm not alone in this mess. I'm definitely going to try some of the suggestions here - the 3 AM low-traffic approach sounds promising, and I'll also try calling Tuesday morning at 8 AM sharp. If those don't work, I might look into that paper form backup plan. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to update basic banking info, but I appreciate everyone sharing what's worked for them. This community has been more helpful than EDD's actual support! I'll update everyone once I hopefully get this resolved. 🤞

To answer the original question about automatic payments - yes, your bi-weekly WBA (Weekly Benefit Amount) will be automatically loaded onto the Money Network card exactly the same way it worked with BofA. The payment schedule isn't changing at all. One other thing I learned: Money Network has a feature where you can temporarily lock your card through the app if you misplace it. The BofA card didn't have that option and it was always a pain if you thought you lost your card but didn't want to fully cancel it.

I just wanted to add something that might help ease your worries - I went through a similar card transition with CalFresh benefits last year and it was actually smoother than I expected. The key is definitely preparing ahead of time like others have mentioned. One tip: when you get your new Money Network card, activate it immediately even if you're still using your BofA card. That way if there are any activation issues, you have time to resolve them before your BofA card stops working. I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute with my CalFresh transition and had a few stressful days. Also, Money Network's customer service is supposedly much better than BofA's - my caseworker mentioned they actually have people you can talk to instead of endless phone trees. Fingers crossed that's true!

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to reach someone at EDD today? Did they help resolve the interview situation?

Glad to hear you got it resolved! A wrong number dial is such a classic EDD move - frustrating but at least now you know it wasn't anything you did wrong. For anyone else reading this thread who might face a similar situation, the key takeaways seem to be: 1) Call the main EDD line ASAP the next business day, 2) Answer ALL calls from 916 area codes during your interview window (and maybe a few hours after), and 3) Document everything through UI Online as backup. Hope your Friday interview goes smoothly and you can finally move forward with your claim!

One more tip - if your pending status has lasted over 3 weeks, you can also try contacting your state assembly member's office. They have dedicated EDD liaisons who can often resolve issues faster than you can by calling directly. Google "[your county] state assembly member" to find yours. Their constituent services staff can submit an inquiry on your behalf that usually gets a response within 1-2 business days.

I went through this exact same nightmare in January - pending for 6 weeks and couldn't get through to anyone. What finally worked for me was calling the 833-978-2511 number at exactly 8:01 AM on a Tuesday, then immediately hanging up and calling back if I got the busy message. It took about 20 tries but I got through around 8:45 AM. The rep told me my account had an "interview flag" that was automatically triggered when I reported part-time work earnings, but no one had ever scheduled the actual interview. She cleared it in literally 2 minutes and I got all my back payments within 48 hours. Pro tip: When you do get through, ask them to explain exactly WHY your payments are pending so you know what to watch for in the future. Sometimes it's something simple like they need you to verify your work search activities or there's a date discrepancy they need to confirm. Good luck - don't give up! The system is broken but there ARE people there who can help once you finally reach them.