I went through something very similar earlier this year - EDD accused me of underreporting earnings by about $4,200 and wanted me to repay everything. It's terrifying when you get that letter! The good news is that based on your update about HR confirming the double-reporting error, you have a strong case. A few additional tips: 1) When you submit your appeal, include a cover letter that clearly summarizes the issue (employer double-reported overtime) and lists every document you're including. 2) Request a phone hearing rather than in-person if given the option - they're scheduling faster right now. 3) If you have any text messages or emails with your former supervisor about that October overtime, include those too. The fact that you have HR backing you up makes this much more likely to be resolved in your favor. Keep us posted on how it goes!

Absolutely include those timesheet records! Any documentation that shows when you actually worked those October overtime hours will help support your case. In my situation, the appeal took about 8 weeks from filing to the actual hearing, then another 2 weeks to get the written decision. So about 10 weeks total, but that was earlier this year when they seemed to be moving a bit faster. The key thing is that during the appeal process, they can't collect the overpayment, so you don't have to worry about paying anything back until there's a final decision. And if you win (which sounds likely given the HR letter), the whole thing just goes away. One more tip - if you get assigned a hearing date, make sure to call in about 10 minutes early. Sometimes the judge will take cases ahead of schedule if people are ready.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share my recent experience with a similar issue. I accidentally put the wrong start date for my last job on my EDD application and was stressed about it affecting my claim. Here's what I learned: EDD actually prefers when people proactively correct mistakes rather than letting them sit. When I finally got through to a rep (took about a week of trying), she told me that honest mistakes like these happen all the time and they have a straightforward process to fix them. The rep was able to update my information right there on the call and explained that since I hadn't been paid any benefits yet, the correction wouldn't cause any overpayment issues. She also mentioned that the system will automatically recalculate everything based on the corrected info. One tip that really helped me get through on the phone: I called exactly at 8:00 AM (not 8:01 like some people suggest) on a Wednesday. It took about 20 minutes of being on hold, but I did get through. Also, have your Social Security number and all your employment details ready before you call - they'll want to verify everything. Don't stress too much about this - you're being honest and proactive, which is exactly what they want to see. The correction should be pretty straightforward since you caught it early!

I'm dealing with a somewhat similar situation right now! I didn't make a mistake on my application, but I've been trying to get through to EDD for weeks about a different issue and it's been incredibly frustrating. Reading through all these responses is actually really helpful - I had no idea about services like Claimyr or some of these phone timing strategies. @CyberSamurai - based on what everyone is saying here, it sounds like you're handling this the right way by being proactive about correcting the mistake. The fact that you haven't certified for any weeks yet should definitely work in your favor. I'd try the 8:00 AM call strategy that @Logan Greenburg mentioned, and if that doesn't work, maybe give that Claimyr service a shot. One thing I wanted to add - when you do get through to someone, maybe ask them to email you a confirmation of the correction they made, or at least get some kind of reference number for the change. That way you have documentation that the correction was requested and processed. Good luck getting this sorted out!

I'm currently going through this EXACT same situation with my mom's unemployment claim! She filed about 2 weeks ago and we're hitting all the same roadblocks - the weekend phone certification system keeps saying "call during business hours" when it should be 24/7, and the online account setup fails every single time with "information doesn't match our records" even though we've verified everything multiple times. After reading through all these experiences, it's becoming really clear that EDD has some serious systematic issues with first-time claims. These automatic review flags that block all the automated systems without any notification to claimants are just terrible system design. What's been most helpful from this thread: - The 8:00 AM sharp calling strategy for both tech support (1-833-978-2511) and the DI line workaround (1-800-480-3287) - Checking for exact name formatting from the physical award letter (including middle initials/abbreviations) - Understanding that government or educational employment history can trigger additional review flags I'm planning to call first thing Monday morning using these strategies. It's honestly both reassuring and frustrating to see so many people dealing with identical issues - shows this isn't user error but just EDD's broken communication process. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions - this community thread has been more helpful than any official EDD guidance I've found!

I'm going through this exact same frustrating situation with my grandmother's claim right now! She filed her initial unemployment about a week ago and we're hitting every single roadblock mentioned here - weekend phone certification saying "call during business hours" and the online account setup failing with "information doesn't match" despite entering everything exactly as shown on her paperwork. This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding what's actually happening. It sounds like these automatic review flags on first-time claims are basically standard operating procedure for EDD, but they just don't bother telling anyone about them. So you're left thinking you're doing something wrong when really the system is intentionally blocking you until a human reviews the case. My grandmother worked for the county health department for 30+ years before retiring, then took a part-time job at a retail store that she lost due to store closure. Based on what people are saying here about government employment triggering extra scrutiny, that probably explains why her claim got flagged for manual review. I'm definitely going to try the 8:00 AM sharp calling strategy on Monday with the tech support line (1-833-978-2511) first, then the DI line (1-800-480-3287) as backup if needed. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - this community knowledge is way more useful than anything on EDD's actual website!

That's wonderful news! $247/week is actually a pretty solid outcome considering the pension offset. It shows that having your pension from public schools while your recent work was at private schools really did help with the calculation, just like several people mentioned. Best of luck with your job search - with your experience, I'm sure you'll find another good position soon!

Congratulations on getting approved! That's a really encouraging outcome for others in similar situations. Your case is a perfect example of how the pension offset calculation works when your pension and recent employment are from different types of employers. $247/week should definitely help bridge the gap while you search for your next teaching position. Thanks for coming back to update us - it's so helpful when people share their actual results since everyone's situation is slightly different with these pension cases.

I'm new to the unemployment system and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm still waiting on my initial claim to be approved, but I'm already stressing about which payment method to choose. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the Money Network card might be the way to go for faster access to funds. One question though - for those who switched to the card, are there any hidden fees I should know about? I've heard some prepaid cards have monthly maintenance fees or charge for balance inquiries. Also, can you transfer money from the card to your regular bank account easily if needed?

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been through the EDD system multiple times over the years. The timing differences between direct deposit and the Money Network card can vary significantly based on when you certify and what day of the week it falls on. I've noticed that if you certify on Sunday morning (like most people do), direct deposit payments often get processed by EDD on Monday but then sit in the ACH queue until Tuesday or Wednesday depending on your bank's processing schedule. The Money Network card seems to bypass some of that banking bureaucracy since it's EDD's direct payment partner. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you can actually track your payment status more granularly with the card through the Money Network mobile app - it shows pending deposits before they're fully available, which can give you peace of mind about timing. The app also sends push notifications when funds are added, so you're not constantly checking your balance. For anyone considering the switch, I'd say the speed advantage is real, but make sure you understand the fee structure and have a plan for accessing your funds without getting hit with unnecessary charges.