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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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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!
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I had my interview today and wanted to update everyone. It went OK! The interviewer was actually understanding about the time gap. She mainly wanted to confirm I was laid off due to lack of work and not fired for misconduct (which is what I put on my original claim). She said they're reviewing claims from that period due to a new fraud detection system, but since my information matched what they had on file and was consistent with the seasonal nature of the job, everything should be fine. She said I should receive a notice in 10-14 days confirming no issues with my claim. Thanks everyone for the advice and support!
So glad to hear it went well! Thanks for coming back to update us. This is really helpful information for others who might face the same situation.
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my cousin had penalty weeks last yr and he said the worst part was having to do all the work search stuff and certify even tho he wasnt getting paid. make sure u still do all that or they can give u more penalty weeks for not certifying properly
Thanks for the warning! I'll definitely keep certifying and documenting my work search activities. The last thing I need is MORE penalty weeks on top of what I already have.
One more thing that might help - make sure you check your UI Online account for any outstanding tasks or messages. Sometimes there are additional steps required to clear penalty weeks, and those notifications can get buried in your inbox or task list. If you believe the penalty was applied in error, you should also gather documentation showing that the incorrect wage reporting was your employer's mistake, not yours. This would be essential for an appeal.
That's really helpful - I just checked and there actually IS an unread message in my UI Online inbox about the penalty weeks. It references the appeal process too. I'm going to gather all my pay stubs from that job to show the correct wages and file an appeal this week. Hopefully I can get this sorted out!
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Section 1375-1 is specifically about penalties for willful misrepresentation or fraud. If they're citing that section, they're saying that some information on your claim was incorrect and they've assessed a 30% penalty on top of the original overpayment. This is typically what happens when your reported earnings don't match what your employer reported or if there was discrepancy in your eligibility information. For appeals, you typically have 30 days from the date on the notice to file. Don't wait - the clock is already ticking.
Oh no, that doesn't sound good. I never intentionally provided wrong information! I'm going to try to reach them tomorrow to sort this out. Thanks for explaining what that section means.
I just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to EDD? What did they say about your situation?
Yes! Finally got through using the Claimyr service that someone recommended above. Turns out when I paid my overpayment, it only covered the base amount but not the 30% penalty they had added. The representative explained that the penalty gets assessed separately, which wasn't clear on my original notice. I've set up a payment plan for the remaining amount. Thanks everyone for your help with this!
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btw make sure u don't accidentally say NO to looking for work or you'll mess up your whole claim
This is absolutely crucial advice! If you answer NO to the work search question, you'll likely be disqualified for those weeks. Always answer YES if you've been looking for work (which you should be doing throughout your claim period). The work search requirements are strictly enforced now that the pandemic exceptions have been removed.
UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know that I certified yesterday evening and woke up this morning to see both weeks changed from 'pending' to 'paid'!!! The money isn't in my account yet but the claim history shows the payment was processed. Thank you all for your help and reassurance - this group is amazing! 🙏
Awesome! Told ya so 😊 The money usually hits your account 1-2 business days after it shows paid in the system. Congrats!
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Identity theft with EDD claims became epidemic during the pandemic and unfortunately their systems haven't improved much. Here's the current process for reporting identity theft (as of 2025): 1. File a fraud report directly on the EDD website: https://askedd.edd.ca.gov/ - Select "Report Fraud" category - Select "Report Identity Theft" subcategory 2. Call the EDD Fraud Hotline at 1-800-229-6297 (yes, it's hard to get through, but legally you should try) 3. File a police report in your jurisdiction 4. Report to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov 5. Contact all three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert 6. If you receive any tax forms (1099-G) for benefits you didn't receive, contact EDD's Tax Branch at 1-866-401-2849 I recommend sending all correspondence via certified mail with return receipt requested. This creates a paper trail proving you attempted to resolve the issue promptly. For the fastest resolution, try contacting your state assembly member or state senator. Their offices often have staff dedicated to resolving EDD issues for constituents.
Thank you for this comprehensive list! I hadn't thought of reaching out to my state representative. I'll try the identity theft email first and then move on to these other steps. Really appreciate the detailed response!
Has anyone tried the ID verification through [ID.me](http://ID.me) to prove you're not the one filing the claim? I wonder if that would help in this situation?
ID.me verification is primarily used for legitimate claimants to verify their identity when applying for benefits. In identity theft cases, the fraudster may have already completed some form of verification using stolen information. However, contacting ID.me's support to report the fraud is still worthwhile, as they can flag the account created with your information. Their support page for handling identity theft is: https://help.id.me/hc/en-us/articles/360054639554-What-do-I-do-if-my-identity-has-been-stolen-
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anybody know if its the same for pua claims? my mom has some weeks she never certified for from december but her claim ended in march
PUA ended completely in September 2021. There are no more PUA benefits available regardless of certification status. Your mom would need to apply for regular UI if she's eligible.
@OP - Did you get your payment situation sorted out? I'm curious what happened with those pending certifications from January. Did they actually process and pay them?
Yes! Finally got everything sorted. The pending payments stayed stuck for 2 weeks, but I managed to get through to EDD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The rep explained that the system flagged the certifications as suspicious because they were done on the very last day of my benefit year. Had to answer some additional questions about why I delayed, but they released the payments after reviewing my case. Received everything yesterday! So relieved - it was about $2,400 I really needed.
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i had this situation but worse... waited 5 weeks for card!! called money network and they said they mailed it but when i finally got someone at edd they said my address had a typo!! edd had to fix it and request new card. check ur address in ui online carefully!! even small mistakes like apt# vs unit# can cause problems!!
Just checked my address in UI Online and it looks correct. But I'm starting to think something might be wrong in their system since it's been so long. Definitely going to try calling both Money Network and EDD now.
One more thing to be aware of - once you do receive your card, you'll need to activate it immediately by calling the number on the sticker. Also set up a PIN that you'll remember. If you're worried about future delays with the card system, I recommend changing your payment preference to direct deposit once you've accessed the funds already sent to your card. Direct deposit is generally more reliable and faster for future payments.
I'm definitely going to switch to direct deposit once I figure out this card situation! Seems like it would save a lot of headaches. Thanks for all your advice - I feel much better having a plan now.
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The EDD system is such BS!!! They always side with employers and make it impossible for regular people to get benefits we PAID INTO. I went through something similar and had to appeal THREE TIMES before getting approved. The whole system is rigged against workers!!!
While I understand your frustration, I don't think this kind of response is helpful to the OP's specific situation. They're asking for practical advice on navigating the system as it exists, not commentary on its fairness.
OK fine whatever. @OP just be ready for a fight. Document EVERYTHING. Record your eligibility interview if they let you. Don't trust anything they say verbally without getting it in writing.
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to draft a formal letter declining the position and clearly outlining the reasons (40% pay cut, variable schedule incompatible with childcare, etc.). I'll gather documentation about my childcare costs to show how the new position would be financially impossible. Just to clarify one more thing - a few of you mentioned an eligibility interview. How long does it typically take to get scheduled for one after filing my claim? I'm trying to budget for how long we might be waiting for benefits to start coming in.
Currently, eligibility interviews are taking about 2-3 weeks to schedule after your initial claim is filed, but it can vary depending on case volume. Make sure you still certify for benefits every two weeks even while waiting for the interview. If you're ultimately found eligible, you'll receive back payments for all weeks you certified for.
Great, that's really helpful to know. I'll make sure to keep certifying while waiting for the interview. Hopefully the process goes smoothly!
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hey just wanted to say i had this same issue n finally got my card after 3 weeks. hang in there it'll come eventually. the mail is just slow sometimes
Thanks for the reassurance. It helps knowing I'm not the only one dealing with this!
Once you do get your card, immediately set up direct deposit through your UI Online account. That way, future payments will go straight to your bank account and you won't have to worry about the card anymore. It's much more reliable!
That's definitely my plan! I've heard direct deposit is much faster. Just need to get this first card so I can access my current payments.
Juan Moreno
ive been on unemployment for 5 months now. got laid off from my teaching job. i didnt know extensions were even a thing?? how long do they last? my benefits end next month
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Butch Sledgehammer
•If you're in education, you might qualify for the FED-ED extension depending on layoff rates in your district. Extensions currently provide up to 13 additional weeks of benefits at the same weekly amount as your regular UI. Call EDD about 2 weeks before your benefits exhaust to inquire about your eligibility and start the application process.
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Alana Willis
Update: I called EDD this morning (took 14 attempts to get through!) and spoke with a representative. She confirmed that tech industry workers DO qualify for extensions right now due to the unusually high sector unemployment rate. She said I need to wait until after my final regular UI payment posts, then file the extension request within 30 days. Just wanted to share this info for anyone else in the same situation!
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Savanna Franklin
•thanks for the update! im in tech too and my benefits run out in 2 months. good to know there might be options. did they say how long the extension lasts?
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