Has anyone tried contacting their local assembly member for help? I've heard they can sometimes intervene on your behalf with EDD issues.

I actually managed to change my email with EDD about 3 months ago! Here's what finally worked for me after trying everything else: I kept getting stuck in the online system, so I ended up faxing them a written request with my SSN, claim number, old email, new email, and a copy of my ID. Sent it to their general fax line: (916) 319-5760. Took about 10 business days, but they actually processed it! Got a confirmation letter in the mail saying the change was complete. Sometimes the old-school approach works better than their glitchy website. Make sure to include ALL your info clearly - SSN, claim number, both email addresses, phone number, and sign it. Good luck! 🤞

I understand you're in a really stressful situation, and it's clear you're trying to handle this responsibly. Based on what you've described, you may have a strong case for "good cause" to quit if the job duties are substantially different from what was presented during hiring. Here's what I'd suggest: First, definitely resolve that held week issue - call EDD first thing tomorrow to understand why it's pending. Sometimes it's just a routine verification that's easily resolved. Second, document everything about the skill mismatch. If you can find the original job posting online, screenshot it. Write down specific examples of tasks they're expecting you to do that weren't mentioned in the interview. Most importantly, have that conversation with your supervisor about the mismatch between your skills and their expectations. Ask if training is available or if there's a better role fit. Even if they say no, this shows EDD you tried to resolve the situation before quitting. Send a follow-up email afterward summarizing what was discussed to create a paper trail. When you do certify, be completely honest about your work hours and reason for leaving. Yes, your payments will likely go to pending during the eligibility review, but if you have good documentation and legitimate reasons, EDD does approve these cases. The anxiety and health impact you're experiencing can also support your case, especially with doctor's documentation. You've got 25+ years of work history and have rarely needed unemployment - that works in your favor. Stay calm, document everything, and follow the proper steps. You've got this!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add one more important point: when you have that conversation with your supervisor tomorrow, try to stay as professional and solution-focused as possible, even though you're stressed. Frame it as "I want to succeed in this role, but I'm finding that it requires skills X, Y, and Z that weren't discussed during the hiring process. What options do we have?" This approach shows good faith effort to resolve the situation rather than just wanting to quit. Also, regarding your held week - I had a similar experience where one week got held randomly for "wage verification" even though I hadn't worked. It turned out EDD just needed to verify some information from my previous employer and it was resolved quickly once I called. Don't assume it's related to anything you did wrong. Your situation really does sound like legitimate good cause - a significant mismatch between advertised duties and actual job requirements that's affecting your mental health. The fact that you have 25+ years of work experience and have only needed unemployment twice will definitely work in your favor during any eligibility review. EDD looks at your overall work history and pattern of employment when making these determinations. Keep us updated on how the conversations go tomorrow. You're handling this the right way by being proactive and documenting everything!

This is such an important warning thread! I'm a new claimant too and I've been getting so many suspicious texts lately claiming to be from various agencies. What really helped me was setting up Google Voice notifications so I can screen calls/texts related to my claim. Also, for anyone still waiting on their Money Network card - mine took exactly 10 business days to arrive after my first payment was processed. The key is checking your UI Online account regularly rather than relying on any texts or emails. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and keeping each other safe from these scammers!

This thread is so helpful - thank you all for the warnings! I'm also a new claimant (filed about a month ago) and have been getting similar sketchy texts. What I found really useful was taking screenshots of all the scam messages and forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM) - apparently that helps carriers track and block these numbers. Also wanted to mention that when I finally got through to EDD about my pending status, they told me that scammers are specifically targeting people who recently filed claims because our info might be in some data breach. They recommended never giving out your EDD customer account number or social over the phone unless YOU initiated the call to their official number. Stay safe everyone!

FINAL UPDATE: Got my decision letter today - I WON!! The judge reversed the EDD's determination and found I was eligible for benefits! The letter says EDD has to process this within 10 days. Such a huge relief after months of stress. For anyone else waiting - definitely call that CUIAB number to check status, and definitely keep certifying every two weeks even while you wait!

Congratulations on winning your appeal! This gives me so much hope as someone who's been waiting for my decision too. I had my hearing 6 weeks ago and have been checking the mail obsessively every day. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the wait times are all over the place but most people are getting decisions between 7-10 weeks. I'm definitely going to call that CUIAB number to check my status - thanks for sharing that resource! And good reminder about continuing to certify - I almost stopped doing it because it felt pointless when everything keeps showing "disqualified." Really glad it worked out for you after all that stress and financial hardship.

Anybody else feel like they need a degree in bureaucracy just to navigate this stuff? I swear, dealing with unemployment has been harder than any job I've ever had 🤣🤦‍♂️

Hey Gabriel, I was in the exact same boat last month! Here's what worked for me: I called right at 8am when they opened (set like 5 alarms lol) and got through after about 2 hours on hold. When I explained I had a family emergency that caused me to miss the interview, they were actually pretty understanding and rescheduled me for the next week. Make sure you have all your documents ready and a really good explanation. Also, don't panic - missing one interview doesn't automatically disqualify you, but you do need to act fast. The key is being persistent but polite when you finally get someone on the line. You got this! 💪