
California Unemployment
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Received a notice saying I need to call EDD within 10 days to schedule a phone interview but I've been trying for 3 days straight and can't get through. The notice doesn't give a direct number, just says to call the main line. I'm following the 1-wait-1-1-*** pattern but keep getting 'too busy' message. Anyone else dealt with this call in notice response requirement? I'm worried about missing the deadline.
The call in notice response system worked better pre-pandemic when you could visit offices in person. Now it's all phone-based and the infrastructure can't handle the volume.
Final update: Got my call in notice response completed using automated calling service. Took 28 minutes total vs the 6 days I spent trying manually. Should have done it from day 1.
I'm in the exact same situation right now - day 4 of trying to get through for my call in notice response with only 6 days left on the deadline. Reading all these experiences really shows how broken this system is. I think I need to bite the bullet and use Claimyr too. The manual calling approach seems like it could easily eat up my remaining time with no guarantee of success.
Just signed up for Claimyr after reading all these horror stories about manual calling. I'm on day 5 of my 10-day deadline and can't risk running out of time. The fact that so many people here have had success with it while spending weeks failing manually really says everything about how broken the regular system is. Will update once I get my callback!
I've been certifying for about 3 months now with zero issues - payments always hit my account within 48 hours. But this week when I certified, both weeks suddenly switched to 'pending' status. When I called the automated line, it said there's a 'problem that needs to be reviewed by EDD staff.' No explanation whatsoever. I haven't changed anything in my certifications, still looking for work the same way, and didn't have any income to report. My mortgage is due next week and I'm seriously freaking out. Has this happened to anyone else out of nowhere? Do I just wait or is there something I should be doing? The uncertainty is killing me!
I'm new to this community and currently going through my first unemployment experience. This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly a huge relief! I had no idea that EDD does these random eligibility reviews - it's both frustrating that it can happen to anyone at any time, but also reassuring to see so many people go through it and come out fine on the other end. The way @2ff2c9d98ae1 documented their entire journey from panic to resolution really helped me understand what to expect if this happens to me. I'm definitely taking all the advice here to heart about keeping super detailed work search records, saving screenshots of job postings, and continuing to certify even if payments go pending. I'm also bookmarking that Claimyr service just in case - the regular EDD phone lines seem impossible to get through to. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences so openly - this kind of community knowledge is invaluable for navigating such a confusing system!
@c4c493369e86 Welcome to the community! I'm also fairly new here and this thread has been such a lifesaver. When I first saw my payments go to pending last week, I had no idea what was happening and honestly thought I was the only one dealing with this. Seeing @2ff2c9d98ae1's complete journey from the initial panic to getting it resolved really put things in perspective - these random reviews seem to be way more common than I realized. What really struck me is how many different people in this thread have gone through the exact same thing, which shows it's just part of how EDD operates rather than something specific we did wrong. I'm taking all the documentation advice seriously too - better to be over-prepared than caught off guard during one of these reviews. It's reassuring to know there are resources like Claimyr when the regular phone system fails us. This community really is amazing for sharing real-world experiences!
I'm brand new to both this community and the unemployment system, and this entire thread has been absolutely invaluable! I just started my claim last month and had no clue that EDD does these random eligibility reviews - it's honestly terrifying that it can happen without warning, but seeing how many people have successfully navigated through it is really encouraging. What impressed me most was how @2ff2c9d98ae1 kept everyone updated throughout the whole process and shared the solution that worked. I'm definitely going to start keeping much more detailed records of my job search activities after reading all the advice here. I'm also saving the Claimyr information just in case I need it in the future since it seems like the regular phone system is nearly impossible. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's amazing how this community helps newcomers like me understand what we might face and how to handle it!
I just discovered someone hacked my EDD Bank of America card and drained $4,700 from my account last weekend! I've already filed the fraud claim with BofA (spent 3 hours on hold before getting through), filed a police report, and notified EDD through UI Online. Now I'm panicking because that was literally all the money I had to pay rent and bills this month. Has anyone gone through this nightmare before? How long did the investigation take? Did you actually get your money back? The BofA rep was super vague and just said "it could take up to 90 days" which is absolutely terrifying. My landlord isn't going to wait 90 days for rent! Any experiences or advice would be so appreciated right now.
I'm so sorry you're going through this terrifying situation! I just joined this community after having $2,100 stolen from my EDD card through ATM withdrawals in Las Vegas last week (I'm in Los Angeles and have never been to Nevada). Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening - the level of detailed, practical advice here is absolutely amazing. I had no idea about most of these strategies like the specific BofA EDD fraud number (1-866-692-9374), filing a CFPB complaint at consumerfinance.gov, or asking for the "housing emergency" flag. The tip about checking if scammers changed your address is genius - I'm calling to verify that first thing tomorrow! What gives me the most hope is seeing how many people actually got their full amount back, even though the 30-45 day waiting period sounds absolutely brutal when you're facing immediate rent and bills. The success stories with specific timelines (like 29 days, 34 days, 38 days) make this feel like it has a real end date rather than an endless nightmare. I've already filed with BofA and got my police report, but now I know to document everything in writing after calls, take screenshots of both fraudulent and normal transactions, and be proactive about escalation rather than waiting passively. The strategies about gathering location evidence (work schedules, social media posts, phone location data) are brilliant - I never would have thought of those! Thank you all for creating such an incredibly supportive and informative community. Just knowing there are people who truly understand this panic and have successfully navigated through it makes this feel so much less overwhelming. I'll definitely update with my progress to help others! ๐
@d24566c587fe Welcome to this incredible community! I'm also new here and have been amazed by how supportive and knowledgeable everyone is. Your situation with the Las Vegas ATM withdrawals sounds very similar to what many others have experienced - and the good news is that being able to prove you've never been to Nevada should really strengthen your fraud case. I've been taking detailed notes from all the advice in this thread and it's clear that being proactive and systematic makes a huge difference. The fact that you're already planning to verify your address, document everything in writing, and gather location evidence shows you're approaching this strategically, which seems to be key for getting faster resolution. What really stands out to me from everyone's experiences is how the CFPB complaint strategy seems to be a real game-changer for getting executive attention within 24-48 hours. Combined with the "housing emergency" flag and persistent follow-ups, it looks like there are actually concrete tools we can use to advocate for ourselves rather than just waiting helplessly. The timeline success stories (29-45 days with full recovery) give me hope too. Yes, it's terrifying when you're facing immediate bills, but seeing so many real people get through this successfully makes it feel manageable. This community has honestly been more helpful than hours on official phone lines! Looking forward to following your progress - having people document their cases in real-time seems really valuable for future members who find themselves in this nightmare. We're all going to get through this together! ๐
I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare! I just discovered this community while dealing with my own EDD card fraud situation - someone stole $3,100 from my account through ATM withdrawals in Phoenix three days ago (I'm in San Diego and have never been to Arizona). Reading through everyone's experiences and advice here has been both terrifying and incredibly reassuring. The detailed strategies you've all shared - the specific BofA EDD fraud number (1-866-692-9374), filing a CFPB complaint at consumerfinance.gov, asking for the "housing emergency" flag, checking if they changed your address - these are all things I never would have known to do! What gives me the most hope is seeing how many people actually got their full amount back, even though the 30-45 day waiting period sounds absolutely brutal when you're facing immediate bills. The success stories with specific timelines really help make this feel like it has an actual end date rather than an endless nightmare. I've already filed with BofA and gotten my police report number, but now I know to document everything in writing after each call, take screenshots of both fraudulent and normal transactions, and be proactive about escalation rather than just waiting helplessly. The tip about gathering location evidence (work schedules, social media posts, phone location data) is brilliant! This community has honestly provided more practical, actionable advice in one thread than I got from hours on official phone lines. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where people can share real experiences and help each other through this terrifying situation. I'll definitely update with my progress to help others going through the same thing! ๐
@b6ca316eeb5f Welcome to this incredible community! I'm also new here and just going through a similar situation - had $1,750 stolen from my EDD card through ATM withdrawals in Nevada two days ago (I'm in Bakersfield and have never been to Nevada). Finding this thread has been such a lifeline during what feels like the most stressful financial crisis of my life. The level of detailed, practical advice everyone has shared here is absolutely amazing - it's like having a roadmap through this nightmare when the official channels just give you vague responses and endless hold times. Your plan to implement all the strategies mentioned here is exactly what I'm doing too. The systematic approach (documentation, screenshots, CFPB complaint by next week, checking address changes) seems to be what separates successful cases from ones that drag on forever. I'm particularly hopeful about the "housing emergency" flag since I'm also facing potential eviction if this takes too long to resolve. What really gives me comfort is seeing so many real people share their actual timelines and outcomes. When Anastasia mentioned getting her full $2,400 back in 42 days, or when Liam got his resolved in 29 days - these aren't just statistics, they're real success stories from people who were in our exact situation. This community has shown me that we don't have to just sit helplessly and wait. We have tools and strategies to advocate for ourselves. Thank you for sharing your experience and for planning to update with your progress - having real-time documentation of current cases will be so valuable for future members who find themselves in this terrifying situation! ๐ช
I'm at my wit's end with this unemployment situation. I was laid off from my admin position at a healthcare clinic 4 months ago, and my former employer has been fighting my EDD claim every step of the way. They initially claimed I was fired for misconduct (completely untrue - I had perfect performance reviews). EDD investigated and awarded me benefits. Then my employer appealed the decision. First appeal hearing: they didn't even show up! The judge ruled in my favor. Then they appealed AGAIN to take it to court. Guess what? They didn't show up AGAIN! I thought that would be the end of it, but I just got notified they've filed yet another appeal! This is so stressful. I'm barely keeping up with rent while looking for work. How many times can they keep doing this? What should I expect at this point? Will EDD make me pay back benefits if they eventually win? Anyone dealt with an employer this persistent with appeals?
Based on my experience with the appeals process, I think you're almost at the end. After CUIAB, they'd have to go to Superior Court which requires filing fees and probably hiring an attorney. Most employers don't pursue it that far, especially if they haven't even bothered to show up twice already. It seems they're just being petty at this point.
I'm sorry you're going through this exhausting process! As someone who's dealt with persistent employer appeals, I can tell you that each level gets harder and more expensive for them to pursue. The fact they're no-showing repeatedly is actually a good sign - it suggests they don't have a strong case and are just trying to wear you down. One thing that helped me was requesting that the judge note their pattern of non-appearance in the record. After my employer's second no-show, I specifically asked the ALJ to include language about their failure to participate meaningfully in the appeals process. This made it much harder for them to claim they had legitimate grounds for further appeals. Also, if you haven't already, consider reaching out to your state assemblyperson's office. They often have constituent services staff who can help navigate EDD issues and sometimes apply pressure to resolve cases that are clearly being dragged out unnecessarily. Hang in there - this kind of harassment tactic usually backfires on employers in the long run!
TommyKapitz
This is exactly what I needed to see today! I've been struggling to get through to for the past 2 weeks and was starting to lose hope. My claim has been stuck in "pending" status since I filed, and I've probably spent 50+ hours on hold only to get disconnected every single time. Reading through everyone's experiences here - especially @Isaiah Sanders getting his 6-week issue resolved in just 3 hours and @Connor Murphy's successful combination approach - gives me so much hope that there are actually viable solutions out there. I'm definitely going to start with those free YouTube methods @Tom Maxon shared, but knowing there's a reliable backup option like Claimyr makes me feel so much less stressed about the whole situation. The $5 is a nice bonus too! Thank you @Elizabeth Pinedo for sharing this resource and thank you to everyone else for being so open about your experiences. This community is incredible - I wish I had found it weeks ago!
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Sienna Gomez
@TommyKapitz I'm in almost the exact same situation as you - 2 weeks of trying with countless disconnections! It's so frustrating but also comforting to know we're not alone in this struggle. I just joined this community today after finding this thread, and I'm amazed by how supportive everyone has been. The success stories from @Isaiah Sanders and @Connor Murphy are giving me the motivation to keep pushing forward. I m planning'to try those YouTube methods first thing tomorrow morning, and like you said, having the Claimyr option as a backup takes so much pressure off. 50+ hours on hold is absolutely brutal - you deserve major credit for your persistence! Let s both'try the free methods this week and maybe check back in to share how it goes? Having someone else going through the same timeline might help us both stay motivated. Thanks for sharing your experience - sometimes just knowing you re not'the only one dealing with this makes all the difference!
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Lucas Schmidt
This thread is so encouraging! I've been dealing with issues for about 3 weeks now - my claim went from "paid" to "pending" after a routine eligibility review, and I haven't been able to get through to anyone for answers. I've probably called 200+ times at this point with no luck. Reading all these success stories, especially @Isaiah Sanders getting through in just 3 hours and @Connor Murphy's smart combination approach, really gives me hope that there are actual solutions out there. I'm definitely going to try those YouTube methods @Tom Maxon shared first, but it's such a relief to know there's a reliable backup option like Claimyr if needed. The fact that so many people in this community have actually gotten their issues resolved makes me feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you @Elizabeth Pinedo for sharing this resource and the - even small savings help when you're unemployed! This community has already been more helpful in one thread than weeks of trying to navigate 's official channels.
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