I'm in the same boat as everyone here - been trying to get my EDD backpay sorted for months now! Reading through all these success stories with Claimyr is really encouraging. I've probably wasted 40+ hours over the past few months trying to get through to 800-300-5616 directly with zero success. Always busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like Claimyr is definitely the way to go. The $15-20 cost seems totally reasonable when you consider the time and frustration it saves. I'm planning to try it this week - does anyone know if there are better days/times to request the callback, or does it not really matter? Also, for those who got their backpay processed, how long did it actually take for the payments to hit your account after the call? Thanks for all the helpful info everyone - this community has been a lifesaver!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone still struggling with this! I was in the exact same situation as Cedric - needed EDD backpay and couldn't get through to 800-300-5616 no matter how many times I tried. After reading all these success stories, I finally used Claimyr two days ago and it was honestly a game changer. Got my callback in about 90 minutes, spoke with a Tier 2 rep who was super knowledgeable, and she was able to backdate my claim for 6 weeks on the spot. The whole process took maybe 35 minutes once connected and she gave me a confirmation number to track everything. Cost me $20 but saved me probably weeks of frustration trying to get through on my own. For anyone on the fence about the cost - just do it, it's so worth it compared to the time you'll waste otherwise!

I've been through this exact process and won my second appeal after being denied at the ALJ level. Here's what I learned that might help you: The success rate for second appeals is actually higher than most people think - around 20-25% according to my attorney - but only if you focus on legal errors rather than rehashing the same arguments. In your case, you have several strong legal angles: 1. The temporal proximity between your safety report and termination (3 weeks) creates a strong inference of retaliation 2. Those emails praising your work contradict their "performance issues" claims 3. If they didn't follow progressive discipline, that's another legal error The key is being very specific about which "Findings of Fact" were wrong and why. Don't just say "the judge was unfair" - point to specific testimony or evidence that was ignored or misinterpreted. I'd also recommend getting the hearing transcript if you haven't already. Sometimes there are discrepancies between what was actually said and what the ALJ wrote in their decision. My second appeal took about 4 months but I received $16,800 in retroactive benefits. The retaliation angle seems very strong in your case given the timing and your documentation. Don't give up!

I won my second-level CUIAB appeal about 6 months ago after going through exactly what you're describing. The statistics people are throwing around here are actually pretty accurate - around 20% success rate for second appeals, but it jumps much higher when you have strong evidence of legal errors like you do. Your case has some really compelling elements: the 3-week gap between reporting safety violations and termination, emails praising your performance right before firing, and what sounds like a failure to follow progressive discipline. These aren't just "unfair treatment" - they're specific legal errors the ALJ should have considered. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is to also look into whether your employer properly documented their alleged "performance issues." Under California law, employers generally need contemporaneous documentation of performance problems to justify termination for cause. If they're claiming ongoing issues but have no write-ups, improvement plans, or other documentation prior to your safety report, that strengthens your retaliation argument significantly. I ended up receiving about $14,200 in back benefits after my reversal. The key was staying focused on legal standards rather than just telling my story again. Your evidence sounds much stronger than what I had to work with. Don't let anyone discourage you from fighting this - you've got legitimate grounds for appeal.

This is such a common issue and it's ridiculous that EDD doesn't explain their system delays anywhere! I had the exact same problem last month - got locked out after what the system claimed were "multiple failed attempts" when I'd literally only tried logging in once. What finally worked for me was doing a complete browser reset (clearing ALL data, not just cookies), then waiting a full 2 hours before trying again. The key is really not attempting any logins during that waiting period, even though it's tempting to keep checking. Also, make sure you're using the exact same device and browser when you come back - I noticed the system seems to remember device fingerprints and gets confused if you switch between devices during the process. Hope this helps anyone else dealing with this nightmare!

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - got the dreaded "too many login attempts" message on my first try, then went through the password reset process only to have the system not recognize my new credentials. Reading through everyone's solutions, it seems like the common theme is PATIENCE - something EDD definitely doesn't make clear anywhere on their site. I'm going to try the full browser data clear method and wait the full 2 hours as suggested by @Avery Flores. It's honestly infuriating that we have to become tech support detectives just to access our own accounts, but I'm grateful this community exists to help each other navigate these ridiculous system quirks. Will update if this works for me too!

UPDATE: We got it resolved! First, my sister tried the transaction history approach, but her Covered CA rep said they really needed the official award letter. We tried calling EDD multiple times with no luck, then used Claimyr as someone suggested here. Got through to a rep in about 15 minutes who was super helpful. The rep emailed her the award letter as a PDF the same day. Thanks everyone for your help! For anyone with this same issue in the future, the transaction history is good temporary proof, but they ultimately needed the official Notice of UI Award letter.

Just wanted to add another tip for anyone finding this thread later - if you're in a real time crunch and can't get through to EDD, you can also try visiting your local EDD office in person if there's one near you. I had to do this for my mom last year when she needed documentation for her Medicare application. The wait was long (like 3+ hours) but they were able to print out her award letter on the spot. Not ideal, but it's an option if phone/online isn't working and you're running out of time. Check the EDD website for office locations and hours - some require appointments now.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been through this recently. I was also super confused about the payment timing when I first started getting benefits after being laid off from my warehouse job. The key thing that finally made it click for me was understanding that EDD operates on a "certification first, then payment" system rather than just automatically sending money every two weeks. Once I started thinking of it as "I need to check in with EDD every two weeks to confirm I still qualify, and THEN they pay me," it made way more sense. One thing that helped me stay organized was creating a simple calendar reminder that said "EDD Certification Day" for every other Sunday. I also wrote down my certification group info and next due date on a sticky note and put it on my bathroom mirror so I'd see it every morning. Also, don't stress too much about the exact timing - as long as you certify on your assigned date and answer the questions accurately, the payments will come. I was overthinking it at first and checking my bank account obsessively. Now after several months it's just part of my routine. You've got this! The first payment is always the hardest to get, and now that you're in the system it should be much smoother going forward.

Welcome to the EDD journey! I see you've already gotten tons of great advice here, but I wanted to add one more perspective as someone who just went through this exact same confusion a few months ago. The thing that helped me the most was downloading the EDD mobile app and setting up ALL the notifications - email, text, everything. That way you never miss important updates or certification reminders. Also, bookmark your UI Online homepage because that's going to be your lifeline for checking certification dates and payment status. Since you mentioned budgeting carefully (totally get it - unemployment is stressful enough without payment uncertainty), I'd suggest creating a simple spreadsheet with your certification dates and expected payment dates for the next few months. Once you get into the rhythm, it becomes super predictable and helps with planning expenses. One last tip - if you ever run into issues or have questions, this community is amazing. Everyone here has been through the same struggles and confusion with the EDD system. Don't hesitate to post if you need help figuring something out. Good luck with your claim!