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I'm so sorry you're going through this - the Money Network card system is absolutely broken and it's infuriating how EDD just washes their hands of it. I had my card compromised twice last year and learned some hard lessons. A few things that helped me: First, when you call that 1-866-692-9374 number, immediately press 0 multiple times to bypass the automated system - don't even listen to the menu options. Once you get a human, tell them you need to speak to the "fraud resolution department" not regular customer service. They have different access levels. Second, if your replacement card won't activate, there's usually a "temporary block" on the account that regular customer service can't remove. The fraud department can lift this immediately once they verify your identity. Third, demand they send you a written confirmation of your fraud claim via email or mail. Without documentation, they can just claim there's no record of your case. The whole system is designed to make you give up, but don't let them wear you down. Your $2,870 is YOUR money that you earned. Keep escalating until someone with actual authority helps you. Good luck!
This is incredibly helpful, thank you so much! I had no idea about pressing 0 multiple times to bypass the menu or asking specifically for the "fraud resolution department." I've been wasting time with regular customer service who keep telling me they can't do anything. I'm going to call right now and follow your exact steps. The part about getting written confirmation is really smart too - I should have been doing that from the beginning. It's ridiculous that we have to become experts in navigating their broken system just to access our own money, but I really appreciate you sharing what actually worked for you!
I just went through this exact nightmare last month! The Money Network card system is absolutely terrible and EDD acts like they have no responsibility for it. Here's what finally worked for me after weeks of frustration: First, call 1-866-692-9374 and when the automated system starts, immediately say "FRAUD DEPARTMENT" - don't wait for menu options. Regular customer service is useless, but the fraud team can actually access and transfer your funds. Second, if they say your case is "under investigation" for 10-15 days, don't accept that. Tell them you need emergency fund access for essential expenses and ask for their "hardship expedite process" - they won't mention this exists unless you specifically ask. Third, get EVERYTHING in writing. Ask for email confirmation of your fraud case, the case number, and timeline for resolution. Without documentation, they'll just give you the runaround forever. I also discovered that you can request an immediate transfer of ALL your funds to your bank account instead of waiting for a new card. This bypasses the whole card activation mess entirely. The whole system is designed to exhaust you into giving up, but that's YOUR money you earned. Don't let them keep it! Stay persistent and keep escalating until someone with actual authority helps you. You've got this!
So glad to see everyone's payments are starting to come through! I'm new to unemployment benefits and this was my first holiday delay - I was definitely stressed out like Giovanni was. It's really helpful to know this is normal and happens with every holiday. I'll bookmark this thread for future reference since I'm sure I'll need these reminders for July 4th and other holidays coming up. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice!
Welcome to the unemployment community! Holiday delays are definitely one of those things they don't warn you about when you first start getting benefits. I remember my first Memorial Day delay had me checking my account every hour thinking something was wrong. Now I know to just expect it and plan accordingly. This community has been so helpful for navigating all these little quirks of the EDD system that you only learn through experience!
Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact process in December 2024! My regular UI benefits exhausted right before the holidays (talk about stressful timing), but the extension process worked pretty much exactly as everyone here described. A few things that might help ease your anxiety: 1. I got my extension notice on day 6 after exhaustion, and payments resumed on day 8 - so right in that 7-10 day window everyone mentioned 2. The "California Extended Duration Benefits" program gave me the full 13 weeks at my same weekly amount ($580) 3. Most importantly - I kept certifying during the gap and all those certifications were honored once the extension kicked in One thing I wish I'd known: when you get the extension notice in UI Online, there's a small PDF attachment that explains the new work search requirements. Make sure to download and read it carefully because the requirements ARE slightly different for extensions (as someone mentioned about needing to expand your industry search). For medical device sales - have you looked into companies doing medical AI or remote monitoring devices? That sector is exploding right now and they really value traditional medical sales experience. A friend of mine transitioned from pharmaceutical sales to a company making AI diagnostic tools and said the earning potential is actually better than traditional med device. Hang in there - both the extension and the job market will work out. The system really has gotten more reliable over the past year!
This is exactly the kind of detailed timeline I needed to hear! Getting the extension notice on day 6 and payments resuming on day 8 gives me such a clear expectation to work with. And knowing that all the certifications during the gap period get honored is huge - I was worried I might lose those weeks if something went wrong. Thanks for the heads up about the PDF attachment with work search requirements - I'll make sure to download and read that carefully when I get my notice. It sounds like the expanded industry search requirement is pretty standard for extensions, so I'll start broadening my applications now to get ahead of that. The medical AI and remote monitoring suggestion is really intriguing! I hadn't thought about how my existing relationships with hospitals and clinics could be valuable to AI diagnostic companies. Do you know if your friend found those opportunities through traditional job boards or more through networking? I'm wondering if LinkedIn outreach might be the better approach for those newer companies. Really appreciate you sharing your December experience - it's so reassuring to hear from someone who just went through this recently and confirms the process is working smoothly!
I'm a newcomer here but going through a very similar situation! My regular UI benefits exhaust in about 3 weeks and I've been losing sleep over what happens next. This entire thread has been like finding gold - so much practical, real-world advice that you just can't get from the EDD website. A few questions for the group: 1. For those who've gone through the extension recently, did you notice any changes to your UI Online dashboard during that 6-8 day waiting period, or does it just look like your claim is dead until the notice appears? 2. I'm also in medical sales (surgical devices) and the job market feels brutal right now. Has anyone had success with contract or temp-to-perm roles while waiting for permanent positions? I'm wondering if that might be a good bridge strategy. 3. For the work search requirement expansion - when they say you need to look at other industries, do they actually verify this through the job contacts you report, or is it more of a general expectation? I'm definitely going to implement all the tips shared here - setting up text notifications, creating a tracking spreadsheet, and reaching out proactively to my landlord about potential payment timing. Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences. It's amazing how much more manageable this feels when you know what to actually expect!
hey i know this is kinda off topic but does anyone know if they can garnish your tax refund for EDD overpayments? I'm expecting a refund this year and worried they'll take it
Yes, EDD can intercept your state and federal tax refunds for unpaid overpayments. They typically do this after sending several collection notices if you haven't set up a payment plan or received a waiver. This is one more reason why addressing the overpayment quickly with either a payment plan or waiver application is so important.
I went through something very similar last year and want to share what worked for me. After getting my hearing decision (also ruled ineligible), I was panicking about the overpayment too. Here's what I learned: Don't wait for the overpayment notice! Call EDD immediately and ask them to send you form DE 1446W (the financial hardship waiver application) right away. I made the mistake of waiting for the official notice and it delayed my waiver application by almost 3 weeks. When you call, also ask them to put a temporary hold on any collection activities while your waiver is being processed. Not all reps will do this, but some will if you explain your financial situation. For the waiver application, be thorough with your documentation. I included: - Bank statements showing minimal funds - Unemployment verification letter - Monthly budget breakdown showing expenses exceed income - Medical bills (if you have any) - Written statement explaining how repayment would cause severe financial hardship My waiver was approved after about 10 weeks. The key is showing you genuinely can't afford to repay without causing serious hardship to your basic living needs. Also, keep detailed records of every interaction with EDD - dates, times, rep names, reference numbers. You'll need this if there are any issues later. Hang in there - the waiver process does work for people in genuine financial hardship!
This is incredibly helpful, thank you so much for sharing your experience! I'm definitely going to call EDD tomorrow and request that DE 1446W form right away instead of waiting. The tip about asking for a temporary hold on collections is something I hadn't thought of - I'll make sure to mention that too. It's reassuring to hear that the waiver process actually worked for someone. I've been so stressed thinking I'm going to be stuck with this debt forever. Did you have to provide any additional documentation after you submitted your initial waiver application, or did they approve it based on what you sent initially?
Libby Hassan
This whole thread is so validating - I'm dealing with the exact same situation! Reopened my claim 18 days ago and it's like it never happened. No confirmation page, no emails, no mail, and that stupid "Reopen Your Claim" button is still there taunting me every time I log in. I was starting to think I somehow messed up the submission, but seeing all your experiences makes me realize this is just EDD's broken system being broken as usual. I can see my claim balance and benefit year end date too, so I'm hoping that means it's actually in their system somewhere. Planning to use CosmicCruiser's calling script tomorrow - hopefully I can get through! It's honestly ridiculous that we have to become EDD system troubleshooters just to get basic confirmation that our claims exist. Thanks everyone for sharing - knowing I'm not alone in this mess definitely helps with the anxiety!
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GalacticGuardian
•You're definitely not alone in this! I just went through the exact same thing last month - reopened my claim and it was like screaming into the void. That reopen button staying there is the worst because it makes you think nothing went through at all. Since you can see your claim balance and benefit year end date, that's actually a really good sign that your claim IS in their system. I ended up having to call multiple times before getting through, but when I finally did, the rep confirmed my claim had been processing the whole time - their system just doesn't update the interface properly. Keep trying with those phone calls, and don't click that reopen button again no matter how tempting it is! Hang in there, it will get sorted out.
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Elijah O'Reilly
This is such a helpful thread! I'm in week 2.5 of the same exact nightmare - reopened my claim and it's like it got sucked into a black hole. No confirmation page, no emails, nothing in the mail, and that cursed reopen button is still sitting there like nothing happened. I was honestly starting to panic thinking I did something wrong during the submission process, but reading all these experiences is so reassuring that it's just EDD's system being completely broken as usual. The fact that so many people are dealing with this identical issue shows how widespread their technical problems are. I can see my claim balance and benefit year end date too, which based on what CosmicCruiser explained sounds like a good sign my claim is actually in their system somewhere. Definitely going to try calling tomorrow using that script - fingers crossed I can actually get through to a human! It's absolutely insane that we have to become EDD system detectives just to figure out if our basic claim submissions even exist. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories, it really helps knowing we're all navigating this mess together!
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Daniela Rossi
•Wow, reading through all these experiences is both terrifying and comforting at the same time! I'm brand new to dealing with EDD (just lost my job last month) and was planning to file for the first time, but seeing how broken their system is for reopened claims has me really worried about what to expect. It sounds like even when things work, they don't really "work" if you know what I mean. The fact that you all have to become system experts just to get basic confirmation is insane. I'm taking notes from everyone's advice here though - especially that calling script and the tip about checking claim balance/benefit year dates. Thanks for documenting all this, it's like a survival guide for dealing with EDD's dysfunction! I really hope you get through to someone tomorrow and can finally get some answers about your claim.
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