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Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
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- Redial until on hold
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If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
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'm also a recent military retiree (Army, January 2025) and went through this exact same thing! Just wanted to add a few things that might help: 1. The eligibility interview is standard for military retirees - they schedule it automatically because they want to verify you're genuinely seeking civilian employment and not just taking a "transition vacation" 2. When I had my interview (took about 6 weeks to get scheduled), they asked very detailed questions about my job search. Have ready: specific company names, job titles, dates applied, method of application, and be prepared to explain how your MOS/military skills translate to the civilian jobs you're targeting 3. They also asked about any networking events, job fairs, or veteran employment resources I'd used. Consider registering with ClearanceJobs, Corporate Gray, or RecruitMilitary if you haven't already - having these on your list shows proactive job searching 4. Regarding the pension - you're 100% correct not to report it until you actually receive payments. I made the mistake of mentioning I was "entitled" to retirement pay and they got confused. Only report actual received income 5. Once approved, they released all my held payments in one lump sum. The whole process was frustrating but the back pay made up for the stress Hang in there - this is just part of the military-to-civilian transition process with EDD. Your benefits should come through once you complete the interview!
This is incredibly helpful information! Thank you for taking the time to share all these details from your own experience. The 6-week timeline for getting the interview scheduled gives me a better idea of what to expect, though I'm hoping mine comes through sooner. I really appreciate the specific suggestions about veteran employment resources - I hadn't heard of ClearanceJobs or Corporate Gray before. I'll definitely register with those and add them to my job search documentation. Having a clearance should hopefully open up some opportunities. Your point about only mentioning actual received income (not "entitled" income) is really important. I can see how that terminology could confuse the EDD representatives and potentially complicate things. It's reassuring to hear that you got all your back pay in one lump sum after approval. That makes the waiting period more bearable knowing the money will eventually come through. Thanks again for sharing your experience - it's exactly the kind of real-world insight that helps navigate this confusing process!
I'm a fellow Marine who retired in 2023 and went through this exact same situation! The $0 payments are definitely due to the eligibility interview hold, not anything you did wrong with pension reporting. You're absolutely correct not to report pension income until you actually receive it. A few tips from my experience: - The eligibility interview took about 4-5 weeks to get scheduled for me - They'll ask detailed questions about your job search efforts, so start keeping records NOW (company names, positions, dates, application methods) - Emphasize how your Marine Corps skills transfer to civilian roles you're targeting - Mention any veteran job resources you're using (USAJobs, CorporateGray, HireVeterans.com, etc.) - Be prepared to explain your availability and willingness to work different shifts/locations The interview itself was pretty straightforward - they just want to verify you're genuinely seeking employment and not treating this as extended leave. Once I completed it, all my held payments were released within a week. Your pension situation will be handled separately later when DFAS actually starts paying you. At that point, EDD will only deduct about 50% of your weekly pension amount from your UI benefits. Stay strong, Marine - this bureaucratic hurdle is just part of the transition process. You'll get through it and receive your back pay. Semper Fi!
Semper Fi, Marine! Thanks for the detailed breakdown - it's really helpful to hear from someone who's been through this exact process. The 4-5 week timeline gives me hope that I won't be waiting too much longer. I've already started that job search spreadsheet based on earlier advice in this thread, and I'll definitely emphasize the veteran resources I'm using. It's good to know the interview is straightforward and they just want to verify genuine job seeking efforts. Your point about the pension deduction being only 50% when it does kick in is reassuring too. I was worried they might take it dollar-for-dollar against my benefits. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and the encouragement. This transition stuff can be overwhelming sometimes, but knowing other Marines have navigated it successfully helps a lot. Thanks for the support!
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I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. My employer also lied and said I quit when I was clearly laid off due to "company restructuring." The most important thing right now is to start certifying for benefits IMMEDIATELY - even though you're disqualified, you need to keep certifying every two weeks or you'll lose out on backpay when you win your appeal. Here's what worked for me: I called the EDD Appeals Board directly at 1-800-300-5616 (not the regular EDD number) and was able to get through after about 45 minutes on hold. They confirmed my appeal was in the system and gave me a case number. If you can't get through by phone, definitely visit your local EDD office in person with all your documentation. Also, don't panic about the 8 weeks - mine took almost 12 weeks but I did eventually get my hearing and won. The text messages from your boss are excellent evidence. Make sure you have multiple copies printed out and organized chronologically. The judge will want to see exactly what was said and when. Hang in there - employers lie to EDD all the time to avoid paying higher unemployment taxes, but when you have clear documentation like you do, the appeals judges usually rule in favor of the employee.
This is really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same situation! I'm definitely going to call that Appeals Board number you mentioned - I didn't even know there was a separate number for appeals. Did you have to provide any additional documentation during your hearing beyond the initial text messages, or were those sufficient to prove your case? I'm trying to make sure I have everything I might need ready to go.
I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! My employer told EDD I resigned when I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. It's been 6 weeks since I filed my appeal and I'm getting really worried about the silence. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying - it sounds like this happens way more often than it should. I had no idea I was supposed to keep certifying during the appeal process, so thank you everyone for mentioning that repeatedly. I'm going to start doing that immediately. One question for those who have been through this - when you finally got your hearing, did your employer actually show up to defend their false claim? I'm wondering if some employers just lie initially hoping you won't appeal, but then don't bother showing up to the hearing when they know they'll lose. Also, has anyone had success getting legal help for these cases? I'm wondering if having an attorney would speed things up or make the outcome more certain, especially since my financial situation is getting desperate.
I'm so sorry you're going through this too! From what I've read in other forums and my own research, employers often don't show up to the hearings when they know they're lying. They're basically hoping you won't appeal or will give up during the long wait. When they do show up, they usually can't provide any evidence to contradict clear documentation like text messages. As for legal help, you typically don't need an attorney for EDD appeals - the process is designed to be handled by claimants themselves. The Administrative Law Judges are used to dealing with people representing themselves. Plus, attorney fees would probably cost more than the benefits you'd receive. That said, some legal aid organizations offer free help with unemployment appeals if you qualify based on income. The most important thing right now is definitely to start certifying ASAP and keep doing it every two weeks. Also, definitely call that Appeals Board number that Benjamin mentioned - having a case number will give you some peace of mind that your appeal is actually in the system. Hang in there - it sounds like both you and Katherine have really strong cases with clear documentation. The system is frustratingly slow but it does work eventually!
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Update: I finally got through to EDD after trying for two days (thanks to everyone who suggested ways to contact them). The rep confirmed what you all said - my benefits are lower because my earnings were concentrated in just two quarters. She checked my reported wages and everything was correct. I'm disappointed but at least I understand it now. Going to adjust my budget and step up my job search. Thanks everyone for your help explaining this!
Glad you got confirmation! One more tip - if you exhaust your regular UI benefits before finding work, check if you qualify for a Fed-Ed extension (if unemployment rates are high) or consider job training programs through EDD that can extend your benefits while you build new skills. Good luck with your job search!
Thank you! I didn't know about those options. Will definitely look into them if my job search takes longer than expected.
I went through something similar when I filed my claim last year. The whole base period calculation really caught me off guard too. One thing that helped me was requesting a detailed breakdown of my base period wages from EDD - they can send you a form that shows exactly which quarters and earnings they used. Sometimes there are reporting delays from employers that can affect your calculation. Also, if you had any unreported tips, freelance work, or side income during your base period, you might be able to add those to increase your claim balance. It's worth double-checking everything since even small wage adjustments can add a few extra weeks to your benefits.
That's really helpful advice! I didn't know you could request a detailed breakdown of the base period wages. How do you go about requesting that form? And you're right about checking for unreported income - I did some freelance graphic design work during that time period that might not have been reported properly. Even if it only adds a week or two of benefits, that could make a big difference in my job search timeline.
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So glad to hear you got your money back quickly! This whole thread has been super helpful - I've been using the Money Network card for months without realizing how vulnerable it is. Just set up direct deposit and text alerts after reading everyone's experiences. It's crazy how common this fraud seems to be with these cards. Thanks for sharing your story and keeping us updated!
Yes, this thread has been eye-opening! I had no idea Money Network card fraud was this common. I've been using mine for over a year without any issues, but after reading all these stories I'm definitely switching to direct deposit ASAP. The fact that multiple people have experienced this makes me realize it's not a matter of if, but when. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - especially the tips about setting up alerts and filing police reports immediately if it happens.
This is exactly why I switched to direct deposit after my first unemployment payment! I kept hearing horror stories about Money Network cards getting compromised and decided it wasn't worth the risk. For anyone still on the fence about switching - it's so easy to set up through your EDD online account, and you get your payments 1-2 days faster than with the card. The only downside is you need a bank account, but even a basic checking account at a credit union is safer than these prepaid cards. Really glad you got your money back so quickly @Anastasia Ivanova - your experience will definitely help others who go through this!
Fiona Sand
I'm in the exact same situation! Used Claimyr about 6 days ago and still haven't gotten any calls back. The waiting is honestly the worst part because you just don't know if it's working or if you've been scammed. I've been checking my phone constantly and even had my family members call me to make sure it's working properly lol. What's really frustrating is that we're paying these services because the actual EDD system is so broken that it's literally impossible to get through on our own. At this point I'm considering just eating the $20 loss and trying to call directly again, but I know that's probably futile too. Has anyone actually gotten their money back from these callback services when they don't deliver? This whole thing is such a mess! 😩
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Donna Cline
•Oh my god, yes! The constant phone checking is so real - I've been doing the same thing, even asking friends to call me just to make sure my phone is working 😅 Six days is already way too long for a paid service. I haven't tried getting money back yet, but from what I've read in other threads, some people have had success with credit card disputes if the service doesn't deliver within a reasonable timeframe. Maybe give it a couple more days and then initiate a chargeback? It's so messed up that we're in this position where we have to pay random companies just to talk to our own government. The whole system needs a complete overhaul! Hang in there - hopefully we'll both get through soon! 🤞
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Sofía Rodríguez
I'm going through the exact same thing! Paid for a callback service 4 days ago and still nothing. The worst part is feeling like you're in limbo - you don't want to try other methods because you're waiting for the service you paid for, but you also don't know if it's even working. I've been screenshot-ing everything just in case I need to dispute the charge later. It's honestly insane that we have to resort to paying third-party services just to reach a government agency that's supposed to help us. The whole EDD system feels like it's designed to make us give up. Stay strong everyone - we shouldn't have to jump through all these hoops just to get the help we're entitled to! 💪
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