my sister did this and when she tried to actually certify it wouldnt let her!! she had to call and they fixed something on there end. just a heads up u might still have issues

i rember in 2024 edd changed the rules for reopening claims and you have to do a phone interview if you worked more than 4 weeks so don't be surprise if they schedule you for one

I should also mention: make sure you're answering the work search questions correctly. The phone system doesn't allow you to explain your work search activities like the online system does. If you're required to look for work, you need to answer "Yes" to that question or you might get disqualified. EDD has been more strict about work search requirements in 2025.

Just wanted to add that if you're calling during peak hours (like Sunday evenings when everyone is trying to certify), the system can be really slow or even busy. I've found that calling early in the morning around 6-7 AM or later in the evening around 8-9 PM tends to work better. Also, make sure you have a stable phone connection - if the call drops during certification, you'll have to start over completely. Good luck getting through!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're consistently doing gig work while on unemployment, consider setting up a simple spreadsheet to track everything. I learned this the hard way after getting confused about which weeks I worked and almost double-reported earnings one time. I track: date worked, company/client, gross amount earned, and which certification period it falls under. This has saved me so much stress because EDD asks for the earnings during the week you actually worked, not when you got paid. So if you worked Monday-Wednesday but didn't get paid until the following week, you still report those earnings for the week you actually did the work. Also totally agree with what others said about Chase being fast with deposits - usually see mine by Tuesday morning when everything processes normally. Hang in there with the rent situation, sounds like you should be good to go soon!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's dealt with this exact situation multiple times - when you report part-time earnings for the first time on a claim, EDD's system almost always flags it for manual review. It's super annoying but totally normal. What I've found is that the delay is usually 24-48 hours longer than a normal certification. So if you normally get paid by Tuesday, expect it Wednesday or Thursday when you report earnings. The good news is that once you've reported earnings a few times on the same claim, the system "learns" your pattern and the delays get shorter. One thing that might help for future certifications - try to certify as early as possible on Sunday (like midnight or early morning). I've noticed that certifications submitted later in the day sometimes don't start processing until Monday night instead of Sunday night, which pushes everything back another day. Also, since your payment is now in "paid" status, you should definitely see the deposit by tomorrow morning with Chase. Their EDD deposits usually hit between 2-6 AM on the day after it shows as paid. You should make your rent deadline no problem!

Just wondering if anyone knows if we HAVE to call? My certification has been pending for 2 weeks but maybe it just takes time to process? Do I really need to call or will it eventually change to paid? Sorry if this is a dumb question, this is my first time on unemployment.

UPDATE: I finally got through!!! For anyone who needs to know, I called right at 8:00am and kept hitting redial for about 45 minutes. Finally got in the queue and waited another hour. The rep was actually super helpful and found that there was a flag on my account from my last employer contesting my claim. She scheduled me for an eligibility interview next week to resolve it. She said all my pending weeks should be released once that's done. So if you're stuck in pending like me, definitely keep trying to call. There's probably something specific holding up your claim that only they can see in their system. Don't give up!!

Hey Aaron! I went through the exact same thing earlier this year and it was absolutely frustrating. The identity verification process is definitely a nightmare, but there is light at the end of the tunnel! A few things that helped me: • Make sure ALL your documents are crystal clear when you upload them - blurry photos will just delay things more • Keep calling until you get a Tier 2 specialist who actually knows what they're talking about • Document every single conversation (date, time, rep name, what they told you) • Be prepared to wait - mine took about 8 weeks total The good news is YES, you can absolutely get backpay for all those weeks you filed! Once your identity gets verified, they'll release all the payments you were entitled to. I got a lump sum that covered about 12 weeks of missed payments. Don't give up - I know it feels hopeless but persistence really does pay off with EDD. The system is broken but you WILL get your money eventually. Hang in there! 💪

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now and it's beyond frustrating! Been waiting 10 weeks and counting. One thing I discovered that helped a bit was uploading documents through the EDD portal AND also faxing them directly to their identity verification department (fax: 916-319-5400). Sometimes one method gets processed faster than the other. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're checking your UI Online account daily - sometimes they'll request additional documents and if you miss the deadline they restart the whole process 😤 The waiting game is brutal but from what I've seen in this thread and other forums, people ARE eventually getting their backpay once everything gets sorted out. Keeping my fingers crossed for all of us stuck in this mess!