Just wanted to add that if anyone else is dealing with this same issue, there's also a "Chat with ID.me" option hidden in their help center that sometimes connects you faster than calling. Look for it under "Account Recovery" in their support section. I tried it when I couldn't get through on the phone and got connected to someone within 20 minutes. They were able to initiate the email change process right there in the chat, though they still had to verify my identity over the phone afterward. Worth trying if you're hitting busy signals on the main support line!

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now where my old email got hacked and I had to abandon it completely. Been putting off dealing with ID.me because I was dreading the process, but seeing all these success stories gives me the motivation to tackle it. Going to try the chat option first thing tomorrow morning, then call if that doesn't work out. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to access our own unemployment benefits, but at least there are workarounds. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver when navigating these government system nightmares!

This is so frustrating and unfortunately way too common with EDD! I went through something similar a few months ago where they scheduled my interview for a Friday afternoon and never called. Turns out their system had a glitch that day and multiple people got missed. Here's what I learned: definitely call them tomorrow morning right when they open at 8am. Keep hitting redial - it took me about an hour of constant calling but I eventually got through. The rep was actually helpful once I reached someone and rescheduled me for the following week. Also, take screenshots of your online portal showing today's scheduled interview time as proof you were supposed to have the call. When I spoke to the rep, having that documentation really helped my case. The good news is that once you do complete the interview (assuming it goes well), you'll get all your back pay including for this waiting period. I know it doesn't help with rent being due next week, but at least you won't lose out on the money completely. Don't lose hope - most people I know who had missed interviews got it sorted out within 1-2 weeks once they made contact with EDD. The system is broken but the individual reps are usually understanding when it's clearly their fault.

This exact thing happened to my sister last month! EDD scheduled her interview for 9am-11am and never called. She was literally sitting by her phone the whole time, just like you. What ended up working was calling the 1-800-300-5616 number at exactly 8:00am the next morning and just keep redialing over and over. It took her about 30-40 minutes of constant calling but she finally got through. The rep told her their interviewer had technical issues that day and rescheduled her for later that week. The really important thing is to make sure you keep certifying for benefits while you wait - don't let your certification lapse! My sister got all her back pay once the interview was completed and her claim was approved. Also, check your UI Online portal frequently because sometimes they'll process claims without needing the interview if they determine it's not actually necessary. That happened to one of my coworkers recently. I know how stressful this is when rent is due - hang in there and definitely start calling first thing tomorrow morning. You've got this!

Hot take: what if we all just stopped paying taxes until they fix this mess? 🤔

I'm so sorry you're going through this, Ella. 9 months is absolutely ridiculous! I had a similar situation last year - my claim sat in limbo for 6 months. What finally worked for me was sending a detailed email to my state senator's office with all my documentation. They have a constituent services team that can put pressure on EDD to actually look at your case. Also, make sure you're calling first thing in the morning (like 8:00 AM sharp) - I found I had better luck getting through then. Don't give up - you deserve those benefits!

I'm going through the exact same conditional payment mess and it's absolutely maddening! Filed in late January after my hospitality job ended, and I've been waiting for my eligibility interview scheduled for March 14th. Out of 4 pending weeks, EDD randomly decided to pay me conditionally for weeks 1 and 3, but left weeks 2 and 4 still pending with no explanation. What really drives me crazy is that I called EDD last week and the rep told me that conditional payments are processed by an "automated system" that sometimes has "temporary delays." When I asked why the delays would affect some weeks but not others from the same claim, she couldn't give me any logical answer - just kept repeating that the system "processes in its own timeframe." The inconsistency is the worst part. Reading through all these comments, it's clear that EDD's conditional payment system is completely broken right now. Some people get all weeks paid, others get random selections, and the explanations from reps are all over the place. It feels like they're just making stuff up because nobody actually understands how the system works anymore. Connor, I really hope your husband's March 10th interview clears up those pending weeks. This thread has been so helpful in showing that we're definitely not alone in dealing with this broken system. The financial stress of not knowing which weeks will get paid (or when) while waiting for interviews is honestly cruel. EDD really needs to fix this mess!

I'm dealing with this exact same conditional payment issue and it's absolutely infuriating! Filed in early February after losing my manufacturing job, and I've been waiting for my eligibility interview scheduled for March 16th. Out of my 3 pending weeks, they only released conditional payment for the last week I certified for, while the first two weeks are still stuck in pending even though they've been there for over 3 weeks now. What's really frustrating is that I called EDD twice and got completely contradictory information. The first rep told me conditional payments are released "automatically after 14 business days" but couldn't explain why only some of my weeks qualified. The second rep said there are "system review processes" that can delay conditional payments but admitted they don't have visibility into what triggers these reviews or how long they take. Reading through all these comments, it's crystal clear that EDD's conditional payment system is completely broken right now. The fact that so many of us are experiencing the exact same issue - getting random weeks paid while others remain pending with no logical pattern - shows this isn't isolated cases but a massive systemic failure. Connor, I really hope your husband's March 10th interview resolves everything. This thread has been incredibly helpful in showing we're not alone in this mess. The financial uncertainty of not knowing which weeks will get paid while bills keep coming is honestly worse than having everything just be pending. At least then you could plan accordingly! EDD really needs to acknowledge this problem and fix their system.

This is such valuable info, thank you everyone! I'm in a similar boat - my benefit year ended in February and I still have about 6 weeks left on my current claim. Reading through all these experiences makes me feel more prepared for what to expect. One thing I'm curious about: for those who had successful automatic transitions, how long did it typically take for the new claim balance to show up in your UI Online account after your old balance hit zero? I want to know what's considered "normal" timing vs when I should start worrying and calling.

This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for sharing your experiences! I'm actually going through something similar right now. My benefit year ended last month and I have about 4 weeks left on my current claim. I filed my new application right away, but I've been anxiously waiting to see how the transition will work. Reading everyone's stories gives me a much better idea of what to expect. I especially appreciate the tips about taking screenshots and keeping documentation - that's something I definitely wouldn't have thought of on my own. It's both reassuring and concerning to hear that the process can be smooth for some but require multiple phone calls for others. At least now I know to be patient but also persistent if things don't go as expected. Has anyone noticed if certain times of year tend to have more issues with these transitions, or is it pretty random?