anyone else feel like we need a support group just for dealing with disability claims? 😅 this stuff is more stressful than the reason I'm on disability in the first place!

Hey Lauren! I went through the exact same E311 error nightmare about 6 months ago. What finally worked for me was calling the disability line early in the morning (like 8:05 AM sharp when they open) and immediately saying "I'm calling about an E311 error on my disability claim, case number [your number]." The error usually means there's a documentation issue or identity verification problem that needs manual review. When you get through, ask them to check if all your documents were processed correctly and if there are any missing pieces. In my case, they needed me to re-submit my doctor's certification form because it got "lost in the system." Also, don't let them transfer you around - insist on staying with the first agent who can actually see your case details. Good luck, and don't give up! 💪

To the OP and everyone else struggling - hang in there! I know it's tough, but we're all in this together. Don't be afraid to reach out for help if you need it, whether it's here or through local resources. We've got this! 💪

Hey Diego! I just went through this process about 6 months ago, so I totally get the nerves. One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log of everything - dates I applied, any emails or letters I received, confirmation numbers, etc. The EDD system can be glitchy and sometimes things get lost in the shuffle. Also, don't stress too much about the job questions - just be honest and have your employment dates ready. The whole process feels overwhelming at first but once you get into the rhythm of certifying every two weeks, it becomes routine. You've got this! 👍

So glad you got it figured out! This is actually a really common issue that trips up a lot of people - the old account thing catches everyone off guard. Your post and the solutions people shared here are going to help so many others who run into the same problem. Thanks for coming back to update us with what worked!

This thread is gold! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. It's so frustrating how EDD doesn't make it clearer that you might already have an account from years ago - they should really add a note about checking account recovery first before trying to register as new. The fact that so many people are running into this exact same issue shows there's definitely a communication gap on their end. Glad to see this community helping each other navigate these bureaucratic nightmares!

UPDATE: I had my phone interview today and it went well! Called the number at exactly 10:15 as suggested, only waited about 5 minutes before someone answered. The interviewer was professional and the whole thing took about 15 minutes. They mostly verified information about why I was laid off and made sure the dates matched what my employer reported. Thanks everyone for the helpful advice - the new system where we call them actually worked pretty smoothly in my case!

Glad to hear your interview went smoothly! This is really helpful feedback about the new system. I have my phone interview coming up next week and was also worried about the process change. It's reassuring to know that calling them directly actually worked efficiently. Did they give you any indication of when you might hear back about the decision on your claim?

To directly answer your question: No, EDD will not penalize you for creating your own CalJOBS account instead of using their pre-generated one. The important requirement is that you're registered in the system and documenting your work search activities. If you're concerned, you can always mention this during your next certification by adding a note explaining that you had to create a new account due to technical issues with the pre-generated credentials. But honestly, it's not necessary - thousands of claimants create their own accounts. Just make sure you're using the same information (name, SSN, contact details) that's on your EDD claim, and the systems will eventually reconcile your records.

I went through this exact same nightmare! The password they sent me was completely useless - kept getting "invalid credentials" no matter what I tried. Turns out their system is just broken half the time. I ended up creating my own CalJOBS account and it's been working perfectly for 2 months now. EDD has never said anything about it during my certifications. The key thing is just making sure you're logging your job searches consistently - they don't actually care which login you use to do it. Pro tip: when you create your own account, use the exact same spelling of your name and info that's on your EDD paperwork. That way their systems can link everything up properly. And definitely start logging activities ASAP since your cert is due soon!