I'm so sorry this happened to you! That clerk's behavior was completely unprofessional and inexcusable. I went through a similar situation last year where I had technical difficulties during my hearing, and here's what worked for me: First, call the Appeals Board office first thing tomorrow morning at 8am sharp - they're usually less busy then. Ask to speak with a supervisor and explain exactly what happened. Be calm but firm about how the clerk's conduct prevented you from participating in your scheduled hearing. Second, write down everything you remember about the conversation - exact times, what was said, how long you waited, etc. This documentation will be crucial. Third, if you don't get satisfaction from the supervisor, you can file a formal complaint about the clerk's conduct through the EDD website. Poor customer service like this needs to be reported. The good news is that situations like this are considered "good cause" for missing a hearing, especially when it's due to staff misconduct. Don't panic - this is fixable, but you need to act quickly. Keep us updated on how it goes!

I work as a paralegal at a firm that handles unemployment appeals, and this situation is unfortunately more common than it should be. Here's what you need to do immediately: 1. **Call the specific Appeals office listed on your Notice of Hearing** - not the general EDD number. Do this at exactly 8:00 AM when they open. 2. **Request an immediate reschedule due to clerk misconduct** - use those exact words. This creates a paper trail and puts them on notice that their staff acted inappropriately. 3. **File a written complaint** through the EDD website about the clerk's behavior. Include your case number, hearing date/time, and a detailed timeline of events. 4. **Check your UI Online account daily** - if a decision is issued saying you "failed to appear," you'll need to file an appeal within 20 days citing the clerk's conduct as good cause. The key legal point here is that you were present and ready to participate - the clerk's behavior prevented your participation, which is grounds for rescheduling under CUIAB regulations. Document everything and don't let them brush this off. You have rights as an appellant, and they violated them. Keep pushing - appeals can absolutely be won, even after setbacks like this. I've seen similar situations resolved in favor of the claimant when properly documented and escalated.

Based on the information you've provided, it sounds like you're facing a non-fraud overpayment situation. Here's the likely process you'll go through: 1. You'll receive a Notice of Potential Overpayment explaining the discrepancy 2. You'll be scheduled for a phone interview (this is why getting through to EDD is critical) 3. After the interview, you'll receive a Notice of Overpayment with the exact amount and any assessed penalties 4. You'll have options to: - Pay in full - Request a payment plan - File an appeal if you disagree - Request a waiver (difficult to get approved) For gig workers, I recommend keeping a detailed log of all work performed going forward - date of work, company, amount earned, and date paid. This helps tremendously with accurate reporting.

I went through something very similar with DoorDash, Instacart, and TaskRabbit income. The thing that saved me was creating a detailed timeline showing when I actually worked vs when payments were processed. Some of those apps have weird payment schedules - like DoorDash would sometimes hold payments for "quality review" or whatever. Here's what helped me during my audit: - Downloaded ALL transaction histories from each app (not just the 1099s) - Showed screenshots of the apps' payment policies explaining delays - Created a week-by-week breakdown showing the reporting confusion The EDD rep actually acknowledged that their system doesn't account for how gig payments work. I still had to pay back some money and got 4 penalty weeks, but they reduced the penalty amount by 50% because I could prove it was an honest mistake due to the complexity. Don't panic - just be super organized with your documentation. The fact that you were reporting SOME income shows you weren't trying to hide everything.

I've been following this thread as someone who went through a similar nightmare with EDD last year. After being disqualified for "voluntary quit" when I was actually laid off, I spent 6 weeks trying every free method imaginable - calling hundreds of times, messaging through UI Online, even showing up at the local office (they just told me to call). What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I contacted my assembly member AND used a paid service simultaneously. The assembly member's office got back to me after 8 business days, but by then the paid service had already gotten me through and my issue was resolved. For those worried about the ethics - I get it, I really do. But when you're facing homelessness because a government system is failing you, sometimes you have to do what you can to survive. The real problem isn't people using these services, it's that EDD has created a system so broken that these services can exist and thrive. @Amina Sow - if you do decide to use a service, make sure they guarantee you only pay if connected, and have your case details, ID, and any supporting documents ready before the call. Also ask specifically for a Tier 2 specialist right away - don't let them transfer you around. The whole situation is maddening, but don't let pride keep you from getting the help you need if free methods aren't working.

I've been in a similar boat and completely understand both your desperation and ethical concerns. After 4 weeks of trying to reach EDD about my pending disqualification, I finally broke down and used one of these services (ended up using EDD Caller after researching several options). Here's what I learned: - They do work, but they're essentially just sophisticated auto-dialers that keep calling until they get through the queue - Cost me $20 but saved probably 20+ hours of my time trying to redial constantly - Got connected to an actual EDD rep in about 45 minutes vs. weeks of failed attempts - The rep was able to see all my uploaded documents and resolve my issue in one call I felt conflicted about paying for what should be free government access, but when you're facing financial hardship and the system is this broken, sometimes pragmatism wins over principles. These services exist because EDD has failed to adequately staff their phone lines or improve their system. My advice: try the free methods others mentioned first (assembly member contact is surprisingly effective), but don't let ethics prevent you from getting help you desperately need. The system is broken - that's not your fault, and you shouldn't suffer because of it. Whatever you decide, make sure you're prepared with specific questions and all your documentation ready when you do get through!

To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

When writing your appeal, be clear and specific about why the overpayment notice is inaccurate. Include: 1. State clearly that you disagree with the overpayment determination 2. Explain the specific facts that make the notice incorrect (dates, amounts, circumstances) 3. Attach any supporting documentation (pay stubs, work records, correspondence) 4. Request a hearing if you want to present your case in person 5. Submit within the deadline (usually 30 days from the notice date) Keep it factual and professional. Focus on the facts that prove the overpayment determination is wrong rather than emotional appeals. The key is providing evidence that contradicts their findings. Good luck with your appeal!

@Cassandra Moon I went through this exact same situation when I got laid off from my marketing job last year. The waiting period week is definitely confusing at first! Just to add to what others have said - make sure you keep all your layoff paperwork handy because EDD might request it later for verification. Also, start your job search activities right away even during the waiting period week because those count toward your work search requirements. The good news is that once you get past this first hurdle, the weekly certification process becomes pretty routine. Hang in there - the first few weeks are always the most stressful but it gets easier!

I'm also new to unemployment and just wanted to say thanks to everyone for explaining this so clearly! One thing I'm wondering about - does the waiting period week count toward the total number of weeks you can receive benefits? Like if I'm eligible for 26 weeks of unemployment, does that mean I actually only get 25 paid weeks because of the waiting period? Or do I still get the full 26 paid weeks, just shifted by one week like someone mentioned earlier?