UPDATE: Finally got through to EDD this morning after an hour on hold. Turns out the interviewer DID mark my claim as approved but forgot to actually release the payment! The rep I spoke with today apologized and manually processed it. She said funds should be in my account within 48 hours. Thanks everyone for your advice and support through this stressful situation.

This is exactly why I always screenshot or write down the exact words EDD reps tell me during calls! So many times they'll say something is "taken care of" but then nothing happens in the system. It's like they have good intentions but their internal processes are completely disconnected. Really glad you persisted and got it sorted out - your story will definitely help others who find themselves in the same frustrating situation.

glad u got ur money!! the whole system is so random sometimes. i swear it depends on which edd employee processes ur claim and what mood their in lol

Thanks for sharing your experience and the update that your payment finally came through! This thread is super helpful for understanding the typical timeline when there are delays. I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my payment shows as issued on 5/6 but hasn't hit my Money Network card yet. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like 4-6 business days isn't uncommon when there are processing hiccups. I'll give it until Thursday before starting to panic and trying to get through to EDD. It's reassuring to know that these delays, while stressful, usually do resolve themselves eventually.

Just wanted to add another perspective - I went through this same ID.me hell last month and actually found success with a hybrid approach. After failing the online verification multiple times, I started the mail application process BUT also kept trying to get through to EDD by phone using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I got lucky and connected with an EDD rep after about 2 hours on hold, and they were able to bypass the ID.me requirement entirely. They had me answer some verification questions based on my employment history and SSN, then sent me a secure email link to upload my documents directly to their system. My claim was processed within 5 days instead of waiting weeks for the mail application. So my advice would be to start the mail application as your backup plan, but also try calling EDD directly or using the callback service. Sometimes having multiple approaches going at once increases your chances of getting through faster. The key is not putting all your eggs in one basket when you're dealing with these broken systems!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 weeks ago and it was absolutely maddening! The ID.me facial recognition failed on me 8 times, and like you, I had multiple "trusted referee" appointments where they just never called. It's like they set these appointments and then completely forget about them. I ended up doing the mail application route and it worked, but here are some tips I wish I had known: 1. Use the most recent version of Form DE 1101I - I initially downloaded an older version and had to resubmit 2. Write "ID.me VERIFICATION FAILED - APPLYING BY MAIL" in big letters at the top of the first page so they know why you're not applying online 3. Include a brief cover letter explaining your ID.me issues and listing everything you're including in the package 4. Make copies of EVERYTHING before you send it - keep a complete backup set for yourself My timeline: Mailed application on a Tuesday, they received it that Friday (certified mail tracking), got my EDD customer account number in the mail 3 weeks later, and my claim showed up online 4 days after that. Total time was about 25 days from mailing to seeing benefits. Don't give up! The mail option definitely works, it's just slower. Your financial situation will improve once this gets processed. Hang in there!

my neighbor went thru this last year. the person who stole his identity also applied for credit cards and bought a CAR using his info! definitely check everything and freeze ur credit not just put alerts

I'm so sorry you're going through this - identity theft is absolutely terrifying! I just wanted to add that you should also check with your bank to see if they can put additional monitoring on your accounts. When my brother dealt with EDD fraud, the thieves also tried to change his direct deposit information to steal future legitimate benefits he might be entitled to. Also, don't forget to check if they filed claims in other states too - some scammers file in multiple states using the same stolen identity. You can search for "[state name] unemployment fraud report" to find the right departments if you want to be thorough. Stay strong - this really is becoming unfortunately common and most people understand you're the victim here, not the perpetrator. Document everything and keep pushing until it's resolved!

One more tip - if your claim is stuck in pending, sometimes sending a message through your UI Online account can help. Click on "Contact Us" in your UI Online homepage and select "Where is my payment?" as the category. Be specific about how long it's been pending. Sometimes this flags your account for review faster than calling.

This is such valuable information! I wish I had seen this post before I made the same mistake last week. Spent 2 hours at my local AJCC office only to be told they couldn't even look up my claim status. The staff was nice but clearly frustrated having to explain this to multiple people every day. It really seems like EDD should put up clearer signage or warnings on their website about which offices handle what. For anyone else struggling with pending claims, I've also heard that calling the Spanish language line (even if you speak English) sometimes has shorter wait times - the reps are bilingual and can help with English claims too.