I've been trying to change my name for 6 months now. This system is BROKEN. 🤬

I just went through this process last month! The key is persistence and having everything organized. Here's what worked for me: Call the 1-800-480-3287 number first thing in the morning (like 8:01 AM), have your SSN and case number ready, and when you finally get someone, ask to speak to the "name change specialist" specifically. They'll email you the exact forms you need. Also, make sure to keep copies of EVERYTHING you send them - I had to resend documents twice because they "lost" them. The whole process took about 3 weeks once I got the right person. Don't give up, @Dmitry Kuznetsov - you'll get through this!

I'm going through the exact same thing! Started having issues Tuesday and still can't get in. What's really frustrating is I had to miss work yesterday to try calling EDD all day but could never get through. I'm supposed to certify this weekend and I'm terrified I'm going to miss the deadline. I've been unemployed for 3 months now and these payments are literally keeping me afloat. Going to try the Claimyr service and early morning login suggestions from this thread - thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! It's somewhat comforting to know it's not just me dealing with this nightmare. Keeping my fingers crossed the Twitter update @Sienna Gomez mentioned means they'll actually fix it soon 🤞

I'm having the exact same problem! Been locked out since Monday and it's absolutely maddening. I've tried everything - different devices, browsers, clearing cache, even had my tech-savvy cousin try from her computer thinking maybe it was something on my end. Nothing works! What makes it worse is I'm supposed to certify this Sunday and I'm terrified I'm going to miss the deadline. The automated phone system is completely useless - I must have called 100+ times this week and it just hangs up every single time. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service everyone's mentioning and the early morning login trick. At this point I'm willing to try anything! It's so reassuring to see I'm not alone in this mess, but also scary that so many people are affected. Really hoping EDD gets their act together soon because this is people's livelihoods we're talking about! 😠

My return to work date was 3/8/24. I did return to work for a couple weeks but I’m def not recovered and will need to go back on sdi which is still have plenty of funds in. I am confused about info I received. So it says that I have the certification form 2525xx and it must be returned within 20 days of the mailing date “or you may lose benefits” that date will pass this week and my doctor can’t see me till the following week. But when I called EDD they said I have 61 days to reopen an existing claim. So basically what happens after the 20 days when my 2525xx form isn’t submitted? Does the claim just close and then need to be reopened? Or does it close permanently and would I need to file a new claim? Thx

I'm in a similar situation to Steven - my disability benefits are about to end but I'm still not fully recovered from my medical condition. Reading through this thread has been incredibly helpful, especially Tom's detailed explanations about the DE 2525XX form and the extension process. For anyone else facing this situation, here are the key takeaways I've gathered: 1. **Watch for the DE 2525XX form** - EDD should automatically send this before your benefits end 2. **20-day deadline is crucial** - but there's a 61-day grace period to reopen if you miss it 3. **Have your doctor ready** - they need to complete the medical certification 4. **Report any work days** - to avoid overpayment issues 5. **Consider long-term options** - like SSDI if your condition is permanent The videos Tom shared about reaching EDD representatives seem really valuable too. It's reassuring to know there are ways to get through to a real person when you need help navigating this system. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences - it really helps those of us trying to figure out this complex process!

Thank you everyone for all your help and advice! I feel so much better knowing this is normal. I'll wait for my certification period to update and give my payment some time to process before I worry. Really appreciate all the support!

You're so welcome! I totally get the anxiety - EDD really needs to add a simple explanation on their website about what that message means. It would save everyone so much stress! Just remember that as long as your claim status shows "active" you should be good. The biweekly certification schedule will become routine once you get used to it. Wishing you the best with everything!

Thanks everyone for the responses! Sounds like it's most likely the waiting week, which is annoying but at least it's normal. I'll certify for my next two weeks tomorrow and see what happens. If I notice any more issues, I might try getting through to a rep with that Claimyr thing someone mentioned. Really appreciate all the help!

Just went through this exact same situation last month! It's definitely the waiting week - super confusing because they don't really explain it clearly anywhere on their website. I panicked for weeks thinking something was wrong with my claim too. The good news is once you get past that first week, payments should come through normally if you keep certifying on time and answer all the questions correctly. Hang in there!