California Unemployment
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EDD contact nightmare - wrong email registered and can't reach anyone by phone
I'm at my wit's end trying to contact someone at EDD about my claim! The phone numbers they've provided are completely useless - either busy signals, automated loops that hang up, or ridiculous wait times that disconnect after 2 hours. What makes it even more frustrating is they're sending claim updates to one email address but telling me I'm registered with a completely different email that I don't even recognize. How am I supposed to fix this if I can't talk to an actual human?? Has anyone found a working phone number to reach a real person at California EDD? Also noticed I can't comment on other posts in their system - is this some kind of sick joke to make it even harder to get help??
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I was having the same issue last month where they were sending certification reminders to an old Yahoo email I haven't used in years. I finally got it fixed by going IN PERSON to an EDD office. I know that sounds like a pain, but I was in and out in about 90 minutes and they corrected everything on the spot. Check if there's an office near you here: https://edd.ca.gov/en/office_locator/ - just bring ID and any claim paperwork you have. They can usually fix email issues immediately since you're there in person to verify your identity.
I hadn't even considered going in person! There's an office about 30 minutes from me. Might be worth the drive if I can't get through by phone tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!
Just make sure to check their hours first and get there at least 30 minutes before they open. Bring plenty of documentation - ID, social security card, any EDD paperwork you've received, and even screenshots of the email issue. Makes the process much smoother.
I'm dealing with the exact same frustrating situation! Been trying to reach EDD for weeks about my email being wrong in their system. Based on what everyone's shared here, I'm going to try calling 833-978-2511 right at 8:01 AM tomorrow and specifically ask for a "contact information audit" - that's brilliant advice. If that doesn't work, I'll definitely consider going to the local office in person since that seems to have worked well for others. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get basic account information corrected, but I really appreciate everyone sharing what actually works. Will update if I make any progress!
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I just completed my identity last week and wanted to share my experience! I received the letter about 10 days ago and was really stressed about the whole process. After reading through all these helpful comments, I decided to do both the mail AND the online route to be safe. The was actually much easier than I expected - took about 20 minutes and I used my driver's license plus a recent credit card statement for address verification. Got approved within 24 hours online! I also sent the physical by mail just as backup. My payments just resumed yesterday (about 6 days after approval) and I did receive backpay for all the missed days during the period. One thing I noticed is that my portal showed "Identity Pending" until the day before payments resumed, then it just disappeared from my account overview. For anyone still going through this - definitely try the online route first, but keep copies of everything you submit. The peace of mind is worth it!
@Mia Roberts Thank you so much for sharing such a detailed breakdown of your experience! This is exactly what I needed to hear. I m'in the same boat - got my letter about a week ago and have been putting off starting the process because I wasn t'sure what to expect. Your timeline is really helpful to know 24 (hours for approval, then about 6 days for payments to resume .)I m'curious about one thing - when you say you used a credit card statement for address verification, was that because you didn t'have a utility bill available? I m'wondering what other work for address besides utility bills, since I m'currently staying with family and don t'have utilities in my name. Also, did you have to do anything special to track the mail you sent, or did you just send them regular mail? Really appreciate you mentioning that the Identity " Pending status" disappeared right before payments resumed - I ll'keep an eye out for that. This whole thread has made me feel so much more confident about tackling this process!
I'm in the exact same situation! Just received my identity letter yesterday and was feeling pretty anxious about the whole process. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I feel so much better knowing that most people are getting through this successfully and getting their backpay. It sounds like the online is definitely the way to go for faster processing. I'm planning to do both the online and mail like several of you suggested - better safe than sorry! One question for those who've completed the process - I don't have a utility bill in my name since I'm currently staying with a relative. Has anyone used other types of address successfully? I have bank statements and credit card statements that show my current address. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and timelines. This community is so helpful during stressful times like this!
@Isaac Wright I can definitely help with the address question! I actually used a bank statement for my because I was in a similar situation - staying with family and didn t'have utilities in my name. The system accepted it without any issues. Credit card statements should work too as long as they clearly show your current address. From what I ve'seen in this thread and other groups, they re'pretty flexible with address - bank statements, credit card statements, even phone bills or insurance statements usually work. The key is just making sure the document is recent within (the last 30-60 days and) clearly shows your name and address. I d'definitely recommend starting with the process first since everyone here seems to be having success with it. Keep your ready as PDFs or clear photos before you start, and like others mentioned, using a computer instead of your phone tends to work better for uploading documents. You ve'got this!
EDD payment timing after first UI payment - why is my second certification delayed?
Hi everyone, just got my first EDD payment last Thursday (yay finally!) after waiting almost 3 weeks. I already certified for my next two weeks on Sunday morning like the website told me to. It's now Wednesday and still nothing in my account. My account just shows 'paid' status but no money on my Money Network card. Is this normal for the second payment? The first one took forever but I thought once you're in the system things move faster. Anyone know how long I should expect to wait for payments after certification? Starting to stress because rent is due next week and I was counting on this money.
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Great news! This is the typical timeline you can expect going forward. Just remember to certify on time every two weeks (Sundays are best) and you should have a pretty reliable payment schedule from now on. Glad it worked out!
Congrats on getting your payment! For future reference, I've found that payments typically hit Money Network cards between 1-3 business days after certification, but the timing can vary. One tip that helped me: set up text alerts on your Money Network card so you get notified the moment funds are deposited instead of constantly checking. Also, if you ever run into delays again, the Money Network customer service (1-866-692-9374) can sometimes tell you if a payment is "in transit" to your card even before it shows up, which can give you peace of mind while waiting.
EDD not releasing pending certifications after interview - does 14-day rule apply?
I'm stressing out over my EDD situation right now. I have TWO certifications stuck in pending status after certifying. I already completed my eligibility interview last week regarding some issues with my claim (I accidentally reported my hours wrong when I worked part-time for a few days). The interviewer seemed understanding but I haven't received any official determination letter yet. Someone at work told me that if EDD doesn't make a decision within 14 days after an interview, they're supposed to conditionally release at least one of my pending payments while they continue investigating. Is this actually true or am I getting my hopes up for nothing? I'm falling behind on bills and getting really worried. Has anyone had experience with this 14-day conditional payment release thing?
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I'm going through something very similar right now! Had my eligibility interview about 10 days ago for accidentally reporting wrong information on my claim, and I also have two certifications stuck in pending. It's incredibly stressful not knowing when this will get resolved, especially when bills are piling up. From what I've learned lurking in this community, the 14-day conditional payment rule exists but isn't automatic - you have to specifically ask for it when you call. The challenge is actually getting through to someone who knows about it. I've been trying the phone lines daily with no luck. @8629e7c18e98 Have you tried calling early in the morning right when they open? I heard that's sometimes the best time to get through, though I haven't had success yet myself. Also keeping my fingers crossed that both our situations get resolved soon - this waiting game is brutal!
I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Had my eligibility interview two weeks ago for reporting issues (mixed up my gross vs net pay on one certification) and I have three certifications stuck in pending. The financial stress is real - I'm behind on rent and my car payment. What's frustrating is that during my interview, the EDD rep said it seemed like an honest mistake and that I should hear back "soon." Well, it's been 14 days with radio silence. I didn't know about the conditional payment rule until reading this thread, so thank you all for that information! @8629e7c18e98 I feel your pain completely. The uncertainty is almost worse than just being denied - at least then you'd know where you stand. I've been checking my UI Online account obsessively and calling daily with no luck getting through. Going to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned and also the early morning calling strategy. Has anyone here successfully gotten conditional payments while waiting for an eligibility determination? I'm curious if it's actually realistic or just something they have on paper but rarely do in practice.
@ed2c1ecd4100 @8629e7c18e98 I'm so sorry you're both going through this nightmare! I actually did get conditional payments while waiting for my eligibility determination last year, but it took a lot of persistence. Here's what worked for me: First, I had to get through to someone who actually knew about the conditional payment policy - took about 6 different calls because some reps had never heard of it. When I finally got the right person, they explained that conditional payments are only approved if you meet specific criteria: no suspected fraud, the delay isn't caused by missing documents from your end, and it's been over 14 days since your interview. The key was being very specific when I called. Instead of just asking about my pending payments, I said "I'm calling to request conditional payments under the 14-day rule following my eligibility interview on [date]." Having that exact language seemed to help. It still took another week after that call for the conditional payment to show up, but getting that one payment released was such a relief while I waited for the full determination. Keep trying - the policy does exist and they do approve it sometimes, you just have to find someone who knows how to process it. Good luck to both of you!
Tom Maxon
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
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Sofia Ramirez
Ugh, that's so frustrating! I've been in the same situation before. Unfortunately, they do drop calls at closing time (8pm), so you'll likely get disconnected if you haven't already. Your best bet is to try calling again tomorrow morning right when they open. Some people have luck with the callback option if it's available, or you could try calling different numbers. The wait times are brutal but don't give up - you'll eventually get through!
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