Hey Ethan! I actually just went through this same process a couple months back when I started my new position. One thing that really helped me was calling right at 8:00 AM sharp - literally had my phone ready to dial at 7:59 and hit call exactly at 8. Got through in about 15 minutes which felt like a miracle! Also, when you do get an agent on the line, they'll likely ask if you want to "deactivate" vs "close" your account - make sure you're clear about what you want. Deactivating keeps it dormant but you can reopen it easily if needed, while closing it completely removes everything. Since you mentioned you got a new job, closing is probably what you want, but just wanted to give you the heads up so you're not caught off guard by the question. Good luck with both the call and the new gig! 🍀

Just wanted to add my experience from a few weeks ago - I was in the same boat trying to cancel my account after finding work. What really helped me was having a backup plan ready. I downloaded one of those auto-redial apps on my phone so I could set it to keep calling while I did other things. Also, write down the exact wording you want to use when you get through - something like "I need to close my unemployment account permanently" so you don't stumble over your words when you're finally talking to someone. The whole process took me about 10 minutes once I actually got an agent on the line, but it took 3 days of trying to get through! Definitely worth it though to have it officially closed. Congrats on the new job! 🎊

I'm going through the exact same situation right now - filed my appeal 25 days ago after being disqualified for a work separation issue and the anxiety is just overwhelming! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful but also shows how broken this system really is. It's insane that we're all having to wait 2+ months for benefits we rightfully earned while struggling to pay basic bills. I ended up having to ask family for help with rent this month which was humiliating, but I also started doing Uber Eats to at least have some income coming in. The uncertainty is the worst part - not knowing if it'll be 6 weeks or 12 weeks makes it impossible to plan anything. Madison, definitely look into those assembly member offices people mentioned and don't wait on the gig work if you can manage it. Even small amounts help with the stress. I keep telling myself that most people seem to win these reporting error appeals eventually, but the waiting process is just brutal. We shouldn't have to go through this when we already paid into the system. Hang in there - sounds like we're all supporting each other through this mess!

I'm currently 38 days into waiting for my appeal hearing after being disqualified for a similar work separation reporting issue. The financial stress has been absolutely crushing - I had to move back in with my parents temporarily because I couldn't afford rent anymore. What's helped me cope is creating a daily routine that includes job searching in the morning and doing Uber Eats in the afternoon/evening. I'm making about $400-500 a week with Uber which isn't much but at least covers basic expenses. One thing I learned is to document EVERYTHING - save all your emails, texts, paystubs from your last job, and any communication with EDD. Also, I finally got through to EDD using that Claimyr service after weeks of failed attempts, and the rep told me LA county appeals are currently running 8-10 weeks due to backlog. It's brutal but hang in there Madison - from what I've seen, reporting error appeals have a really high success rate once you actually get your hearing. The system is completely broken but most of us do eventually get our benefits with full backpay.

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

Yes, this has been happening to me too! I've experienced the exact same thing - the hold music stops and then complete silence. It's so frustrating because you don't know if you should hang up or keep waiting. I've tried staying on the line for 10-15 minutes after the silence starts, but nothing happens. It seems like there might be a technical issue with their phone system where calls are getting disconnected or transferred improperly. Have you tried calling at different times of day to see if it makes a difference?

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just got my first EDD check yesterday when I specifically chose the debit card option too. It's so frustrating that they don't explain this anywhere - I spent hours on their website trying to figure out if I did something wrong. Based on what everyone's saying here, sounds like Walmart is definitely the way to go for cashing it. I'm planning to head there first thing tomorrow morning with my ID and the $8 fee ready. Really helpful to know that the Money Network card will still come and this check thing is just a one-time deal. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is way more informative than anything on the official EDD website!

Just joined this community and wow, this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm actually in the exact same boat - got my first EDD check yesterday after specifically requesting the Money Network card option. I was so confused and frustrated thinking I messed something up in my application. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief to know this is just how EDD does things for the first payment. Definitely heading to Walmart tomorrow morning with my ID and the $8 fee cash ready. Really appreciate everyone sharing their tips about timing, fees, and what to expect with the Money Network card. This community is already proving way more useful than EDD's confusing website!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Filed my reopen claim on May 4th (so 8 days ago) and my UI Online dashboard is still stuck showing "You may need to reopen your claim" like I never did anything. I'm also in construction and got laid off last month when our project wrapped up. What's really getting to me is that I had a similar issue when I first applied for unemployment about a year ago - spent weeks thinking my application disappeared only to find out it was processed but the system just never updated. You'd think they would have fixed these glitches by now! Based on all the advice here, I think I'm going to wait until Thursday (that'll be 2 weeks) and then try the Claimyr service that @Jay Lincoln and @Diego Rojas mentioned. It sounds way better than trying to get through on the phone myself. Has anyone tried calling EDD directly recently? Are the wait times still insane? Really hoping this gets resolved soon for all of us dealing with this. It's stressful enough being unemployed without having to wonder if your claim application even exists in their system!

I'm dealing with this EXACT same issue right now! Filed my reopen claim on May 8th (4 days ago) and my UI Online dashboard is still showing that same "You may need to reopen your claim" message like I never submitted anything. I'm also in construction and got laid off when my project ended last month. Reading through all these responses has been both helpful and stressful - it's reassuring to know this is a widespread glitch, but scary that some people waited weeks or had to call dozens of times. The fact that so many construction workers are experiencing this at the same time really seems to support what @Kendrick Webb said about the spike in reopen claims making this glitch worse. I think I'm going to follow the advice here and wait until next Tuesday (that'll be 10 days) and then try the Claimyr service that multiple people have had success with. @Diego Rojas's experience sounds exactly like what I need - getting connected to someone who can actually find and fix the stuck application instead of playing phone tag with EDD for hours. Has anyone who used Claimyr noticed any difference in how quickly their payments started coming through after getting the claim unstuck? I'm worried about potential delays even after the reopen gets processed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this frustrating system!