Ive been dealing with EDD for 6 months now and let me tell you, its a nightmare. Good luck getting this fixed, youre gonna need it 😅

I just went through this exact same thing last week! What finally worked for me was going to a local EDD office in person. I know it's a pain, but they were able to update my email address on the spot and I was able to register for UI Online immediately after. Might be worth checking if there's an office near you that's open for walk-ins. Saved me from the endless phone loop!

Pro tip: document EVERYTHING. Every call, every letter, every email. If you need to escalate, having a paper trail is crucial.

I went through this exact same thing last month! Turned out there was a "work search requirement" flag on my account that I didn't know about. Even though I was doing everything right during certification, the system automatically flagged me because I hadn't logged enough job search activities in their CalJOBS system. Once I went back and entered my job searches for the previous weeks, my payments processed within 3 days. Check your UI Online account for any alerts or messages - sometimes they're buried in weird places. Also worth checking if you accidentally answered "yes" to any of the questions about working or refusing work during certification. Hope this helps!

my cousin just went thru this! she got a part time job at target for 3 months, got laid off, and was able to file a new claim! so it definitely works if u can find something!!

I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add - if you're looking for temporary work to potentially qualify for a new claim, consider seasonal retail positions that are hiring now for the holidays. Many stores like Target, Amazon warehouses, and major retailers are doing W-2 hiring for temporary positions through January/February. Even if it's just 20-30 hours a week for a couple months, that could potentially give you enough qualifying wages if you unfortunately get laid off again. Plus you'd have some income during what would otherwise be a gap period. Also, I've heard that some people qualify for General Relief (GR) through their county during benefit gaps - it's not much but might help with basic expenses. Worth looking into your county's website to see what assistance programs are available. Hang in there - this system is definitely frustrating but at least now you know your options!

Just wanted to follow up - how did things go with your claim? Were you able to file successfully after your benefit year ended?

That's great that you were able to file on the 29th! The "pending eligibility review" status is totally normal for new claims - they have to verify your identity, employment history, and make sure you meet all the requirements. Since you've been at the same job for 3 years and have a straightforward layoff situation, your claim should process without major issues. The severance reporting was smart too - better to be upfront about it from the start. Keep an eye on your UI Online account and be ready to respond quickly if they request any additional documentation. Most new claims get resolved within 2-3 weeks if there are no complications. Good luck!

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

I had the same issue last month! EDD kept transferring me to BOA and BOA kept saying to call EDD - it was so frustrating. What finally worked for me was going directly to a Bank of America branch with two forms of ID (driver's license and Social Security card). They were able to verify my identity in person and unlock my card immediately. The whole process took about 15 minutes. I know it's inconvenient to go in person, but it saved me hours of being transferred back and forth on the phone. Hope this helps!