I'm in the same boat. Been trying to upload my resume for weeks. This system is held together with duct tape and prayers I swear.

I had similar issues with CalJobs recently! What finally worked for me was using an incognito/private browser window and making sure my resume was exactly 1MB or smaller (I had to compress it). Also, for the account verification - check if you have any browser extensions blocking pop-ups or scripts, that was messing with my verification process. The whole system is definitely a pain but don't give up! Once I got through the technical hurdles, things moved much faster.

Based on everything you've shared, you have a very strong case for UI benefits. The key elements are all there: 1. You requested legally protected accommodations 2. Negative treatment began immediately after 3. You have documentation and witness statements 4. You contacted HR to try resolving it 5. You had positive performance history before this issue During your phone interview, stay calm and stick to the facts. Avoid emotional language even though this was obviously upsetting. The interviewer needs to hear a clear cause-and-effect relationship between your accommodation request and their actions. Good luck, and please update us on how it goes!

This is exactly the type of case that should qualify for benefits under California law! As a new member here, I wanted to add that you should also keep records of any medical documentation from your doctor about breastfeeding/pumping needs. Sometimes EDD asks for this during appeals to establish the legitimacy of your accommodation request. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you haven't already, consider reaching out to a lactation consultant or your OB/GYN to get a letter stating your pumping schedule was medically necessary. This can strengthen your case even more. Also, when you do your phone interview, practice explaining the timeline out loud beforehand. It really helps to be clear and confident when walking them through: "I returned from maternity leave on [date], requested accommodations on [date], first write-up occurred on [date]" etc. The clearer you can make that timeline, the stronger your retaliation case becomes. You've got this! Your documentation sounds thorough and the law is definitely on your side here.

Final tip for the telephone number to EDD: If you hear hold music, DO NOT hang up even if it's been 2+ hours. That call is gold and you might not get another chance for days.

As someone who just went through this nightmare myself, I feel your pain completely. After reading through all these comments, I wanted to share what finally worked for me. I was in a similar boat - benefits suspended, couldn't get through the telephone number to EDD no matter how many times I called. The lunch break tip from @Ev Luca is absolutely true - I wasted so many calls between 12-1:30pm before learning that. What ultimately saved me was combining the early morning strategy (calling at 7:55am sharp) with the Claimyr service that @Nadia Zaldivar and @Rajan Walker recommended. I was skeptical about paying for it at first, but honestly $20 is nothing compared to losing weeks of benefits. Got connected in 19 minutes yesterday and finally got my suspension lifted. Sometimes you just have to accept that the system is broken and find workarounds. Don't give up - there are people here who understand exactly what you're going through!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and it's so frustrating! The system message is definitely misleading - I waited almost a month thinking something would automatically happen before I realized there are no extensions available anymore. What helped me during the gap was immediately applying for CalFresh and checking with my local food banks. Also, if you're facing eviction, many counties have emergency rental assistance programs that can help buy you time while job searching. I found out about mine through 211 (just dial 2-1-1). The job search is tough right now but don't give up! I ended up finding something after about 3 months of searching. In the meantime, those assistance programs can really help bridge the gap. Hang in there!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My benefits exhausted 3 weeks ago and I've been checking my account obsessively every day expecting to see something. The waiting and uncertainty is the worst part, especially when you're already stressed about money. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like I need to stop waiting for EDD and start looking into other assistance programs immediately. I had no idea about CalFresh or the 211 number for rental help - this thread has been more informative than anything I could find on the EDD website! It's really frustrating that they still have those misleading messages up. How hard would it be to update the system to say "no extensions currently available" instead of giving false hope about automatic processing? Thanks everyone for the reality check and practical advice!

Last piece of advice: Download a podcast or audiobook before you start calling. The repetitive dialing will drive you insane without some background entertainment.

I feel your pain! I'm going through the exact same thing right now. Been trying since 8am and it's almost noon - nothing but busy signals. The system seems completely overwhelmed today. I've tried both the 833 and 800 numbers but like someone mentioned, they're the same system. Starting to think I should just wait until Wednesday afternoon based on all the timing advice here. This whole process is so broken it's not even funny.