Based on all the information shared, I think your son has about a 50/50 chance of approval. The relocation factor combined with a state-approved apprenticeship program gives him a reasonable argument for good cause. If he does get denied, he should immediately file an appeal and request a hearing. In the appeal, focus on: 1. The necessity of the relocation (impossible to commute 4 hours each way) 2. The career advancement opportunity the apprenticeship represents 3. The connection to his existing union membership Many initial denials get overturned on appeal when all the facts are properly presented. Just make sure he continues certifying for benefits every two weeks while waiting for the appeal outcome.

One more important thing to note: If he does receive a denial, he only has 30 days from the mailing date of the determination to file an appeal. The appeal deadline is strict and rarely extended, so mark the calendar and don't miss it. Regarding timeline: Unfortunately, appeals are currently taking about 3-4 months to be scheduled for a hearing. If he's facing financial hardship, he should include that information in his appeal request and ask for an expedited hearing. It doesn't always work, but sometimes they'll prioritize cases with severe financial impact. In the meantime, he should look into emergency assistance programs in his new location - many counties have short-term aid available for people waiting for unemployment appeals.

My sister had a baby in December and had a similar issue with her Paid Family Leave (which is processed through the same SDI system). What fixed it for her was having her employer contact EDD directly to confirm her leave dates. Sometimes employers don't respond to EDD's verification requests which can hold up the whole process. Might be worth asking your HR department if they received any verification requests from EDD that they haven't responded to yet.

Update us if you get this resolved! I'm curious if any of these suggestions help speed things up. And if you do call using that service someone mentioned, let us know if that works. SDI delays seem to be getting worse every year.

I work as an employment counselor, and one thing many people don't realize is that SDI extension requests have very specific timing requirements. If you're within 7 days of your claim expiring, you actually qualify for expedited processing. When you do reach an agent (using any of the methods suggested here), be sure to specifically mention "I need expedited processing for my SDI extension as my claim expires in less than 7 days." This specific phrasing flags your account in their system. Also important to note: even if your payments temporarily stop while this gets sorted out, they will be backdated once the extension is approved, so you won't lose any benefits you're entitled to. It might cause short-term cash flow issues, but you will eventually receive all payments.

my frend said if u call and press 0 over and over it gets u 2 a person faster but idk if thats true lol

I think EDD uses these "wrong number" excuses as a way to deny claims without actually reviewing them. I've been working on UI claims for 15 years and I've seen this pattern repeatedly. They're overwhelmed with claims and some adjusters take shortcuts. For your situation, I recommend doing two things simultaneously: 1. Start the assembly member contact process (as others have suggested) 2. Request a formal appeal for "failure to provide proper interview" - this creates a parallel process that can sometimes get faster results For the rescheduled interview, send a written statement through UI Online 24 hours prior stating: "I confirm my phone number is XXX-XXX-XXXX for my eligibility interview scheduled on [date]. I will be available all day at this number. This serves as written confirmation of my contact information." This creates a documentation trail they can't easily ignore. Don't rely on that form they're mailing you - that's just another delay tactic.

Update: I just got off the phone with an EDD rep after using Claimyr to get through (thanks for that suggestion!). After pushing to speak to a tier 2 specialist, I learned something interesting - they claimed there was a "system note" saying I had requested my interview be conducted at a different number, which is absolutely NOT true. The specialist apologized and said this appears to be an error in their system. They've rescheduled my interview for next week and added multiple notes confirming my correct phone number. They also said they're expediting it because of the error on their end. I'm still going to contact my assembly member's office as backup. Thanks everyone for the advice! I'll update again after the interview (hopefully).

my cousin had this same problem he just went to the library and used the computer there to login and update his phone number then he could use any phone after that

Just checking back - was your son able to update his phone number and complete his certification? If he's having trouble accessing his account to make the update, he should try these steps: 1. Use a computer at a library or friend's house 2. Select "Forgot Password" if needed 3. Verify identity using his email if he has that as a backup 4. Update phone number in Contact Information 5. Log out and then log back in using the updated phone number Remember that while phone devices can change freely, the actual contact phone number must be updated if he has two-factor authentication enabled and needs to receive verification codes.