California Unemployment

CommunityGovernment Services

Can't reach California Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.

Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.

Using Claimyr will:

  • Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
  • Skip the long phone menu
  • Call the correct department
  • Redial until on hold
  • Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
  • Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
Fox KTVUABC 7CBSSan Francisco Chronicle


Ask the community...

  • DO post questions about your issues.
  • DO answer questions and support each other.
  • DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
  • DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)

EDD payment schedule confusion - just got my Money Network card but unsure about biweekly vs weekly payments

I finally got approved for unemployment after waiting for what felt like forever (actually just 3 weeks lol). Got my first payment of $487 on my Money Network card yesterday! Super relieved but now I'm confused about the payment schedule. Does EDD pay weekly or every two weeks? My friend who was on unemployment last year said he got paid weekly, but the paperwork I got mentions something about certifying biweekly? I've been out of work for almost a month now and really need to budget properly. Also, do we get paid right after certifying or is there usually a delay? The EDD website is so confusing and I can't find a straight answer anywhere.

btw make sure u activate ur money network card!!! my friend didnt realize she had to activate it and thought the payments werent coming thru but they were just sitting on the card lol. also u can set up direct deposit if u want on the edd website its way easier than using the card imo

0 coins

I did activate it right away! But I didn't know about the direct deposit option - that sounds much more convenient. I'll look into setting that up today, thanks for the tip!

0 coins

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble understanding your payment schedule, you can also check the "Certification History" section in your UI Online account. It shows all your past and upcoming certification periods with dates, so you can see exactly when you need to certify next and what weeks each payment covers. Also, pro tip: set up text or email notifications in your UI Online account settings. EDD will send you reminders when it's time to certify, which helps avoid missing deadlines. I learned this the hard way when I forgot to certify one time and had to wait an extra week for my payment! The whole system is definitely confusing at first, but once you get into the rhythm it becomes much more manageable. Good luck with everything!

0 coins

EDD Appeals backlog - 8 months waiting with no hearing date

I filed my appeal with EDD back in March and it's now November without ANY update on my hearing date. Called multiple times and all I get is 'appeals are backlogged' and to 'keep waiting'. Is this normal?? It's been 8 MONTHS! I was disqualified because my employer claimed I quit (I was actually laid off when they downsized). I've submitted all my documentation proving this wasn't voluntary separation, but nothing happens. My bills are piling up, and I'm at my wit's end. Has anyone else experienced these ridiculous wait times? How long did your appeal take? Is there anything I can do to speed up this process?

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you're checking both your online EDD portal AND your physical mail. Some appeal notices only come through mail, not electronically. I almost missed my hearing because I was only checking my online account. Also, if your hearing is scheduled by phone, they'll call exactly at the appointed time, and if you miss that call, it can be very difficult to get rescheduled. I'd recommend taking the entire day off work for your hearing date once you get it.

0 coins

That's good to know! I've been obsessively checking my online portal but haven't been as careful about checking the mail since I get so much junk. I'll make sure to watch for both from now on.

0 coins

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Filed my appeal in April and it's December with absolutely nothing. Like you, I was laid off due to company restructuring but my employer is claiming I quit. It's incredibly frustrating to see people waiting 9-12 months - I had no idea it was this bad when I filed. One thing I've learned from reading everyone's responses is to make sure you're doing everything possible while you wait: keep all your documentation organized, get statements from coworkers if possible, and definitely contact your assembly member's office like Sofia suggested. I'm also going to try that Monday morning calling strategy that Lilah mentioned. The financial stress is unbearable - 8 months without income while your former employer lies about why you left is just devastating. But seeing that people are actually winning these appeals when they have good evidence gives me some hope. Hang in there!

0 coins

Secret EDD phone hack: Use workforce development office phones to bypass wait times

I was at my wit's end trying to reach EDD for 3 weeks about my disqualification notice. Spent hours every day hitting redial just to get the 'too many callers' message. Super frustrating! Then last Thursday I remembered hearing something about Workforce Centers having direct lines. Decided to try America's Job Center near downtown - walked in and asked if they had phones to reach EDD. The staff there were actually super helpful! They pointed me to their resource room and let me use their special phone connection. Only had to wait 14 mins (not hours!!) before talking to a real person who fixed my disqualification issue on the spot. This might seriously save someone else's sanity - try your local workforce development center if you're desperate to talk to EDD. Just Google 'workforce development office' or 'America's Job Center' with your city name. Their phones seem to have priority access or something.

I just wasted 2 hours driving to my local workforce center only to find out they're closed on Wednesdays!!! Make sure you check the hours before going. So frustrated right now uuuuggh

0 coins

Oh no! Sorry that happened to you. You're right - definitely check their hours first. Hope you can try again tomorrow.

0 coins

This is a game changer! I've been struggling to get through to EDD for over a month about my benefit year ending. Called probably 200+ times and never got past the busy signal. I found my local America's Job Center using the CalJOBS website and went there yesterday morning around 9am when they opened. The staff were amazing - they knew exactly what I needed and showed me to their phone area. Got connected to an EDD rep in about 12 minutes! The agent was able to help me file my new claim right over the phone and explained everything clearly. Wish I had known about this sooner. For anyone reading this - definitely try it, but bring all your paperwork (W2s, pay stubs, etc) just in case they need info to help resolve your issue on the spot.

0 coins

EDD denying my claim saying no wage contributions - they're mixing up my 2021 and 2024 claims!

I'm getting really frustrated with the EDD right now! I submitted my unemployment claim on June 8, 2024, and received mail confirmation that they got it about a week later. Everything seemed fine until I called today to check on the status. The rep told me they're showing 'no record of contributions' in their system! I'm 100% certain they're confusing my current claim with an old one from 2021 (when I was between jobs and worked mostly gig work). I've been steadily employed at the same company for nearly 3 years until my layoff last month, and I have ALL my pay stubs showing wage contributions were definitely made. Has anyone dealt with EDD mixing up current and past claims? What's the fastest way to get this fixed? My rent is due next week and I'm getting desperate!

this is why i always keep evrything from my jobs, every stub, every letter, my w2s, even emails from bosses. edd is always losing stuff or getting confused. same with medi-cal. all these government agencies are the same, total mess. good luck bro

0 coins

Yeah, lesson learned the hard way. I have my pay stubs but I'm realizing I should have better organized ALL my employment docs over the years.

0 coins

UPDATE FOR EVERYONE: The process for submitting wage corrections has changed in 2023-2024. You need to follow these steps: 1. Submit your wage info through UI Online under "New Information" 2. Call and request a "Base Period Wage Investigation" (not just any wage correction) 3. Follow up with the Base Period Investigation Unit directly at the special number 1-866-401-2849, which bypasses the regular customer service I went through all this in April and it worked. The regular EDD reps often don't know about the Base Period unit and will tell you incorrect procedures.

0 coins

THANK YOU!!! Just called that number and got right through to someone! They confirmed they were looking at my 2021 claim info instead of my current wages. They're going to expedite a wage investigation and said I should see an update within 5-7 business days. This was incredibly helpful!

0 coins

That's amazing news @GamerGirl99! So glad that direct number worked for you. It's frustrating how the regular customer service doesn't seem to know about these specialized units. Hopefully this helps other people in similar situations - definitely saving that number for future reference. Keep us posted on how the wage investigation goes!

0 coins

EDD Money Network Card vs BOA - is there a mobile app for the new EDD debit card?

Hey everyone, just got switched from the Bank of America EDD card to the new Money Network debit card and I'm totally lost! The BOA app was so convenient for checking my balance, transferring funds, and setting alerts. I've been searching for a Money Network app but can't figure out if one even exists. Has anyone found a mobile app for the new EDD debit card? The paper materials they sent were confusing and I really don't want to call their customer service line if I can avoid it. I get weekly UI payments so being able to check my balance on my phone is super important to me!

One thing I found helpful with Money Network is actually calling their automated system when the app is being glitchy. You can check your balance and recent transactions that way too. The number should be on the back of your card.

0 coins

Just wanted to add my experience - I've been using the Money Network Mobile Banking app for about 6 months now. While it's definitely not as polished as the old BoA app, it gets the job done for basic functions. The key is to make sure you're using the official "Money Network Mobile Banking" app (not any of the knock-offs in the app store). A few tips that helped me: 1) Always close the app completely when you're done using it - seems to prevent some of the login issues people mentioned, 2) Turn on biometric login if your phone supports it, and 3) If you get locked out, wait about 15-20 minutes before trying again rather than repeatedly attempting to log in. The balance updates are usually pretty quick after transactions, and I haven't had the "disappearing money" issue that others mentioned. The ATM locator feature is actually pretty useful too. Hope this helps!

0 coins

Prev1...652653654655656...837Next