Another RIDICULOUS thing they do is verify with your employer, who has a FINANCIAL INCENTIVE to deny your claim! If your employer says anything that doesn't perfectly match your statement, EDD will side with them. Make sure every date and dollar amount you provide EXACTLY matches your documentation!

I went through something similar last year and it turned out EDD needed to verify my wages through their system called the "Base Period Employer Account Cross-match" or something like that. Basically, your employer reports wages quarterly to the state, and if there's ANY discrepancy between what you claim and what they have on file, they flag it for manual review. In my case, my employer had reported my wages under a slightly different name (they had my middle initial wrong) so the system couldn't match them automatically. Try asking EDD specifically if your wages are showing up in their system and if there are any matching issues with your employer's quarterly reports.

As another newcomer to the EDD system, this entire discussion has been a huge relief! I was actually searching for information about form corrections when I found this thread, and it's answered questions I didn't even know I had yet. What I find most reassuring is seeing so many people confirm that the single line cross-out method works perfectly - and hearing from actual EDD processors and government form specialists that this is completely standard procedure. The tip about using the same pen throughout the form is brilliant and shows the level of detail that makes corrections look professional rather than suspicious. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about taking photos before mailing and using certified mail. That peace of mind is worth the extra cost, especially when you're dealing with something as important as unemployment benefits. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community knowledge is so much more helpful than trying to interpret official EDD guidance alone. You've all made the prospect of handling EDD paperwork feel much less intimidating for those of us just starting this process!

As someone who just started dealing with EDD recently, I can't thank everyone enough for this incredibly detailed discussion! I was actually dreading having to use paper forms at some point, but now I feel so much more prepared knowing the proper correction procedures. The consistency in everyone's advice is really reassuring - it's clear that the single line cross-out with initials method is the gold standard. I especially appreciate the practical tips about using the same pen throughout, taking photos for documentation, and using certified mail. Those are the kinds of real-world details you just don't get from official instructions. What really stands out to me is how many people have shared their actual success stories with this exact correction. Hearing that payments went through on schedule despite the corrections takes away so much of the anxiety about making mistakes. It's also helpful to know that EDD staff see these corrections constantly and consider them completely routine. This thread has definitely given me the confidence to handle any form corrections properly if I need to in the future. Thanks to this amazing community for sharing such valuable experiences and guidance - it makes navigating the EDD system so much less intimidating for newcomers!

Hey Ezra! I'm actually in a really similar situation - just got laid off from my retail job last month and went through this exact same process. The anxiety about not knowing what to expect is so real! Here's what happened with my timeline: I filed online on a Thursday, and got my first piece of mail (the claim confirmation) exactly 8 days later. The award letter came about 4 days after that. What really helped my anxiety was setting up a simple tracking system - I made a note in my phone with the date I filed and then marked off each day so I knew roughly when to expect things. One thing that caught me off guard was that EDD sent me a text message about 5 days after I filed, just telling me to check my UI Online account. It wasn't anything urgent, just a general reminder, but I'm glad I had my phone number updated correctly! Your situation sounds really straightforward - 5 years at the same warehouse job with a clear layoff is exactly the kind of claim that EDD processes smoothly. I had a more complicated situation with overlapping part-time jobs and even mine went through without major issues. The waiting definitely sucks, but from everything I've experienced and seen in this thread, you should be getting that first letter very soon. Just keep checking your mail and UI Online account daily, and try not to stress too much. You're being proactive by asking questions here, which is exactly the right approach!

Hey Ezra! I went through this exact same process about 3 months ago after being laid off from my warehouse job too (also after several years with the same company), so I totally understand the anxiety you're feeling right now. Here's what actually happened with my timeline: Filed my claim on a Wednesday, got the first letter (Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed) on the following Friday - so about 9 days. The award letter with my weekly benefit amount came about 3-4 days after that. The EDD Customer Account Number came in a separate envelope a few days later. A couple of tips that really helped me: 1. Set up email notifications in your UI Online account if you haven't already - go to profile settings and check all the notification boxes 2. Add noreply@edd.ca.gov to your contacts so EDD emails don't go to spam 3. Check both your physical mailbox AND your UI Online inbox daily 4. Double-check that your mailing address is correct in your account (I've seen people have issues with mail going to old addresses) With your work history - 5 years at the same warehouse job with a clear layoff - you're in really good shape. That's exactly the type of straightforward claim that EDD processes fastest. The horror stories you hear are usually from much more complicated situations. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking, but you should be seeing that first letter any day now. You're being smart by asking questions and staying informed. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I went through this exact same thing about 3 months ago after being laid off from my HVAC installation job when our commercial building project wrapped up. Got the same call from EDD and was freaking out just like you are now! Here's what I learned: these questionnaires are basically EDD's way of double-checking that everything adds up between what you told them and what your employer reported. Since you've already been approved and certifying for 4 weeks, this is almost certainly just routine verification rather than them questioning your eligibility. A few things that made the process smooth for me: - I filled it out the day it arrived (don't wait - the 10-day deadline is firm) - Made sure to use the exact same language I used in my original application - Included a copy of my project completion notice with it - Kept detailed notes about what I wrote in case they had follow-up questions The form was about 4 pages and took me maybe 45 minutes to complete thoroughly. Questions were pretty straightforward - employment dates, reason for separation, supervisor contact info, whether I received severance, etc. Since you have that termination letter stating "end of project," you're in great shape - that's exactly the documentation they want to see. My payments continued normally after I submitted it, though it did show "pending" in UI Online for about a week while they processed it. Construction project layoffs are super common, so EDD sees these situations constantly. Try not to stress - you've got legitimate documentation and a clear-cut case. Just be thorough and consistent, and you'll be fine!

I can definitely relate to the anxiety you're feeling right now! I went through this same situation about 4 months ago when I was laid off from my carpentry job after our home renovation project finished. Got that same call from EDD and immediately started panicking, thinking something was wrong with my claim. Here's what helped ease my mind: the representative I eventually spoke with explained that these questionnaires are completely standard for construction workers since our industry has so many legitimate project-based layoffs. They're basically just verifying that your separation reason matches what your employer reported. Since you mentioned you have a termination letter that says "end of project" - that's absolutely perfect documentation! I had something similar and it made the whole process really smooth. When you fill out the questionnaire, make sure to be really specific about: - The exact project name/location if you have it - When you were first told the project was ending - Your last actual day of work - That it was a layoff due to lack of work, not a quit or firing The questionnaire itself was pretty straightforward - mostly just confirming employment dates, supervisor info, and separation details. It took me about an hour to fill out completely, and I sent it back the next day with priority mail tracking. My benefits continued without any interruption. Try not to worry too much - construction layoffs are one of the most common and clear-cut unemployment situations EDD handles. You've already been approved and certifying successfully, so this really is just paperwork. You've got this!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Started yesterday when I tried to log in and it kept saying my password was wrong. I've requested probably 6 password reset emails at this point, and every single link gives me that "invalid or expired" error - some of them I clicked within 30 seconds of receiving the email! It's definitely not a user error at this point. Reading all these comments makes me feel better knowing it's a widespread system issue and not just me. I'm going to try calling that technical support line (1-855-327-7057) tomorrow morning right when they open at 8am. Hopefully they can remove whatever security lock is causing this. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this thread has been more helpful than anything on the actual EDD website!

I'm dealing with this EXACT same issue right now! Been locked out for 2 days and it's driving me absolutely crazy. Every password reset link I get says "invalid or expired" even when I click it immediately. I've tried Chrome, Firefox, cleared all my cookies, waited hours between attempts - nothing works! Reading through all these comments is actually really helpful though. I had no idea this was such a widespread problem or that there could be security locks that only phone support can remove. I'm definitely going to call that technical support line (1-855-327-7057) first thing tomorrow morning at 8am sharp. Has anyone had luck getting through on the first try, or should I expect to keep calling back? Also, for those who successfully got it fixed - did they ask you a lot of security questions to verify your identity over the phone? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. At least now I know I'm not going insane and there's actually a solution!