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I just went through this nightmare two weeks ago and finally got it resolved! The anxiety is absolutely terrible when you see that notification and have no idea what they're questioning. Here's exactly what worked for me after trying everything mentioned in this thread: **The winning combination:** - Called at 8:04 AM (trying to hit that sweet spot after the initial rush) - Used the 1-2-1 prompt sequence - Got through on attempt #19 **What my issue was:** They were questioning whether I was "able and available" for work because I had reported being out of town for 3 days to attend a family funeral. Apparently that flagged their system even though I was still actively job searching while away. **Key things that helped:** - Had all my documentation ready (dates, job applications, contact info) - The rep was actually really understanding once I explained the situation - Whole call took about 15 minutes and my payments resumed within 2 days **One tip nobody mentioned:** If you do get the busy signal, wait exactly 3 seconds before hanging up and redialing. I read somewhere that hanging up too quickly can temporarily block your number for a few minutes. Don't give up! I know it feels hopeless when you're in the thick of it, but almost everyone I know who's dealt with this got it resolved within 1-2 weeks. The system is broken but the actual reps are usually helpful once you reach them.
@AstroAlpha This is exactly what I needed to hear! Your timeline and experience give me so much hope. The 8:04 AM timing is perfect - I'm going to try that tomorrow morning along with your 3-second wait tip before redialing. I never would have thought that hanging up too quickly could temporarily block your number. Your situation with being out of town for a funeral makes total sense for why they'd flag it, and I'm so glad the rep was understanding. It sounds like once you actually get to talk to a real person, they're reasonable about these things. I'm going to prepare all my documentation tonight so I'm ready whenever I do get through. Thank you for sharing such specific details about what worked - this whole thread has been a lifeline for managing the stress of this situation!
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just saw the "question concerning eligibility" notification this morning and immediately panicked. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and honestly pretty calming - it sounds like most of these turn out to be routine verification issues rather than major problems. I'm planning to try the calling strategies everyone mentioned tomorrow morning. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to: - Call at 8:03 or 8:04 AM to avoid the initial rush - Use the 1-2-1 prompt sequence - Wait 3 seconds before redialing if I get the busy message - Have all my documentation ready (job search activities, employment dates, etc.) One question for those who got through - did the EDD rep tell you immediately what the issue was, or did you have to ask specific questions? I'm trying to prepare for the conversation so I don't waste time once I finally reach someone. Also going to check my mailbox religiously for that detailed letter everyone mentioned. Fingers crossed it arrives soon with specifics about what they need. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and strategies - this community has been a lifesaver for dealing with the stress and uncertainty!
Update: I waited 48 hours, cleared my cache, used Firefox instead of Safari, turned off autofill, and made sure to enter my name exactly as it appears on my SS card (with just middle initial). IT WORKED! I'm finally registered. Thanks everyone for your help! Now I just need to figure out the whole certification process...
Great news! For certification, you'll get an email notification when it's time (usually every two weeks). Just log in, answer the questions truthfully, and submit. Make sure you report any work/earnings during the certification period. The first payment usually comes on a Money Network debit card that they'll mail to you, though you can set up direct deposit later.
Awesome, glad you got it sorted out! @Katherine Hunter Just a heads up - keep that Firefox browser for all your EDD stuff. I learned the hard way that switching browsers mid-process can sometimes log you out or cause weird glitches. Stick with what works! And yes, certification is pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it.
Glad to see you got it working @Katherine Hunter! This is such a common issue that trips up so many first-time filers. For anyone else reading this thread who might be stuck on the same problem, here's a quick checklist based on what worked: 1. Wait at least 48 hours after filing your initial claim 2. Use Firefox or Microsoft Edge (avoid Chrome/Safari for EDD) 3. Clear browser cache and cookies completely 4. Turn off autofill and type everything manually 5. Enter name exactly as shown on Social Security card (middle initial only, not full middle name) 6. Try during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) The system architecture at EDD is pretty outdated and has all these weird timing delays between their phone system and online portal. It's frustrating but once you know the workarounds it's manageable. Save yourself the headache and don't try to rush the registration - patience really does pay off here!
This is super helpful! I'm going to bookmark this thread for future reference. As someone who just started collecting unemployment myself, I wish I had seen this checklist earlier - would have saved me hours of frustration. The part about off-peak hours is especially good advice. I noticed the EDD site runs way smoother at like 7am compared to during lunch when everyone's trying to use it.
I'm in a very similar boat - my restaurant just cut everyone from full-time to 20 hours max due to "slow season adjustments." Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea partial unemployment was even an option. Quick question for those who've been through this: when you're certifying and reporting your reduced hours, does EDD ever verify the hours directly with your employer? I'm worried about any discrepancies if my manager reports something different than what I put down. Also, has anyone had issues with employers being upset about employees filing for partial UI? I don't want to create workplace drama but I really need the financial help right now.
Yes, EDD does verify hours with employers through quarterly wage reports and can do spot checks, so accuracy is crucial! Always report exactly what you worked, not what you were scheduled for. As for employer reactions - legally they can't retaliate against you for filing for UI benefits. Most employers understand that partial unemployment actually helps them retain workers during slow periods rather than having to lay people off completely. Your restaurant probably prefers keeping experienced staff at reduced hours rather than losing everyone and having to rehire/retrain later. I filed for partial benefits when my retail job cut hours and my manager was actually supportive - they knew it helped me stay afloat financially while keeping me available for when business picked up again. Don't stress about workplace drama; you're entitled to these benefits and you're still working for them!
Just wanted to add something that might help with the certification timing - I found it really helpful to certify first thing Sunday morning when the system opens for the new certification period. The UI Online system can get slow later in the day when more people are logging in. Also, set a phone reminder for yourself every two weeks because missing even one certification can cause delays and headaches. I learned this the hard way when I forgot to certify one period and had to call EDD to reopen my certification - took almost a week to sort out. The consistency is key, especially with partial unemployment where you're reporting different hours and earnings each week. Your situation sounds very manageable though, and 15 hours is definitely low enough that you should qualify for substantial partial benefits!
This entire thread is incredibly eye-opening! I've been struggling with EDD for about a week now and was starting to think I was just doing something wrong. Reading everyone's experiences makes it clear that the system is genuinely broken and we're all having to become creative problem-solvers just to access our own benefits. I'm bookmarking all these strategies - the 8am sharp calling with the 1-1-2-4 sequence, Claimyr as a backup, the Spanish line workaround, even the Twitter approach. It's both reassuring and infuriating to know I'm not alone in this. The disability-to-UI transition issue seems to be a huge blind spot in their system based on how many people here have dealt with it. Thank you all for sharing what actually works - this community knowledge is worth more than any official EDD help page! Going to start my calling marathon tomorrow morning armed with all these tips.
@Amara Adebayo You re'so right about this community knowledge being more valuable than official help! I m'new here too and honestly felt overwhelmed reading through all the strategies at first, but it s'amazing how many different approaches people have found that actually work. One thing I noticed from everyone s'stories is that persistence really seems to be key - almost everyone had to try multiple methods or keep at it for several days before breaking through. The fact that so many people are dealing with the disability-to-UI crossover issue really shows there s'a systemic problem they need to fix. Good luck with your calling marathon tomorrow! Maybe start a running list of which strategies you try so you can share what works for the next person who finds this thread.
Just found this thread after dealing with the same EDD nightmare for the past two weeks! My UI claim has been stuck in "pending review" since I transitioned from state disability, and I was starting to lose hope. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions has been incredibly helpful - it's both frustrating and reassuring to know this is such a widespread issue. I'm definitely going to try the 8AM sharp strategy with the 1-1-2-4 button sequence first thing tomorrow morning. If that doesn't work after a few attempts, I'll look into Claimyr since so many people here have had success with it. The tip about the disability claim potentially blocking the UI claim is huge - I had no idea that could be the issue! Thank you all for sharing real strategies that actually work. This community support means everything when the official system completely fails us.
Ezra Collins
I'm new to this community but dealing with the exact same ID.me nightmare! My account is showing some random @gmail.com address that I've never used, and I've been stuck on the EDD verification step for over a week now. This entire thread has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea there was actually a working phone number for ID.me support! I've been trying to get help through their useless chat system and online forms with zero success. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm definitely going to try the 8 AM sharp calling strategy tomorrow. I'm setting multiple alarms and preparing all my documents tonight (driver's license, SSN card, utility bills, birth certificate). I'm also writing down those key phrases about "duplicate accounts under SSN" and "identity resolution team" that several people mentioned. The most encouraging thing is hearing from people like @QuantumQuasar and @Oliver Weber who got their issues resolved so quickly once they reached the right rep. It's incredible how these mystery accounts can come from tax services, employers, or other government agencies without us even knowing! Really hoping @Zainab Ibrahim posts an update about her nephew's call. This community support is honestly the only thing keeping me hopeful that this mess is actually fixable. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it makes such a stressful situation feel much less overwhelming! 🙏
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Holly Lascelles
•@Ezra Collins Welcome to the thread and I m'so sorry you re'going through this too! It s'honestly mind-blowing how widespread this ID.me issue has become. I m'also new here but have been following everyone s'advice closely since I m'helping my mom with the exact same problem. What gives me the most confidence is seeing how many people have actually gotten this resolved once they reached the right person at ID.me. The consistency of the 8 AM calling strategy across multiple success stories really seems to be the key. I love that you re'preparing everything tonight - that seems to be what separates the successful calls from the frustrating ones. The thing that really opened my eyes was learning about all these stealth "ID.me" accounts getting created by tax services, employers, and other agencies. Who knew FreeTaxUSA was creating ID.me accounts back in 2022?! It makes me want to audit every government service I ve'ever used. I m'planning to call tomorrow morning too, so hopefully we ll'both have good news to share. Really hoping @Zainab Ibrahim updates us on how her nephew s call'goes - this thread has become like a support group for all of us dealing with this bureaucratic mess! 😅 Good luck with your 8 AM call tomorrow! Let s keep'each other posted on how it goes! 🤞
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Jean Claude
I'm new here but this thread has been absolutely incredible to find! I've been struggling with this exact ID.me issue for the past two weeks - my account is showing some mysterious @outlook.com email that I've never seen before, and I can't get past the identity verification to file my unemployment claim. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me so much hope and practical advice. I had no idea there was actually a working phone number for ID.me! I've been going in circles with their chat bot and online support forms getting nowhere. I'm definitely going to try the 8 AM calling strategy that so many people have had success with. Already setting my alarm and gathering all my documents (driver's license, SSN card, recent bank statement, birth certificate). I'm also writing down those key phrases like "search for duplicate accounts under this SSN" and "identity resolution team" that multiple people mentioned. What's really eye-opening is learning how these mystery accounts can come from tax preparation services, previous employers, or other government agencies creating ID.me accounts without us knowing. I used TurboTax a few years ago and now I'm wondering if that's where this phantom account came from! Thank you everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and advice. This community support is honestly keeping me sane through this frustrating process. Really hoping to join the success stories soon! 🤞 @Zainab Ibrahim please keep us posted on how your nephew's call goes tomorrow - we're all rooting for you both!
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