I'm a new member here but wanted to share my recent experience since it might help others! I just went through one of these verification interviews two weeks ago after filing a new claim. Like everyone else, I was initially worried when I saw it scheduled, but it turned out to be completely routine. The rep called exactly on time and was very professional. They asked standard questions: verified my identity, confirmed my last employer and separation reason, asked about my availability for work, and checked if I'd done any work since my last claim ended. The whole call took about 11 minutes. One thing that really helped me was having a quiet space with good phone reception - I made sure to be somewhere with strong cell signal about 10 minutes before the scheduled time. Also, I kept a notepad handy to jot down any important info they mentioned during the call. My payments processed normally throughout the entire process. The rep even mentioned that these interviews are now standard for most people filing new claims, especially if you've had unemployment benefits before. It's definitely not a sign that anything is wrong with your application! Hope this helps ease some anxiety for others going through the same thing. The community advice here has been spot-on from my experience!

I'm new to this community but wanted to add my perspective as someone who just completed one of these interviews yesterday! Like everyone else here, I was super anxious when I first saw it scheduled after filing my new claim. But after reading through this thread and going through the actual interview, I can confirm it's really nothing to stress about. My interview was scheduled for 2:00 PM and they called at exactly 2:02 PM. The rep was incredibly professional and friendly - started by explaining that this is a routine verification process they're doing for most new claims in 2025. The questions were straightforward: identity verification, last employer details, reason for job separation, current job search status, and whether I'd worked at all since my previous claim ended. What really helped me was having everything written down beforehand like others suggested. I had my last day of work, employer contact info, and separation reason all on a notepad right in front of me. The whole call took exactly 13 minutes and the rep even thanked me for being prepared and having all my information ready. One additional tip - they asked me to confirm the phone number and mailing address on file, so make sure those are current in your UI Online account before the interview. My payment status didn't change at all and I was able to certify for benefits normally. Really grateful for this community sharing their experiences - it made such a difference in my stress level! Hope this helps others who might be going through the same thing.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been through this recently. I was also super confused about the payment timing when I first started getting benefits after being laid off from my warehouse job. The key thing that finally made it click for me was understanding that EDD operates on a "certification first, then payment" system rather than just automatically sending money every two weeks. Once I started thinking of it as "I need to check in with EDD every two weeks to confirm I still qualify, and THEN they pay me," it made way more sense. One thing that helped me stay organized was creating a simple calendar reminder that said "EDD Certification Day" for every other Sunday. I also wrote down my certification group info and next due date on a sticky note and put it on my bathroom mirror so I'd see it every morning. Also, don't stress too much about the exact timing - as long as you certify on your assigned date and answer the questions accurately, the payments will come. I was overthinking it at first and checking my bank account obsessively. Now after several months it's just part of my routine. You've got this! The first payment is always the hardest to get, and now that you're in the system it should be much smoother going forward.

Welcome to the EDD journey! I see you've already gotten tons of great advice here, but I wanted to add one more perspective as someone who just went through this exact same confusion a few months ago. The thing that helped me the most was downloading the EDD mobile app and setting up ALL the notifications - email, text, everything. That way you never miss important updates or certification reminders. Also, bookmark your UI Online homepage because that's going to be your lifeline for checking certification dates and payment status. Since you mentioned budgeting carefully (totally get it - unemployment is stressful enough without payment uncertainty), I'd suggest creating a simple spreadsheet with your certification dates and expected payment dates for the next few months. Once you get into the rhythm, it becomes super predictable and helps with planning expenses. One last tip - if you ever run into issues or have questions, this community is amazing. Everyone here has been through the same struggles and confusion with the EDD system. Don't hesitate to post if you need help figuring something out. Good luck with your claim!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this situation - it sounds incredibly stressful. Based on what others have shared, it seems like you might have a decent chance at qualifying for benefits given the documented uninhabitable housing situation that forced your move. A few additional thoughts that might help: - Consider reaching out to local housing assistance programs in Monterey County. Sometimes they have emergency transportation vouchers or can help with temporary housing closer to work while you transition. - Look into whether your county has any emergency rental assistance that could help you secure housing closer to your job, even temporarily. - If you do get terminated and file for unemployment, be very clear in your application that this was an involuntary relocation due to health hazards (the mold), not a personal choice to move somewhere inconvenient. The fact that you have documentation (texts with landlord, photos, doctor's note) and that you've been actively trying to solve the transportation issue shows you weren't just abandoning your job responsibilities. That should work in your favor. Good luck, and I hope you're able to find a local job soon that eliminates this whole transportation nightmare!

I work for a legal aid organization that handles housing and employment issues, and your situation is actually more common than you might think. The key legal concept here is "good cause" for leaving/losing employment. California recognizes several circumstances as good cause, including when unsafe or unhealthy housing conditions force a necessary relocation that makes continued employment impossible. The mold situation you described - especially with landlord refusal to remediate and documented health impacts - could absolutely qualify. A few critical points for your EDD application: 1. Frame this as "constructive discharge" - you were essentially forced out due to circumstances beyond your control 2. Emphasize the health hazard aspect of the mold (your doctor's note is crucial evidence) 3. Document your good faith efforts to maintain employment despite the obstacles 4. Show that the relocation was the only reasonable option available to you Also, since you're still employed, consider filing a complaint with your local health department about the mold issue. This creates an official government record of the habitability problem, which strengthens your case significantly. Don't let anyone tell you this is automatically a losing case - I've seen similar situations approved, especially when the claimant has strong documentation like you do.

Hi everyone, just made a video about how to call the EDD and reach a live human agent: https://youtu.be/-R4SqP7_JUA

I had a similar experience last month where EDD missed my scheduled interview. In my case, I kept certifying as usual and checked my payment status daily. After about a week, my pending payments switched to "paid" without any follow-up interview, so it seemed like they processed my claim anyway. However, I'd recommend calling EDD to confirm the status of your interview and whether it needs to be rescheduled. Sometimes they reschedule automatically, other times the missed call means they're moving forward without it. Keep documenting everything and continue certifying on your regular schedule until you get clarity from them directly.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been trying for 3 days straight to create my UI Online account and getting that same "information doesn't match" error. Like everyone else here, I'm receiving my benefit payments just fine, so obviously EDD has my correct information somewhere in their system. What's really frustrating is that I work in IT and I can see exactly what's happening - their registration system and payment system aren't properly synced, and their data validation is way too strict for normal variations in how people enter their information. It's a classic case of poor system integration. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service that @Caleb Stone recommended since calling EDD directly seems impossible. Has anyone had success with the early morning registration tip that @Keisha Jackson mentioned? I might try hitting their system right at 6 AM tomorrow before the daily traffic hits. It's honestly embarrassing that California's unemployment system is this broken in 2025. We shouldn't need third-party services and community forums just to access basic government benefits. But thanks to everyone who shared their solutions - at least we can help each other navigate this technical disaster!

This thread is incredibly helpful for anyone dealing with EDD's broken account registration system! I'm currently stuck in the exact same situation - approved for benefits, receiving payments, but can't create my UI Online account because of the "information doesn't match" error. What strikes me most about reading everyone's experiences is how these are all preventable technical issues that could be easily fixed with proper system design. Extra spaces in name fields, missing middle initials, systems not syncing between departments - these are basic data handling problems that any decent web developer could resolve. I'm going to try the early morning registration approach first (thanks @Keisha Jackson for that tip!), and if that doesn't work, I'll definitely look into the Claimyr service that @Caleb Stone recommended. It's frustrating that we need to pay a third party to access our own government benefits, but it sounds like it's the most reliable solution right now. For anyone else dealing with this, I'd recommend having those backup certification methods ready (@Daniel Price's suggestions about phone cert at 1-866-333-4606 and paper forms) so you don't miss deadlines while fighting with their system. It's ridiculous that in 2025 we're still talking about mailing paper forms for unemployment benefits, but at least there are options. Thanks to everyone who shared their solutions - this community support is invaluable when dealing with EDD's technical disasters!