California Unemployment
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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
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 :)
Just got laid off in company RIF - Do I qualify for EDD benefits?
Hey everyone, I got the dreaded news this morning - my company announced a Reduction in Force and I'm one of the people being let go. HR said my last day is in 2 weeks but I'll get paid through the end of next month (with 6 weeks severance after that). I'm completely blindsided since our department just hit all our Q1 targets. Never been on unemployment before so I have no idea how this works. Do I qualify for EDD benefits with a layoff like this? When should I apply - now or after my last official day? And does the severance package affect anything? I'm so stressed about this right now, any advice would be super appreciated.
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Can I claim EDD benefits during Big Bear storm closure until March 16th?
So my employer in Big Bear just informed us that they're keeping the business closed until all the roads are cleared from the recent storms - supposedly March 16th according to what they've heard. I haven't been able to work at all since the storm hit, and I'm wondering if I qualify for unemployment during this kind of natural disaster situation? Has anyone dealt with something similar with mountain closures? My savings are getting low and I'm worried about making it until mid-March without any income. Do I apply as a regular unemployment claim or is there some special disaster category I should use?
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Also make sure u get UI ONLINE set up on ur phone cause u have to certify every 2 weeks or they stop paying u!!!!! I missed ONE certification deadline and it took me calling 37 TIMES to fix it!!!!
Thanks for the reminder! I'll definitely set up phone alerts so I don't miss any certification deadlines.
One more tip - keep documentation of the road closures. Screenshot news articles, official announcements, or Caltrans updates about the Big Bear road closures. If you get any written communication from your employer about the closure, save that too. While you probably won't need it, having this documentation ready will help if there are any questions about your claim.
EDD claims certified since May but no payments - mortgage due with huge late fee
I'm at my wits' end with this payment issue! My husband and I have been certifying for unemployment consistently since May 14th, but we haven't received ANY payments for the last 6 weeks. The EDD website keeps saying all our weeks have been 'successfully certified' - yet nothing is hitting our bank account. Finally got through to an EDD rep yesterday after trying for 3 days straight. They gave me the most ridiculous explanation - apparently there's some 'glitch' in the system where it shows we certified but didn't actually process them?? They said they're going to mail us paper certification forms because the online system isn't working for our account. This makes ZERO sense since we've been certifying without issues for months! Now I'm facing a $275 late fee on our mortgage due on the 15th, and I'm completely stressed out. Has anyone else dealt with this 'phantom certification' problem where EDD says you certified but doesn't pay you?
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just went thru this!! call the 2511 number not the 5616 one. 5616 reps r useless for this problem. and call exactly at 8:02am not 8:00 (everyone calls at 8 sharp). ask SPECIFICALLY for tier 2 or claim specialist. dont waste time with regular reps. took me 3 weeks to figure this out but finally got paid last friday after the specialist fixed it. good luck!!
does the 2511 number actually work better?? ive been trying the main one forever!!
Just to follow up on this thread - the system update issue affecting certifications is specifically related to how the EDD database processes consecutive certifications. Some accounts are getting caught in what they call a 'certification loop' where the UI Online interface shows successful submission but the backend payment processing system never receives the data. The only permanent fix is getting a tier 2 specialist to manually break the loop and reprocess your certifications. For your mortgage issue, definitely request the hardship forbearance as suggested above, but also get documentation from EDD about the system issue to support your claim. A Tier 2 specialist can provide an official notice of payment delay that most mortgage companies will accept.
Thank you SO much for this detailed explanation! This makes perfect sense and explains exactly what we're experiencing. I'm going to try calling again tomorrow morning using the 2511 number at 8:02am as someone suggested. Fingers crossed I can get through to a Tier 2 specialist who can fix this 'certification loop' issue. I'll definitely ask for documentation of the delay for our mortgage company too. I really appreciate everyone's help!
EDD missed interview call - now need to upload documents but can't find where on website
Pretty frustrated right now! I was scheduled for an eligibility interview with EDD last Thursday but never received any call. I checked my phone records to make sure I didn't miss it - nothing from any EDD or government number. Then yesterday I got this letter in the mail saying I need to send in proof of my work search activities and previous employment verification within 10 days or my claim might be disqualified! The letter mentions I can upload these documents through UI Online, but I can't find where to do this anywhere on the website. I've clicked through every tab and menu but there's no upload option I can see. Has anyone else had to upload documents after a missed interview? Where exactly on the UI Online portal can I find the document upload section?
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Sounds like another case of EDD's left hand not knowing what the right is doing. Their phone system is a complete joke. I spent 3 weeks trying to reach someone before finding a way through. When you finally get an agent, demand that they note in your file that THEY missed the interview, not you. Otherwise, they might try to impose a false statement penalty week where you don't get paid even if your claim is approved.
This is excellent advice. Having the agent document that EDD missed the call (not you) is crucial for avoiding penalty weeks. Also ask for a direct confirmation number for the call and the agent's ID number. It helps tremendously if you need to reference the conversation later.
Update us on how it goes! I'm curious if you're able to get this resolved. The document upload is just step one - getting a human on the phone who can actually help is the real challenge with EDD.
Will do! I tried that Claimyr service the other commenter mentioned and actually got through to someone at EDD this afternoon! The agent was super helpful and said this happens all the time. They rescheduled my interview for next week and put a note in my file that I had uploaded all the requested documents ahead of time. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly from here!
EDD Money Network Card Delays - Anyone else still waiting after certification?
I'm seriously stressing about my EDD Money Network card! I was approved for benefits 3 weeks ago and certified twice already, but STILL haven't received my payment card in the mail. The EDD website shows payments as "paid" but I obviously can't access the money without the actual card. Customer service said it could take 7-10 business days but it's been way longer than that. Has anyone else experienced major delays getting their card recently? How long did yours take to arrive? I'm certifying again this weekend and getting really anxious about having multiple payments stuck on a card I don't even have yet. Any advice on how to check the status or expedite delivery?
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anyone know if you can pick up the card in person somewhere? waiting for mail is killing me
No, unfortunately there's no in-person pickup option for Money Network cards. They can only be delivered by mail. If your card is significantly delayed, the best option is to call Money Network directly and request a replacement with expedited shipping.
Update on my situation: finally got through to Money Network and they said my card was returned as undeliverable even though my address is correct! They're sending a new one now. OP - definitely call them directly to check status.
Thank you for the update! I finally called Money Network using the trick someone mentioned about selecting the lost/stolen option to reach a person faster. Turns out my card was sent out but they messed up my apartment number! They're sending a new one with expedited shipping (paid the $10 fee because I'm desperate at this point). Should have it in 3 business days. So relieved to finally know what happened!
Leeann Blackstein
The ID.me verification was actually pretty smooth for me, just make sure you have your driver's license or passport ready and a decent camera for the selfie verification. It took about 10 minutes total.\n\nFor job search activities, I report at least 3 activities per week. Be specific - company name, position, date, how you applied, any contact info you have. Mix it up between actual applications, updating your LinkedIn, attending networking events, etc. I keep a simple spreadsheet with columns for all this info so certification is easy.\n\nOne tip: set a reminder for your certification days! They're always the same 2 weeks apart, and if you miss the window it can delay your payment.
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Oscar O'Neil
This is super helpful - thank you! I'll start a spreadsheet today to track everything. And good tip about the certification reminders, I definitely don't want to miss those.
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