California Unemployment
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EDD denied my claim over caregiver absence, appeal sent 6 weeks ago with no confirmation - what now?
I'm getting really stressed about my unemployment appeal situation. I filed for UI back in January after being let go from my restaurant job. EDD denied my claim in February stating I was 'absent without authorization' - which is complete nonsense! I had to miss 4 days of work when my daughter got hospitalized with severe bronchitis (she's 4), and I texted my manager each day with updates. My manager kept responding with 'hope she feels better soon' and 'keep me posted about tomorrow' - never once saying I needed to come in anyway or that I was unauthorized to be absent. I submitted my appeal on February 26th with screenshots of ALL our text conversations plus the hospital discharge papers. It's now been OVER SIX WEEKS and I haven't received anything - not even confirmation they got my appeal! No letter, no email, nothing in my UI Online account. Is this normal wait time? Should I have received at least an acknowledgment by now? I'm getting desperate and bills are piling up. Anyone gone through this appeal process recently?
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Finally got paid after EDD system upgrade nightmare - what worked for me
Been stuck in unemployment limbo for almost 3 weeks since EDD rolled out their stupid system "upgrade" last month. NOTHING was working! My UI Online account kept saying "system maintenance" or just straight-up crashing whenever I tried to certify. Called like 80+ times and couldn't get through to anyone. My rent was due yesterday and I was seriously panicking. But I FINALLY figured out what worked!! Tried logging in at 4:30am (literally set an alarm) and the site was actually responsive. Was able to certify for both weeks and the money hit my Money Network card THIS MORNING! $1,240 total for the missed weeks. If you're still locked out, try super early morning or late night when the system isn't overwhelmed. Also cleared my browser cache completely before logging in which might have helped. Just wanted to share some hope for anyone else going through this nightmare. Has anyone else gotten through after the system changes?
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So happy it worked for you! Fingers crossed your payment processes quickly. Mine took about 16 hours to go from pending to paid.
I'm confused about something... I just got into the system but it's asking me about "employment search" requirements but I thought I was exempt because I'm on a temporary layoff with a return date? Do I still need to list 3 job contacts with the new system or does the temporary layoff exemption still apply? I don't want to mess this up and get disqualified when I'm supposed to go back to work in 3 weeks. The instructions are so unclear!!
If you have a definite return-to-work date within 8 weeks of your layoff, you should select "Yes" when asked if you're exempt from work search requirements. The next screen will ask for the reason - select "I am temporarily laid off with a definite return date" and enter your expected return date. The new system requires you to provide this information each certification period, unlike the old system which carried over your exemption status. This is one of the "improvements" in the upgrade that's causing confusion.
When to report new employment to EDD - before or after probation period?
Just accepted a job offer after 6 months on unemployment! I start Monday but have a 90-day probation period. My question is - when do I need to report this to EDD? Should I wait until after my probation period ends (in case I don't pass it), or after I receive my first paycheck, or do I need to report it immediately? I'm worried about making a mistake and getting hit with an overpayment later. I'll still be certifying for a couple more weeks for the time period before I started working. Anyone have experience with this? Thanks!
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wait so does this mean i have to tell them every time i pick up a side gig? i sometimes do doordash on weekends
YES! You must report ALL work and earnings when certifying, including gig work, side jobs, cash jobs, EVERYTHING. For gig work like DoorDash, you report your gross earnings (before their fees) for the week you performed the work. If you don't, it's considered fraud and you risk penalties and overpayment assessments when they catch up to you.
Thank you all for the helpful advice! Just to make sure I understand correctly: 1. I'll answer 'no' on this Sunday's certification since I haven't started working yet 2. On my next certification, I'll answer 'yes' and report all hours/wages even though I might not have received my first paycheck yet 3. I'll check the box to stop my claim since this is full-time employment 4. Probation period has no relevance to EDD reporting requirements I feel much better about this now. Really appreciate all the guidance!
Exactly right! You've got it. And congratulations again on the new job!
Do I report strike retro pay and COVID bonus to EDD while on unemployment?
Just came back from a labor strike and I'm confused about reporting requirements with EDD. I've been collecting unemployment during our work slowdown and subsequent strike. Good news is the strike is over and we won! But now I'm getting 3 different payments and not sure what I need to report to EDD: 1) A wage increase that's retroactive to cover the strike period, 2) Back pay for the strike duration, and 3) A separate COVID appreciation bonus (I wasn't on unemployment during COVID though). Do I have to report ALL of these on my bi-weekly certification? Just some? None? I'm worried about messing up and getting hit with an overpayment notice later. Would appreciate any guidance on this!
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i think you're overthinking this lol... just don't report it since it was for work before your unemployment claim started. my cousin didn't report his bonus from his old job and nothing happened
This is dangerously incorrect advice. EDD regularly cross-references income reported to them against what employers report to tax authorities. Intentionally failing to report income is considered fraud and can result in disqualification from benefits, repayment with penalties, and in serious cases, criminal charges. Please do not encourage others to commit unemployment fraud.
UPDATE: Thanks everyone for your advice! I talked to our union rep who confirmed I need to report all payments when received. She said what typically happens is people just don't get benefits for that one week when the large payment hits, but then everything goes back to normal. She also warned that EDD and our company's payroll system definitely share information, so trying to hide income would be a really bad idea. I'll be reporting everything when I get paid and just accept the one-week gap in benefits.
That's the right approach! Always better to be honest with EDD - the temporary loss of one week's benefits is nothing compared to the headache of dealing with fraud allegations or overpayment notices down the road. Glad you got it sorted out!
EDD automated system can't find claim after missed interview - certification blocked
Hey everyone, I'm in a super frustrating situation with my nephew's EDD claim. He had a scheduled phone interview with EDD last Tuesday, but the interviewer NEVER called him. We've been trying to deal with this mess ever since! Every time we check UI Online, the system is either 'down for maintenance' or just loads a blank page. We've called the main number like 30+ times but always get that annoying 'we're experiencing high call volume' message and it hangs up. Now things have gotten worse - when he tries to certify for his weeks, the automated system says it 'cannot find his information in the system.' It's like his claim has vanished! Has anyone dealt with something similar? What should we do next? He's got rent due next week and is seriously starting to panic. Any advice would be incredibly appreciated!
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Good news - it sounds like this is a fixable issue based on what you've described. If the automated system "can't find him in the system," this typically means one of two things: 1. The claim has been temporarily suspended pending the interview (most likely) 2. There's been an identity verification flag placed on the account In either case, once you speak with a representative, they should be able to resolve it fairly quickly. Make sure your nephew has his claim number, SSN, and any correspondence from EDD (especially the interview notice) available when you call. The good news is that once resolved, any back payments for certified weeks should be processed. The key is getting through to someone who can help, which is admittedly the hardest part of dealing with EDD.
wait so if the EDD person doesnt call for the interview you still get backpay for those weeks? i thought you lose those weeks forever
No, you don't lose those weeks permanently. When a scheduled interview doesn't occur (regardless of why), your claim is put on hold until the issue is resolved. Once resolved, you can certify for those past weeks and receive payment, though there may be a delay depending on how long it takes to fix the issue. This is why it's important to take action quickly to get the claim back on track.
UPDATE: After trying for 3 days, we finally got through to EDD! Using the phone prompts that were suggested plus calling right at 8:01am did the trick. The representative confirmed that because the interviewer didn't call, the system automatically flagged his account for review, which is why he couldn't certify. She rescheduled his eligibility interview for next Tuesday and removed the block on his account. He should be able to certify for his past weeks once the interview is completed. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help and suggestions! This community is amazing. 🙏
That's great news! Make sure he's fully prepared for the interview with any documents they might ask for. Also, take notes during the call including the interviewer's name and ID number (they'll provide this). That way if there are any issues afterward, you have documentation of what was discussed and who you spoke with.
Thanks for the tip! I'll make sure he writes everything down and keeps detailed notes. Fingers crossed this interview actually happens this time!
Yara Sayegh
whatever u do DONT stop certifying!!! my friend stopped certifying while waiting for appeal and then when she won they wouldnt pay her for those weeks even tho she was eligible
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Paolo Longo
THIS!!! I made the same mistake and lost out on $3,800 because I stopped certifying during my appeal wait. EDD doesn't tell you this deliberately so they save money!!!
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Connor Gallagher
Just to clarify some misinformation I'm seeing: appeals in California are handled by the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB), not EDD directly. They are separate entities. When you call EDD, they often can't give you detailed information about your appeal status. The correct appeals board number is 1-800-400-9061. They should be able to tell you if your appeal was received and what stage it's in. Also, while waiting times are long, the good news is that caregiver absences for ill family members are protected under California law when properly communicated to employers. With your text message evidence, you have a strong case. Just be prepared to clearly explain the timeline of events at your hearing.
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Zainab Omar
AuthorThank you for the correct number! I'll try calling them tomorrow morning. That makes me feel better about my chances with the text messages. Do you know if the hearing will be in person or over the phone?
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Connor Gallagher
Most hearings are currently being conducted by phone due to the backlog, though you can request an in-person hearing if you prefer. Phone hearings actually move faster in the schedule. When you do get your hearing notice, it will come with instructions for submitting additional evidence. Make sure to submit everything at least 10 days before the hearing date.
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