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EDD keeps scheduling phantom interviews while my claim is stuck pending since January
I'm at my wits end with EDD! My claim has been stuck in pending since January 2025 (over 4 months now). Every time I certify, the system shows my payments as pending, then randomly schedules phone interviews that turn out to be 'mistakes' according to the reps! This has happened THREE times already - including today after my latest certification. I've already gone through multiple waiting periods with zero payment. Meanwhile, I'm working a temp position that barely covers half my bills, and I'm literally spending 2-3 hours EVERY DAY trying to reach someone at EDD. When I finally get through, they just say 'it's a mistake' or 'the system glitch will clear soon' but nothing changes! Has anyone else dealt with these phantom interviews that keep delaying payment? Any advice for breaking this endless pending cycle?
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EDD benefits after entertainment industry strike - possible extension before eligibility date?
I'm a lighting technician in the film industry, and we're facing another potential shutdown after just recovering from the big strike last year. I exhausted my unemployment benefits during the previous work stoppage, and now my EDD online account says I'm not eligible for a new claim until 6/29/24. With productions already getting postponed due to another possible strike, I'm starting to panic about how to pay bills. Does anyone know if there's any way to get an extension or special consideration given the unique industry situation? Or am I just out of luck until my eligibility date rolls around? I've heard rumors about industry-specific provisions but can't find any clear info on the EDD website.
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Just an update - I called EDD this morning using the Claimyr service I mentioned, and the rep confirmed that out-of-state work CAN help establish a new claim in some cases. It depends on how much you earned and when. They said they need to request wage information from the other state, which takes about 2-3 weeks to process. Better than waiting until June 29th!
That's really helpful, thank you! I think I'll try the same approach. Did they say how much you needed to have earned in the other state for it to qualify?
The rep said each state has different minimum earnings requirements, but generally you need to have earned at least $1,300 in your highest-earning quarter. Georgia might be different though. The EDD rep will be able to tell you exactly what qualifies when you speak with them.
Account shows 'no new wages' - Do I need new EDD account or can I file by phone?
So frustrating right now! I was on unemployment back in 2023 and now I need to apply again. When I logged into my old UI Online account, I got this message saying "no new wages reported to unemployment department" and that I need to file either by phone or mail instead of online. Has anyone dealt with this before? Do I need to create a brand new account or can I still use my existing one? I've been calling the EDD number for 2 days straight and it's always just recordings or "all lines are busy" messages. I'm getting desperate because my last paycheck from my restaurant job was already gone on rent. Anyone know a way to actually talk to a real person at EDD?? 😫
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did u try the online chat thing on the edd website? sometimes u can get help there faster than calling
The chat bot is USELESS for anything more complicated than password resets. It'll just tell you to call the same number everyone's complaining about not being able to get through on. Classic EDD runaround.
After I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above, the EDD agent told me the "no new wages" message can also happen if your previous claim was filed under a special program (like the pandemic assistance) and now you're eligible for regular UI. The systems don't always talk to each other correctly. The phone rep was able to see all my wages even though the online system couldn't. Got everything fixed in one call once I actually reached someone.
That makes sense! My previous claim was during the pandemic. I'll definitely try to get through to someone on the phone. Thanks for the insight!
EDD Appeal Hearing next week - How to win when ex-employer is under lawsuit?
I'm having serious anxiety about my EDD appeal hearing scheduled for next week. My former employer denied my UI claim after I (along with several coworkers) reported them to the tax board for some pretty sketchy practices. The company has since gone out of business, and we're all part of a class action lawsuit against them. I've already found new employment (thankfully!), but I'm worried about the potential overpayment if I lose this appeal. The EDD sent me benefits during my unemployment period, and now I might have to pay everything back if the judge sides with my former employer. I have documentation showing inconsistencies in their claims against me, but since they were doing so many illegal things (hence the ongoing lawsuits), I'm not sure what to focus on during the hearing. My personal attorney is handling the civil lawsuit but can't represent me for the EDD appeal. Has anyone successfully won an appeal against a vindictive employer? What evidence worked best? Should I mention the class action lawsuit? I've reviewed the appeal paperwork multiple times but still feel unprepared. Any advice from people who've been through the EDD appeals process would be incredibly helpful!
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hi i just went thru this!! make sure u log into the hearing 10 mins early! my call dropped twice during my hearing and i almost missed it completely. also if u have any witnesses they have to be there from the start or judge might not let them talk later. my friend was gonna testify for me but couldnt get on at beginning so they wouldnt let her speak!! i still won tho bc my boss was lying about everything and judge saw thru it.
Omg thats so stressful about the call dropping!! Did u use a landline or cell? I think I should use my landline for my hearing to be safe.
Just wanted to follow up - how did your hearing go? Did you win your appeal?
The hearing is tomorrow! I've been preparing all week using everyone's advice here. I've organized my documents with 3 copies of everything, written out a clear timeline, and practiced giving concise answers. I'm still nervous but feeling much more prepared than before. I'll update once I get the decision!
EDD claim backdating after March layoff - no paperwork received yet
I was part of a massive tech layoff (850+ people) in California back on March 24th and I still haven't started my unemployment claim. It's been over 2 weeks and I haven't received anything in the mail from EDD. I'm getting worried about bills piling up. Can I just go ahead and file online without waiting for paperwork? Also, since the layoff happened on March 24th, can I backdate my claim to that date even though I'm filing late? I've never had to use unemployment before and I'm totally lost on the process. Any help would be really appreciated.
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Whatever you do, DO NOT wait any longer to file!!! Each week you delay is potentially lost money. You're already about 2+ weeks behind. EDD allows backdating but there's a limit, and the longer you wait, the more explaining you'll need to do. The whole system is designed to make things difficult (IMO). Just start the claim online TODAY and worry about the backdating part later.
this is good advice but ur wrong about one thing. there's no "limit" on backdating like ur saying. i backdated my claim 6 months (had medical issues) and they approved it. just needs a valid reason.
Update: I filed my claim online today. There was a section where I could explain the late filing, so I mentioned that I misunderstood the process and thought my employer would initiate something or that I'd receive paperwork first. The system accepted my claim with the March 24th date, but said my backdating request would be reviewed. I guess I'll wait and see what happens. Thank you everyone for your help!
Great job filing! Now, be prepared for a few next steps: 1. You'll receive your Customer Account Number in about 7-10 days by mail 2. Once you have that, register for UI Online immediately 3. You may receive an interview notice if they have questions about your backdating 4. Start keeping records of your job search activities NOW - you'll need them for certification Also, set a reminder to certify for benefits every two weeks once your claim is processed. Missing certification deadlines can cause payment delays.
Sara Hellquiem
Hey, just checking back - were you able to get through to a Tier 2 specialist? Sometimes it helps to mention specific keywords when you first get through to the general line. Try saying you need help with an "eligibility determination issue" rather than just saying your payments are pending. This often gets you to the right department faster.
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Oscar O'Neil
AuthorI've been trying all morning but still can't get through to anyone. I'll keep trying with those exact words about the eligibility determination issue. Thanks for checking back!
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Leeann Blackstein
UPDATE: For those having this phantom interview issue, EDD just posted about a system update they did in April that's causing these problems for people with mixed income (partial work + UI benefits). They're supposedly fixing it this week. Check your UI Online account daily because they may not call when it's fixed - the pending payments might just suddenly process. If your payments don't clear by next week, definitely call and ask for a Tier 2 rep as I mentioned before and reference the "April system update issue" - they'll know what you're talking about.
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Oscar O'Neil
AuthorThis is really helpful! Where did you see this announcement about the April system update? I've been checking my UI Online portal but didn't see any notifications about this.
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Leeann Blackstein
It was in the EDD Twitter feed and there's a small notice at the bottom of the UI Online login page (easy to miss). It only appears before you log in, not inside your account messages.
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