California Unemployment
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach California Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Which claim is this call about?
Each program has its own EDD agents, so pick the one your claim is with.
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 :)
Can I get EDD benefits if quitting due to doctor's disciplinary issues creating toxic workplace?
I'm in a really tough spot at my medical office job. My doctor/employer is currently under investigation by the Medical Board of California and it's creating an absolute nightmare work environment. The stress levels are through the roof! He's taking it out on all the staff, especially me since I handle patient scheduling and billing. I'm getting blamed for everything from appointment cancellations to patients asking questions about the investigation (which patients can see online). My anxiety is now so bad I'm having panic attacks before work. I've been there 3+ years with a perfect record until this started 2 months ago. If I quit because of this hostile work environment, would I qualify for unemployment benefits? I've heard you normally can't get EDD if you voluntarily quit, but this situation feels different - it's affecting my mental health severely. Has anyone successfully gotten benefits after leaving a toxic workplace? What kind of documentation would I need? I really need some income while I search for something new but I literally cannot take another month in this environment.
Join the conversation
EDD phone lines open today? + SDI prompt shortcuts needed
Anyone know if EDD phone lines are open today (President's Day)? Need to talk to someone ASAP about my claim. Also, has anyone figured out the magic sequence of prompts to get through to an SDI rep quickly? Last time I called about my disability claim I was on hold for 2+ hours before I just gave up. Really need to get this sorted this week!
Join the conversation
The EDD phone system is GARBAGE. Been dealing with them for months about my claim and every time it's like pulling teeth to get through. I've tried all the "tricks" - calling at 8:01am, calling at 4:55pm, trying different prompts, hanging up and calling again if I get certain messages. None of it works consistently. The system is INTENTIONALLY designed to keep you from reaching a human being. It's absolutely infuriating. And don't get me started on their website that looks like it was built in 1997 and constantly has "scheduled maintenance" exactly when you need to certify.
So true! And after waiting forever, sometimes they just disconnect you for no reason! 😡
Since we're talking about SDI specifically - make sure you have your claim number and ID ready when you call. The SDI department typically asks for verification before discussing your claim details. Also, if your question is about medical certification, sometimes reaching out to your doctor to make sure they submitted their portion correctly is faster than waiting on EDD to sort it out. One lesser-known tip: If you're having issues with your claim that you can't resolve by phone, you can actually schedule an in-person appointment at certain EDD offices. These are often easier to get than successfully reaching someone by phone.
I had no idea you could do in-person appointments! That might actually be easier than dealing with the phone system. Do you know how to schedule those?
You need to call the main SDI number and specifically request an in-person appointment. Not all offices offer them and they're limited, but worth asking about. You can also check the EDD website for office locations that handle SDI claims since not all of them do.
EDD payment received but no Money Network card delivered after 3 weeks
I'm freaking out a bit here. My claim was finally approved & I received my first EDD payment notification 3 weeks ago, but still no debit card in the mail! I called Money Network yesterday and their rep told me 'the card is automatically sent out the next business day after your first payment is processed.' That doesn't make any sense with my timeline, right? Has anyone else had to wait this long? I need to access these funds ASAP to cover rent. Should I request a replacement card or wait longer? The Money Network people weren't very helpful when I asked about tracking info.
Join the conversation
Just to add to the chorus here - absolutely request a replacement card immediately AND set up direct deposit as soon as you get access. Money Network was a nightmare for me too. The worst part is that they claim they can't track these cards, which is complete nonsense in 2025. Every other financial company can track mail but somehow they can't? Ridiculous!
ya and they make $$$ on all the fees too!!1! everytime u use atm its like $3 fee. total scam
Thank you all for the advice! I just got off the phone with Money Network (after waiting on hold for 45 minutes...) and requested a replacement card with expedited shipping. They confirmed my address was correct but admitted there might have been a 'processing delay' with my original card. They're charging me $15 for the expedite fee, which is annoying, but at least I should have it in 3-5 business days. Will definitely set up direct deposit the SECOND I get access to my funds!
Glad to hear you got it sorted out! Just be aware that you'll need to activate the card and create a PIN before you can transfer funds to your bank account. The whole process is unnecessarily complicated, but you're on the right track now.
EDD appeal hearing process - worried my claim might expire before court date
I received a disqualification notice after my eligibility interview last month and immediately filed an appeal. Finally got my court appeal date scheduled but it's not until May 2025 (almost 3 months away)! I'm really concerned my claim might expire before the hearing happens. Has anyone gone through the appeals process recently? How long did yours take from filing to actual hearing? And does anyone know if there's a time limit where your claim just 'expires' if the appeal takes too long? My benefits stopped when I got disqualified and I'm really struggling financially right now.
Join the conversation
This reminds me of when I got disqualified back in 2023 because my former employer claimed I quit when I was actually laid off. My appeal hearing was scheduled for 3 months out too but then I got lucky because they had a cancellation and offered me an earlier slot. So sometimes you might get it sooner. The whole thing was really stressful though. I had to borrow money from family the whole time I was waiting.
One more important tip: When you attend your hearing, whether it's phone or video, make sure you're in a quiet place with good reception/internet. I've heard stories of people missing crucial questions or having their testimony cut off due to connection issues. The judge may not be sympathetic if you can't participate properly due to technical problems on your end.
Good point - my hearing is going to be via phone. I'll make sure I'm somewhere quiet with good reception. Did you get any kind of practice run or tech check before your actual hearing?
No practice run, but they'll send you detailed instructions before the hearing date. They usually call you 5-10 minutes before the scheduled time to make sure you're there and the connection is good. Just be ready early and answer when they call.
Will reporting unpaid training days reduce my EDD weekly benefit amount?
I started a new job last week and completed 3 days of training (about 24 hours total). The company pays bi-weekly, so I won't actually receive my first paycheck until next Friday. When I certify for benefits tomorrow, I'm confused about how to report this. Should I report the hours I worked even though I haven't been paid yet? Will this reduce my weekly benefit amount immediately, or does EDD only reduce benefits once I actually receive payment? I'm worried about having a gap where I've reported work (reducing my UI) but don't have any actual income yet. Anyone dealt with this situation before?
Join the conversation
idk why EDD makes it so hard just to get basic info. the whole system is designed to trip people up i swear
EXACTLY!!!! They make the rules super complicated and then act shocked when people make mistakes! Then they call it "fraud" when most of the time it's just confusion about their ridiculous system.
Update: I finally got through to EDD after using that Claimyr service. The agent confirmed I need to report the hours I worked even though I haven't been paid yet. She also helped me calculate exactly how much my benefit will be reduced. Thanks everyone for your help! For anyone facing the same situation - yes, there will be a gap where your UI is reduced but you don't have a paycheck yet. Just part of the process unfortunately.
Glad you got through and got your questions answered! This is one of those EDD rules that trips up a lot of people.
Ava Hernandez
why dont u just stick it out til they fire u? then u get unemployment for sure. quitting is always risky
0 coins
Olivia Garcia
I've thought about that, but honestly I don't think my mental health can take it. I'm having panic attacks just thinking about going in each morning. Also, they might not fire me but just make life miserable until I quit - that could take months of suffering with no guarantee of termination.
0 coins