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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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This is such valuable information! I'm a former EDD claims processor and can confirm everything everyone is saying here. We regularly saw people who waited to file after WARN Act payments ended, and they always faced significant delays getting their first benefit payment. The processing time doesn't magically speed up just because your WARN pay stops - you're still going through the same review process that takes weeks. One thing I'd add is to make sure you answer the application questions very carefully. When it asks about your last day of work, that's typically the actual last day you performed work duties, not when your WARN payments end. And when certifying during the WARN period, you'll need to report those payments as "other income" but you can usually select "separation pay" or similar from the dropdown menu. The system is designed to handle this situation - it's more common than people think, especially in California with all the tech layoffs in recent years. Don't let HR pressure you into waiting. They're not unemployment experts, and their priorities are definitely not aligned with getting you benefits as quickly as possible!
This is incredibly helpful coming from someone who actually worked at EDD! I'm just starting to navigate this whole process and it's reassuring to know the system is designed to handle WARN Act situations. Your point about the "last day of work" versus when payments end is really important - I hadn't thought about that distinction. I'm curious, when you were processing claims, did you see any common mistakes people made when reporting their WARN Act payments during certification? I want to make sure I don't mess anything up that could delay my benefits later.
@dcd982028ae3 Thanks for the insider perspective! As someone who actually processed these claims, what would you say is the biggest red flag that might trigger additional review or delay? I'm planning to file this week and want to make sure I don't accidentally say something that puts my claim into some kind of manual review queue. Also, did you notice if there was a particular time of day or week that was better for submitting applications to avoid getting caught in heavy processing backlogs?
I'm going through this exact situation right now too! My company just announced they're closing our office and we'll get WARN Act pay through May. HR gave us the same "don't file until payments end" speech, but after reading this thread I realize they're just trying to protect their own interests. One question for those who have been through this - when you file the initial claim, do you need to provide any special documentation about the WARN Act notice, or does EDD just need the standard employment information? I have the official WARN notification letter from my employer but wasn't sure if I should upload it somewhere or just mention it in the application. Also wondering if anyone knows whether the 60-day WARN period affects the work search requirements at all, or if those kick in immediately when you file? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is going to save me a lot of headaches!
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This is such a relief to see that it resolved itself! I've been dealing with EDD issues for months and it's stories like this that give me hope. For anyone else reading this thread in the future - the key takeaway seems to be: if you just certified and got paid within the last 30 days, DON'T reopen your claim even if the system tells you to. Wait 24-48 hours for their system to correct itself, and if it doesn't, call for a tier 2 specialist to fix the flag error. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and helping Clay avoid what could have been weeks of payment delays!
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm new to this community and dealing with my first EDD claim, so seeing how everyone jumped in to help Clay avoid a major mistake really shows how supportive this group is. I'll definitely bookmark this for future reference - the advice about waiting for system corrections and knowing when to ask for tier 2 specialists could save so many people from unnecessary headaches. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences here!
As someone who just went through the EDD system for the first time, this thread is incredibly valuable! I'm bookmarking this because the step-by-step advice here could have saved me weeks of stress. It's amazing how a simple system glitch can cause so much panic, but seeing how the community rallied to help Clay avoid reopening unnecessarily shows the power of shared experience. The key points about waiting 24-48 hours for system corrections and knowing when you need a tier 2 specialist are gold. Thanks to everyone who contributed their knowledge - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that EDD should be providing but doesn't!
Exactly! I'm also pretty new to navigating EDD and this whole thread has been like a masterclass in what NOT to do when their system acts up. It's scary how one wrong click (like reopening when you shouldn't) can spiral into weeks or months of problems. The fact that Clay's issue resolved itself overnight just by waiting really drives home the importance of not panicking and making hasty decisions with EDD. I'm definitely saving this thread - the advice about system glitches, tier 2 specialists, and even tools like Claimyr could be lifesavers down the road. Thanks to everyone for sharing their hard-earned wisdom!
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I'm currently going through a very similar situation and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! My company also denied my remote work request after I had to relocate for family reasons, and I've been terrified about the upcoming EDD interview. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice, I'm realizing that documentation is absolutely crucial. Like several others mentioned, I also have text messages from my supervisor discussing the situation, but I wasn't sure if they'd be taken seriously. It's so reassuring to hear that these informal communications can actually be your strongest evidence. One thing I wanted to add based on my research - I found out that California specifically recognizes "substantial change in working conditions" as good cause for separation. When your employer refuses reasonable accommodations (especially ones they grant to other employees) and creates impossible working conditions, that can qualify as constructive dismissal. @Diego Mendoza - your situation with the 9-year employment history and documented management suggestions really does sound like a strong case. The fact that your director explicitly told you to resign and apply for benefits is huge. That's basically your employer admitting they put you in an impossible position. I'm going to follow the advice everyone's given here about preparing a timeline, calculating the financial impact of the commute, and emphasizing the inconsistent remote work policies. This community support has been amazing during such a stressful time. Please keep us updated on how your interview goes - your experience could really help others navigate similar situations!
@Nia Johnson I m'so glad this thread has been helpful for your situation too! It s'unfortunate how many of us are dealing with employers who won t'provide reasonable accommodations, but at least we can support each other through the process. You re'absolutely right about the substantial "change in working conditions aspect" - I hadn t'realized California had specific provisions for this, but it makes perfect sense. When you think about it, requiring someone to commute 5-6 hours daily when they previously had more flexibility or (when others are allowed remote work really) is a fundamental change to the job conditions. The documentation point can t'be stressed enough. I was initially worried that text messages weren t'official "enough," but reading everyone s'success stories here shows that EDD takes these informal communications seriously, especially when they show management acknowledging the impossible situation. One thing that s'really struck me from all these responses is how important it is to frame this as the employer s'decision rather than our choice. We didn t'want to leave - we were put in positions where continuing employment became genuinely impossible despite our best efforts to find solutions. I m'feeling much more confident about my upcoming interview after reading everyone s'experiences. The timeline preparation, financial impact calculations, and emphasis on inconsistent policies all seem like crucial elements for a strong case. Thank you for the encouragement, and I hope your situation works out well too! I ll'definitely update everyone after my phone call. We re'all just trying to support our families while dealing with unreasonable employment situations.
I'm going through a remarkably similar situation right now and wanted to add some encouragement based on what I've learned from researching California unemployment law. Your case actually has several strong factors working in your favor that you should definitely emphasize during your phone interview. The fact that your director explicitly suggested you resign and apply for unemployment benefits is incredibly significant - this essentially shows that management recognized the working conditions they were imposing were unreasonable and unsustainable. Make sure to mention those text messages right away during your interview. What really strengthens your case is the inconsistency in your employer's remote work policy. You've been there 9 years with presumably good performance, yet they're denying you the same accommodation they grant to other employees. This could be seen as discriminatory treatment, especially when combined with your documented attempts to find reasonable solutions. A few additional points that might help: - Calculate the exact financial impact of that commute (gas, vehicle wear, potential childcare for extended hours) - it might actually make working financially impossible - Emphasize that you made multiple good-faith efforts to continue employment before being forced to leave - Frame this as "constructive dismissal" - your employer created impossible working conditions that left you no reasonable choice The 2.5 hour distance might initially seem like it works against you, but when combined with your employer's refusal to accommodate remote work (while allowing it for others) and their own suggestion to resign, it actually supports your case for good cause separation. Stay calm during your interview, stick to the facts, and remember that EDD has seen these situations before. Your documentation and the circumstances really do suggest this was your employer's decision, not yours. Best of luck!
@Sara Unger This is such comprehensive and encouraging advice! Your point about calculating the exact financial impact is brilliant - I hadn t'fully considered that the commute costs alone might make the job financially unviable. Between gas, tolls, vehicle maintenance, and the need for extended childcare, I m'probably looking at $70-100+ per day just to work. The constructive "dismissal framing" really resonates with me too. When you put it that way, it s'clear that my employer created conditions they knew I couldn t'meet, especially after 9 years of successful employment. The fact that they suggested resignation themselves really does show they understood the situation was impossible. I m'definitely going to lead with those text messages during my interview. Reading everyone s'experiences here, it seems like that documentation of management s'suggestion is often the turning point in these cases. It transforms the narrative from employee "chose to quit to" employer "acknowledged untenable situation. Your" reminder about staying calm and sticking to facts is exactly what I needed to hear. I tend to get flustered and over-explain when stressed, but the evidence speaks for itself. The combination of my employment history, documented accommodation attempts, inconsistent company policies, and management s'own guidance really does paint a clear picture. Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed and encouraging advice. This community support has been incredible during what felt like a hopeless situation. I ll'definitely update everyone after my phone interview!
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I had this exact same issue! What finally worked for me was going to the "History" tab and then clicking on "State Disability Insurance" instead of the regular unemployment section. The disability statements are in a completely separate area from the regular UI benefits. Also, try switching between the "Summary" and "Detailed" views - sometimes the download links only show up in one of them. It took me forever to figure this out because they don't make it obvious at all 🤦♀️
Oh wow, thank you so much for this tip! I never would have thought to look in the State Disability Insurance section separately. I've been searching in the regular unemployment area this whole time. Going to try this right now - fingers crossed! 🤞
This is exactly what I was missing! Just tried your suggestion and found my disability statements right away in the State Disability Insurance section. You're absolutely right - they hide it in a completely separate area. Thank you so much for sharing this, you saved me hours of frustration! 🙌
Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same headache a few months ago! The EDD system is honestly so confusing with how they organize everything. I ended up having to call multiple times before I finally got someone who could walk me through where to find my disability docs. One thing that helped me was taking screenshots of each section as I navigated through - that way when I had to start over (which happened A LOT), I could remember where I'd already looked. Also, if you do end up calling, ask them to email you direct links to your documents. Some reps can do that and it saves you from having to hunt around the website. Hope you get it sorted out soon! 🤞
This is such helpful advice! The screenshot idea is brilliant - I wish I had thought of that earlier. I've been going in circles trying to remember which sections I've already checked. And I had no idea that some reps could email direct links to documents! That would save so much time and frustration. Thanks for sharing your experience, it's really reassuring to know I'm not the only one who's struggled with this mess of a website 😅
Yuki Ito
This is such valuable information! I'm planning to visit family in Japan next month and was worried about this exact scenario. @GalaxyGlider thanks for sharing your successful resolution - it's reassuring to know that EDD can be reasonable when you're upfront about legitimate travel. The Claimyr service sounds like it's worth the investment to avoid the stress of blocked access. Did they ask for any documentation about your family emergency or travel plans when you spoke with them?
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Yuki Tanaka
•@GalaxyGlider didn't mention this but when I called EDD about similar situation they did ask for some basic info about my travel - nothing too detailed though. They mainly wanted to confirm I was still actively job searching and available for California work. Having documentation ready (like flight itinerary or family emergency info) is probably smart but they didn't require me to submit anything formal. The key was being honest about the situation and demonstrating I was still meeting all the work search requirements. Good luck with your Japan trip!
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Aisha Abdullah
Just wanted to add my experience for anyone still dealing with this. I'm a digital nomad who's been collecting CA unemployment while traveling (legitimately - I'm still available for remote work in CA). After trying multiple VPNs that all got blocked, I found that Surfshark's "NoBorders" mode worked for about 2 weeks before EDD caught on. But honestly, after reading everyone's experiences here, I think calling EDD directly is the way to go. The temporary workarounds aren't worth the risk of getting your account flagged. @GalaxyGlider your update gives me hope that they're reasonable about legitimate travel situations. Planning to call them before my next trip to get ahead of any issues.
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NebulaNova
•@Aisha Abdullah That s'smart to call ahead! I m'in a similar situation as a remote worker and was dreading having to deal with this. After seeing @GalaxyGlider s'success story, it really seems like transparency is the best policy with EDD. Did you have any issues with them questioning your digital "nomad status?" I m'worried they might not understand that remote work can be done from anywhere but I m'still genuinely available for California-based positions.
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