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EDD sent me award letter with wrong info - can't register with my customer number
I'm having the weirdest issue with EDD right now and not sure if anyone else has dealt with this. I received my award letter yesterday (dated for tomorrow, which is already strange) that shows my quarterly earnings and has my customer account number on it. When I tried to register on UI Online with this number, the system said something was incorrect - either my name, DOB, SSN, or the customer number itself doesn't match their records. Has anyone experienced this? Do I need to file a whole new claim, or just fix whatever info is wrong with my current one? If I have to call them to sort this out, how long should I expect to wait? This is my first time on unemployment and I'm already confused by their process!
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Called 56 times but EDD keeps hanging up after choosing claim option
I'm ready to cry. Two months since I lost my retail job, I finally got around to filing my unemployment claim three weeks ago. It got approved but I'm stuck in this bizarre situation where there's an 'interview needed' flag on my account but ZERO communication about when this interview is happening! My payments are all pending and rent is coming up fast. I've called the EDD number (1-800-300-5616) literally 56 times over the past week. Most times I get the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and get disconnected. The few times I actually get through the prompts and select "claim questions" the call just DISCONNECTS after I make that selection! I've tried calling at 8:01am, during lunch, right before closing - nothing works. The online portal just shows "pending - interview needed" but there's no date, time, or any information. Has anyone else dealt with this? Do I just keep calling or is there another way to get this resolved? I only have about $340 left in my bank account and I'm seriously stressing.
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This whole EDD system is DESIGNED to be broken!!! They WANT us to give up so they don't have to pay!!! I had an "interview needed" flag for TWO MONTHS and called 100+ times. Complete garbage system run by incompetent bureaucrats. The only thing that finally worked was filing a complaint with my state senator's office. Suddenly they could magically fix everything in 48 hours after I did that. The whole system is corrupt.
preach!! 👏👏 its all about making it so hard that people just give up!
I'm definitely feeling that frustration! It's like they're counting on people not having the time or energy to keep fighting through the system. I'll try the Assembly member suggestion first, but might escalate to my senator if that doesn't work.
Sometimes the UI Online messaging system has glitches. Have you tried logging out completely, clearing your browser cache and cookies, then logging back in? Fixed a similar issue for me where I couldn't see my interview appointment.
I haven't tried that yet! Going to do that right now. At this point I'm willing to try anything. Thanks for the suggestion!
EDD sent me a message about a 'patent' after interview - am I approved for benefits?
Hey everyone, just had my EDD eligibility interview yesterday and the interviewer told me I'd know about my claim status by Tuesday at the latest. This morning I received an email notification saying I had a new message in my UI Online account. When I checked, it mentioned something about being 'issued a patent' which makes absolutely no sense to me. Does this mean my claim was approved? Or is this some weird EDD terminology I don't understand? I'm completely lost about what happens next. If I am approved, should I be expecting a check in the mail or a debit card? Do I need to do something else first? This is my first time filing for unemployment and the whole process is so confusing. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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One more important thing - once you get your Money Network card, set up account alerts right away. There's been a lot of fraud with these cards. Log into the Money Network website after activating and set up text/email alerts for any transactions. Also, consider transferring your funds to your personal bank account rather than keeping large amounts on the card.
That's really good advice, thank you! I'll definitely set up those alerts and transfers when I get the card.
I just finished dealing with EDD last month after my job at the hospital ended. Just want to say it gets easier! The first payment is always the most confusing part. Make sure you answer the certification questions correctly every two weeks - especially the "did you look for work" question. You have to say yes and be able to list at least 3 job search activities per week if they ask for details later.
Thanks for the encouragement! I've been keeping a detailed job search log so I should be covered for the work search requirements.
EDD misclassified husband's claim as interstate - now stuck in appeal limbo with no income
My husband was laid off unexpectedly through a reduction in force last month (June 2025). We immediately filed for unemployment but that's when our nightmare began. An EDD specialist incorrectly classified his claim as 'interstate' even though we've lived and worked in California for years. When my husband called and spoke with the rep, the guy ADMITTED he made a mistake but then dropped this bomb: 'I can't fix this in the system, you'll have to file an appeal.' We filed the appeal right away but were just told we'd get a hearing 'eventually' with zero timeline. Meanwhile, our savings are disappearing fast. I'm working full-time but it's not enough to cover everything without his income. He's actively job hunting but his industry (software engineering) has longer hiring cycles with multiple interview rounds. It's been 5 weeks with ZERO benefits because of THEIR mistake. I'm desperate enough that I'm looking for a second job despite already working 45+ hours weekly. Has anyone successfully expedited an EDD appeal? Or does anyone have suggestions for decent-paying temporary work for someone with a background in education administration? I have 15+ years experience and a master's degree, but need something flexible enough to keep my primary job. This whole situation is making me physically ill with stress.
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I don't have advice for speeding up EDD (good luck with that!) but for temp work - have you tried substitute teaching? With your master's degree you'd qualify in most districts. Pay is usually $150-200/day and you can pick and choose which days you work around your main job. The platform
EDD Appeal Center Address Needed - Disqualified for Wrongful Termination Claim
I'm so frustrated right now. I got fired last month from my retail management job for supposedly 'violating company policy' when all I did was approve an emergency schedule change without going through 3 levels of bureaucracy first. My former employer is claiming misconduct, but it was literally an emergency situation! I filed for unemployment right away since I know wrongful termination should qualify me for benefits. Just checked my UI Online account yesterday and saw that dreaded DISQUALIFIED status. The determination letter says I need to file an appeal within 30 days, but it doesn't clearly state WHERE to send the appeal documents. There's a PO Box mentioned but I want to make sure it's the correct address before I mail anything important. Has anyone gone through the appeal process recently? What's the current address for the EDD Appeals Office? I'm in Los Angeles county if that matters. This is my first time dealing with an appeal and I'm worried about missing the deadline.
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Since you're dealing with a misconduct disqualification, make sure your appeal letter specifically addresses these key points: 1. The emergency nature of the situation 2. Any policies or precedents that support your decision 3. Your history of following proper procedures in non-emergency situations 4. Any communication with supervisors about the incident 5. How your actions were in the company's best interest despite not following protocol The legal standard for misconduct requires that your actions showed a "substantial disregard of your employer's interests" - emergency situations often create exceptions to normal rules. You should also request a copy of your claim file using an EDD Request for Records form (DE 8330). This will let you see exactly what your employer told EDD.
Thank you for laying this out so clearly! I definitely have proof that I've followed the proper channels before in normal situations, and I can show that I was acting in the company's best interest during the emergency. I'll request my claim file right away.
One more tip that really helped me: after you mail your appeal, call the CUIAB office directly (not regular EDD) to confirm they received it. Their number is 916-263-6777. They're usually much easier to reach than regular EDD. Ask for your appeal case number and write it down somewhere safe. You'll need it for all future communications. And when you eventually get your hearing notice, call and request all documents your employer has submitted for the hearing - you have a legal right to see them before the hearing date.
Thank you! I would never have known to call CUIAB directly or that I could request the employer's documents. This community has been so helpful - I feel much more prepared to handle this appeal now.
Melody Miles
One important thing to remember is that EDD often displays years rather than birth dates in their records. So if you were born in 1985, make sure you're not trying to enter "1985" as the day/month when registering. I've seen this trip up a lot of people. Also, check if your name has any special characters or spaces that might be causing issues. Their system is very particular about these things.
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Kristian Bishop
Update for anyone finding this thread later: The issue with registration after receiving an award letter is usually one of these five things: 1. Name format mismatch (middle name/initial issues) 2. Birth date format error 3. SSN transposition 4. Customer account number entered incorrectly 5. EDD system glitch that requires agent intervention In most cases, you can resolve this with a phone call to EDD. Yes, the wait times can be long, but it's faster than waiting for mail correspondence or filing a new claim (which would be incorrect in this situation).
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Jace Caspullo
AuthorThanks for summarizing! I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and got through to EDD yesterday. Turns out they had my first name and middle name switched in their system. The rep fixed it right away and I was able to register! Such a simple issue but impossible to fix without talking to someone.
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