I'm really confused right now. I submitted my claim a week ago and got notified that I needed to verify my identity. I sent in my ID and birth certificate along with a recent pay stub through the UI Online portal, but just got another message saying they need my W2 form too. The problem is I can't figure out where to send it! The notification doesn't give an email address and the portal won't let me upload any more documents. I tried calling but keep getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message. Has anyone dealt with this recently? What's the correct email to send additional verification documents to EDD? I'm worried my claim will be delayed or denied if I don't get this W2 to them ASAP!

I'm in a weird situation with my unemployment claim. Last year I was laid off from my regular job where I was making about $22/hr. I filed for unemployment and was getting around $340/week. Then I landed this amazing freelance contract in the tech industry that paid almost triple my previous salary (about $8,500/month). The contract lasted for 4 months, and during that time I properly reported my earnings and didn't collect any UI benefits. Now the contract has ended, and I need to reopen my claim. Here's my question - is there any way to update my claim to reflect these higher earnings? My current weekly benefit amount is based on my old lower-paying job. I've been on the EDD website for hours and can't figure out if this is even possible. Has anyone successfully increased their WBA after having higher earnings? Or am I stuck with the original calculation until my benefit year ends?

Hi everyone, I'm in a tricky situation with my work and hoping someone can help me figure out if I qualify for unemployment. I work as a self-employed speech therapy assistant subcontractor through a third-party agency that places me in various schools. With summer break starting next week, I'll be completely without income until late August when the students return. The agency doesn't provide any summer placement options, and I've been told I'm technically not laid off - just on 'seasonal pause.' My income will drop to zero for almost 3 months! Does anyone know if EDD considers this a valid unemployment scenario since I'm both self-employed AND working through a third party? I'm confused about whether I should apply as a regular employee or under some special category. Has anyone in a similar subcontractor situation successfully filed for benefits during school breaks?

I'm super confused about my new unemployment claim and worried I might get hit with an overpayment notice later. I exhausted most of my previous claim last year, then had to file a new claim in January 2025. The thing is, I only worked sporadically between claims—just a few gig jobs and a part-time position that lasted maybe 3 months. When I filed my new claim, I honestly expected to get denied or receive minimal benefits. Instead, I just checked my UI Online account and it shows I qualify for over $14,500 in total benefits! This seems WAY too high based on my limited work history. I'm scared to start certifying because if this is some kind of system error, will I have to pay everything back? I've been reading horror stories about EDD overpayment notices where they demand thousands back plus penalties. Has anyone experienced something similar? Should I contact EDD before I start certifying, or am I overthinking this?

I just reopened my unemployment claim yesterday through UI Online but now I'm stuck. I need to talk to an actual human at EDD about some issues with my previous claim that might affect this one (had some part-time work that might have been reported wrong). Every phone number I try is either disconnected or has an automated message saying they can't take calls. Does anyone have an ACTUAL working phone number to reach EDD representatives in 2025? The ones on their website just lead to automated systems that don't help with my specific situation.