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Can my sister file for EDD after employer bounced payroll checks and manager disappeared?
My sister is in a really weird situation with her job and I'm trying to help her figure out what to do. She works (worked?) at a small marketing agency in San Diego and last Friday when everyone tried to deposit their paychecks, they ALL bounced. The company owner sent a vague email about 'temporary cash flow issues' but promised they'd make it right this week. It's now Thursday, the office has been locked since Tuesday, and the manager isn't answering calls or texts. Nobody has officially been fired, but obviously something is very wrong. Can my sister apply for unemployment even though she wasn't technically laid off? The company owes her about $3,200 in wages for the past 3 weeks. Has anyone dealt with something like this before? She's freaking out about paying rent next week.
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EDD disqualified me after job relocation - confusion over reopening claim with insufficient earnings
I'm completely lost with my EDD situation after relocating from Tahoe to San Diego. I secured what seemed like a promising bartending position (ad promised $1100-1500/week) before moving, but I'm barely making $400/week with the limited shifts they're giving me. When I tried reopening my previous claim online, I couldn't adequately explain my employment separation. My previous position ended because our rental became unlivable (plumbing issues, roof leaks) and we had a neighbor who threatened us repeatedly. Landlord ignored repair requests and wouldn't address the neighbor situation. Rent prices in Tahoe skyrocketed, so relocation became necessary. The EDD questionnaire didn't let me fully explain these circumstances! Called EDD yesterday after getting disqualified and the representative gave contradictory information - first said I needed to earn about $2,400 before reopening my claim, then mentioned I should appeal the disqualification. This morning I received an email to certify (which seemed promising), but after certifying, it immediately showed disqualified again. Has anyone navigated this reopening/disqualification maze successfully? I'm especially confused about the certification email followed by automatic disqualification!
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After reviewing your situation, I think you have a good chance on appeal if you focus on the housing habitability issues. California recognizes uninhabitable living conditions as potential good cause for leaving employment. Document everything about your previous housing: maintenance requests, photos of issues, police reports about the neighbor, communication with landlord. For your current job situation, you might qualify for partial benefits due to reduced earnings, but that's contingent on the appeal for your separation being approved first. The certification email followed by disqualification happens because the system sends automatic certification notices regardless of claim status. Keep certifying though - if your appeal is successful, they'll pay those weeks. Good luck!
Thank you for this detailed explanation. I'm gathering all my documentation now and will focus on the habitability issues in my appeal. It's a relief to know the certification emails aren't just a system glitch - I'll keep certifying while appealing. Really appreciate everyone's insights!
can someone please clarify what counts as 'good cause' for quiting?? i always thought u basically had to have proof ur employer was breaking the law or something. does housing really count?? im so confused about edd rules sometimes!!
Good cause is broader than just employer law violations. It includes any real, substantial, and compelling reason that would cause a reasonable person to leave their job. This can include: unsafe working conditions, significant changes to job duties/pay, relocation due to a spouse's job, caring for ill family members, and yes - sometimes housing issues if they're severe enough and related to the job location. Each case is evaluated individually based on circumstances and documentation.
EDD phone nightmare - UI account access code not working
I'm at my wits end trying to get through to an actual human at EDD. They mailed me an access code for my UI Online account last week, but when I tried entering it, the system says it's invalid or expired! I've been calling the main number every day for the past 3 days - starting right at 8am - but either get disconnected immediately or stuck in an endless phone tree that eventually hangs up on me. I have bills due next week and desperately need to access my account. Has ANYONE found a trick to actually reach a live person at EDD? Is there a special number or extension that works? I tried the tech support line too but they said they can't help with access codes and transferred me back to the main queue... which then disconnected me after 45 minutes of waiting. This is beyond frustrating!
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Update for anyone dealing with access code issues: EDD has actually created a new dedicated phone line specifically for UI Online access problems as of February 2025. The number is 1-866-401-2849 and they're open Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. They can help with access codes, password resets, and account recovery. I just learned about this from an EDD representative I spoke to last week, and it seems to be less overwhelmed than the main line. Might be worth a try!
THANK YOU!! I just called this number and actually got through after only 15 minutes on hold! The rep was able to verify my identity and generate a new access code that worked immediately. I can finally see my claim status now. This specialized number was the key - I wish I'd known about it days ago. For anyone else struggling with access codes or login issues, definitely try this number first!
i had a friend who went thru this last month and she said what worked was calling EXACTLY at 8:01am not 8:00 because everyone tries right at opening. also she said try the 2511 number which sometimes has different people answering
Thanks! I actually just got through using the specialized UI Online access number that someone else posted (1-866-401-2849). But I appreciate the tip about calling at 8:01 instead of 8:00 - that makes a lot of sense!
EDD stuck on pending after certification mistake - can't get through phone lines
I messed up big time on my bi-weekly certification last Sunday - accidentally put that I was 'available for work' as NO instead of YES (was half asleep doing it at 6am). Now my payment's been sitting as 'pending' for 5 days when it normally goes to paid within 24 hours. I've called the EDD literally 35+ times using every phone number I could find (833 number, 800 number, even tried the employer line). Nothing but 'we're experiencing high call volume' and immediate disconnect. I've sent THREE messages through UI Online contact system and radio silence. Bills are piling up and my landlord is already giving me the side-eye about rent. Anyone know any tricks to actually speak to a human being at EDD? Or can I somehow fix this certification mistake online without talking to someone? Getting desperate here!
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Just wanted to jump in and say I had this EXACT same issue two months ago and what worked for me was persistent calling between 10:30-11:30am. For some reason that seemed to be when their call volume dipped a bit. I got through after about 12 tries one Wednesday morning around 10:45. The rep fixed my mistake in like 2 minutes and my payment switched from pending to paid that night. Just keep trying different times - there's definitely a sweet spot when it's easier to get through!
UPDATE: I finally got through!!! Used Claimyr this morning after failing again with regular calling. Got connected to an EDD rep in about 35 minutes. The agent was super nice and fixed my certification answer while I was on the phone. She said it was a common mistake and took less than 5 minutes to correct. My payment already switched from pending to paid! Thanks everyone for your suggestions - this community seriously saved me!
yay!!! so glad it worked out for u!! 🎉
Great news! For future reference, if you ever make certification mistakes again, contact EDD immediately. The longer a pending payment sits in the system with an error, the more likely it is to trigger additional review processes. Glad you got it resolved quickly!
EDD denied my claim over caregiver absence, appeal sent 6 weeks ago with no confirmation - what now?
I'm getting really stressed about my unemployment appeal situation. I filed for UI back in January after being let go from my restaurant job. EDD denied my claim in February stating I was 'absent without authorization' - which is complete nonsense! I had to miss 4 days of work when my daughter got hospitalized with severe bronchitis (she's 4), and I texted my manager each day with updates. My manager kept responding with 'hope she feels better soon' and 'keep me posted about tomorrow' - never once saying I needed to come in anyway or that I was unauthorized to be absent. I submitted my appeal on February 26th with screenshots of ALL our text conversations plus the hospital discharge papers. It's now been OVER SIX WEEKS and I haven't received anything - not even confirmation they got my appeal! No letter, no email, nothing in my UI Online account. Is this normal wait time? Should I have received at least an acknowledgment by now? I'm getting desperate and bills are piling up. Anyone gone through this appeal process recently?
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whatever u do DONT stop certifying!!! my friend stopped certifying while waiting for appeal and then when she won they wouldnt pay her for those weeks even tho she was eligible
THIS!!! I made the same mistake and lost out on $3,800 because I stopped certifying during my appeal wait. EDD doesn't tell you this deliberately so they save money!!!
Just to clarify some misinformation I'm seeing: appeals in California are handled by the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB), not EDD directly. They are separate entities. When you call EDD, they often can't give you detailed information about your appeal status. The correct appeals board number is 1-800-400-9061. They should be able to tell you if your appeal was received and what stage it's in. Also, while waiting times are long, the good news is that caregiver absences for ill family members are protected under California law when properly communicated to employers. With your text message evidence, you have a strong case. Just be prepared to clearly explain the timeline of events at your hearing.
Thank you for the correct number! I'll try calling them tomorrow morning. That makes me feel better about my chances with the text messages. Do you know if the hearing will be in person or over the phone?
Most hearings are currently being conducted by phone due to the backlog, though you can request an in-person hearing if you prefer. Phone hearings actually move faster in the schedule. When you do get your hearing notice, it will come with instructions for submitting additional evidence. Make sure to submit everything at least 10 days before the hearing date.
Yara Haddad
One more thing - when your sister certifies for benefits, she needs to report any income she receives, including if the employer eventually pays those bounced checks. But she should definitely file now rather than waiting to see if they pay. The EDD will establish what's called a "last day worked" which will be important for determining eligibility. If the employer contests the claim, she'll have an opportunity to explain the situation during the phone interview.
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Connor Murphy
AuthorShe's starting the application tonight. She's worried about the phone interview because she doesn't have an official termination - should she just explain that no one could get into the building and management disappeared?
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Paolo Conti
Yes, that's exactly what she should explain. Just be very clear about the timeline: when paychecks bounced, last day actually worked, when the office was found locked, last communication from management, etc. The EDD interviewer will understand this situation - it happens more often than you'd think. They just need to establish that she didn't quit voluntarily and is available for full-time work.
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Connor Murphy
AuthorThank you so much for all the advice everyone! I've shared all these tips with my sister and she's feeling much more confident about navigating this mess. I'll update this thread once she gets a decision from EDD.
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