CalJOBS login not working with pre-registration info - EDD requirement frustration

I had this same issue about a month ago. The pre-registration info hardly ever works right! What worked for me was going through the full registration process as a new user instead of trying to use the pre-registration login. Just go to CalJOBS website and click 'Create a User Account' instead of trying to log in with the info from the letter. You'll need to fill out all your info from scratch, but at least it works. Make sure you save your new username and password somewhere because you'll need to log in regularly to document your work search activities.

omg the same thing happend to me!! the username format didnt work AT ALL. so frustrating. i just ended up making a new acct like the other person said

This is a common issue with the CalJOBS system. The pre-registration data sometimes doesn't properly sync from EDD to the CalJOBS database. Here's what you should do: 1. Try the pre-registration format ONE more time, but make sure your username is all lowercase (this matters) 2. If that fails, yes, create a new account as suggested 3. When creating your new account, use the EXACT same information (name, address, SSN) that you used on your EDD claim 4. After creating your account, go to your profile and verify all information matches your EDD claim The systems will eventually sync up in the background. The most important thing is getting your work search activities documented. EDD can verify your compliance even if you had to create a new account.

Am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous that EDD sends us letters with information THEY KNOW DOESN'T WORK?!? I had this EXACT same problem and wasted THREE DAYS trying to figure it out. When I finally got through to someone at EDD, they were like "oh yeah, the CalJOBS pre-registration thing has issues, just make a new account" - WHY NOT PUT THAT IN THE LETTER?? The whole system is designed to make people give up on their benefits. So frustrating!!

If you need to reach an actual EDD rep to sort this out, I finally got through using a service called Claimyr. It basically auto-dials for you until it gets through, then calls you back when it connects. Saved me hours of frustration with EDD's phone system. The rep told me the CalJOBS registration isn't as critical as the letter makes it sound - as long as you're doing your work search activities and can prove it if they ask. But they encouraged me to use CalJOBS anyway for the job search resources. You can see how it works at claimyr.com or check the video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km

Like others have said, just create a new account if the pre-registration isn't working. But I want to emphasize one important thing - make sure you're consistently documenting your work search activities somewhere. EDD really tightened up work search requirements in 2025, and they're doing more random audits. Whether you use CalJOBS or keep your own records, make sure you're doing the required number of activities each week (usually 3) and documenting company names, positions, application dates, etc. CalJOBS makes this easier since the system is designed for it, but it's not the only way to satisfy the requirement.

just curious, what happens if u don't register with caljobs at all? does edd actually check?

UPDATE: I tried the lowercase username suggestion and it still didn't work, but I was able to create a new account with no issues. I made sure all my info matched exactly what's on my EDD claim. I also uploaded my resume and started applying for jobs through the system. Thanks everyone for your help! What a needlessly complicated process.

This is such a widespread issue - I went through the exact same nightmare last month! The pre-registration system is completely broken. What finally worked for me was creating a brand new account like others suggested, but here's an additional tip: after you create your new account, call the CalJOBS technical support line (not EDD) at 1-800-758-0398. They can actually link your new account to your EDD case manually if you provide them with your EDD customer account number. This ensures there's no confusion if EDD does an audit later. The tech support folks at CalJOBS are way more helpful than EDD's phone system, and I got through in under 10 minutes. Just make sure to document your work search activities consistently - that's what really matters for keeping your benefits flowing.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Got the EDD letter yesterday with the pre-registration info and of course it doesn't work. It's so frustrating that they send out these letters knowing the system is broken. I'm going to try creating a new account like everyone suggested, but I'm also definitely calling that CalJOBS technical support number (1-800-758-0398) that Sophia mentioned to get it properly linked to my EDD case. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's really helpful to know I'm not the only one dealing with this mess. The fact that EDD keeps sending out these faulty instructions when they know it doesn't work is just inexcusable.

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Just got my EDD letter two days ago with the pre-registration info and surprise, surprise - it doesn't work at all. The username format they gave me (first initial + last name + last 4 of SSN) just gives me error messages no matter what I try. It's absolutely ridiculous that EDD keeps sending out these broken instructions when they clearly know the system doesn't work properly. I'm definitely going to create a new account like everyone here suggests and call that CalJOBS technical support line at 1-800-758-0398 to get it linked to my EDD case. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's such a relief to know this isn't just me being incompetent with technology! The whole system seems designed to frustrate people into giving up on their benefits. At least now I have a clear path forward instead of banging my head against the wall trying to make their faulty pre-registration work.

I'm having this EXACT same issue right now! Got the EDD letter with pre-registration info yesterday and naturally, none of it works. The username format they provided just gives me "account doesn't exist" errors no matter how I format it. It's honestly insulting that they keep sending these letters with instructions they know don't work. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like creating a new CalJOBS account from scratch is the only reliable solution. I'm definitely going to try that and then call the CalJOBS technical support at 1-800-758-0398 like Sophia mentioned to get it properly linked to my EDD case. Thanks to everyone for sharing their workarounds - this community is literally more helpful than EDD's official support! It's crazy that we have to figure this stuff out ourselves when it should just work from the start.

This whole CalJOBS pre-registration mess is such a common problem! I went through the exact same thing about 6 weeks ago - got the EDD letter with the username format and password instructions, tried every possible combination, and nothing worked. It's honestly embarrassing that they keep sending out these broken instructions when they clearly know the system doesn't work for most people. What ended up working for me was exactly what others have suggested: create a brand new CalJOBS account from scratch, make sure all your information matches your EDD claim exactly, and then call the CalJOBS technical support line at 1-800-758-0398 to have them manually link it to your EDD case. The tech support folks there are way more competent than anyone I've talked to at EDD - they actually know how their system works! Just make sure you have your EDD customer account number ready when you call. Once you get set up, the system is actually pretty useful for job searching and documenting your work search activities. It's just getting past that initial broken setup that's the nightmare.