Can't access old EDD account - lost credentials and email access after being laid off

omg same thing happened to me!! lost my old phone with the authenticator app and couldnt get back in. so annoying!!

You need to call the EDD Technical Support line specifically for account issues: 1-833-978-2511. They're open 8am-8pm, 7 days a week. Make sure to select the option for UI Online account help, not general questions. They can verify your identity and help you regain access to your account or create a new linked account if necessary. They'll likely ask for your SSN, full name, DOB, and current address to verify your identity. Be prepared to potentially wait in a queue though - technical support can get backed up just like regular EDD lines.

I lost access to my account back in 2023 and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! The tech support line that someone mentioned above is your best option but goodluck actually getting through!!!! I called for TWO WEEKS straight and could never get through. Always "we're experiencing high call volume" and then CLICK - disconnected!!! So infuriating!!!! The system is DELIBERATELY designed to be impossible to navigate. They don't want to pay us our benefits!!!

why dont u just go to the edd office in person? thats what i did when i forgot my password. bring ur id and ss card and they can help u right there

I work as a career counselor and help people navigate EDD issues frequently. Here's what you need to do: 1. Call the technical support number (1-833-978-2511) during non-peak hours (early morning right when they open or later in the evening before closing). Avoid Mondays and Tuesdays which tend to be busiest. 2. When you do connect with someone, explain that you need to recover access to your UI Online account AND update your contact information. Make sure they understand both issues need to be addressed. 3. If you're unable to get through by phone after several attempts, you can try submitting a secure message through Ask EDD (https://askedd.edd.ca.gov/) - select the category "UI Online" and then "Account Problems". This takes longer but can work if calling fails. 4. Since you're reopening a claim, be prepared to answer questions about your most recent employment when you do get access. Have your last day worked, employer information, and reason for separation ready. Don't worry about the old claim from 2021 - the system will retrieve that information once your identity is verified and you regain access.

why is evrything with edd so complicated??? its like they want us to give up

Quick update - there's another option you could try. If you remember your EDD Customer Account Number (it would be on any old correspondence from them), you can actually use that instead of your email during the account recovery process. It's a 10-digit number that starts with your area code. Worth checking any old paperwork you might have kept.

Just to share my experience from last month - I had a similar issue but I remembered my security questions. If you set those up originally, they can sometimes be used as another verification method. When I called, the rep was able to verify me using my security questions and helped reset everything. Just another angle to try if you think you might remember those answers.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to regain access to your account? Which method ended up working for you?

That's awesome that you got it resolved! Thanks for sharing the update - it's really helpful to know what actually worked. I'm dealing with a similar situation right now (lost access after changing jobs) and was about to try creating a new account. Good thing I read this first! Going to try the Claimyr service you mentioned since calling directly hasn't been working for me either.

Just wanted to add another tip that might help others in similar situations - if you're having trouble getting through to the tech support line, try calling right before they close (around 7:45 PM). I know it sounds counterintuitive, but sometimes the call volume is lower in the evening compared to morning rush. Also, make sure you have a backup email address ready when you do get through to an agent. They'll need to update your contact info and having a personal email (not work-related) will prevent this issue from happening again if you change jobs in the future. The whole process is definitely frustrating but don't give up! The agents are actually pretty helpful once you get connected - it's just the getting through part that's the challenge.

I went through this exact same situation last year! The frustration is real, but there's hope. One thing that really helped me was calling the EDD tech support line (1-833-978-2511) on a Saturday morning around 8:30 AM - weekends tend to have lower call volume than weekdays. Also, before you call, try to gather any old EDD paperwork you might have lying around. Even if you can't find your Customer Account Number, having your old claim details (like the year you filed, approximate benefit amount, etc.) can help the agent verify your identity faster. The agent I spoke with was actually really understanding about the work email situation - apparently it's super common for people to lose access this way. They were able to update my email, reset my password, and walk me through reopening my claim all in one call. The whole process took about 20 minutes once I got through. Hang in there - you'll get this sorted out! The system is definitely clunky but the people on the other end of the phone really do want to help.

I'm currently going through this exact situation myself - lost access to my EDD account after getting laid off two weeks ago because they shut down my work email. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like the key strategies are: 1. Call the tech support line (1-833-978-2511) during off-peak hours 2. Have all your documentation ready (SSN, address, old claim details) 3. Don't create a new account - always try to recover the existing one first 4. Consider using services like Claimyr if you can't get through directly I'm planning to try calling tomorrow morning right at 8 AM with all my paperwork organized. It's frustrating that such a critical system is so hard to access, but at least there are solutions that work. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to know what actually works vs. what's just theoretical advice! For anyone else dealing with this, we're not alone and there is light at the end of the tunnel!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - got laid off three weeks ago and can't access my old EDD account because I used my work email back in 2020. I've been procrastinating on dealing with this because the whole system seems so intimidating, but reading everyone's success stories gives me confidence that it's actually doable. I'm going to try the tech support line (1-833-978-2511) this weekend using the Saturday morning strategy that @Mateo Martinez suggested. I've already dug out my old EDD paperwork from 2020 and found some documents with what looks like it might be my Customer Account Number, so hopefully that will help with verification. It's honestly ridiculous that something as basic as updating an email address requires calling a special number and waiting in queue for hours, but at least there's a path forward. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and tips - this community is a lifesaver when dealing with bureaucratic nightmares like this!

I just want to say how valuable this thread has been! I'm a freelance web designer who's been through similar EDD account recovery issues twice now - once in 2021 and again last year when I switched to a new business email. One additional tip that might help: if you're self-employed or switching between different types of work arrangements, consider setting up a dedicated personal email just for government services (EDD, IRS, etc.) that's completely separate from any work emails. I learned this lesson the hard way! Also, for anyone still struggling to get through on the phone - I've noticed that calling on federal holidays when most businesses are closed but EDD is still operating (like Presidents Day or Columbus Day) can sometimes have shorter wait times. The tech support line operates on a different schedule than regular business hours. Keep pushing through everyone - the system is broken but there are people on the other end who genuinely want to help once you reach them!

This thread is such a goldmine of practical advice! I'm currently dealing with this exact issue - lost access to my EDD account after being laid off from my tech job last month. My company immediately deactivated my work email, and of course that's what I used to set up my EDD account back in 2020. I've been dreading the whole process of trying to recover my account, but reading through everyone's experiences here has given me a clear roadmap. The tech support number (1-833-978-2511), the timing strategies (early morning or Saturday), and especially the tip about NOT creating a new account are all incredibly helpful. I'm going to try calling this Saturday morning at exactly 8:00 AM with all my old paperwork ready. I found some EDD letters from my previous claim that have numbers on them - hoping one of those is the Customer Account Number that could help with verification. It's frustrating that something so essential is this difficult to access, but at least now I know there's actually a path forward. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical help you need when dealing with government systems!

I just went through this same nightmare scenario about 6 months ago! Got laid off from my startup and they immediately cut off email access - classic move. Here's what finally worked for me after weeks of frustration: The 1-833-978-2511 tech support number everyone mentioned is definitely the right one, but here's a trick I discovered: if you keep getting the "high call volume" disconnect, try calling exactly 15 minutes BEFORE they officially open (so 7:45 AM). Sometimes their phone system opens early and you can get in the queue before the rush hits. Also, when you do get through, be super specific about what you need: "I need to recover access to my existing UI Online account AND update my email address due to losing access to my work email after being laid off." The agents have different processes for different issues, so being clear upfront saves time. One more thing - if you have ANY old text messages from EDD with confirmation codes or claim numbers, screenshot those! I found an old text from 2020 with a reference number that helped the agent locate my account faster than just using my SSN. The whole system is honestly designed to make you give up, but don't let it win! Once you get through to a human, they're usually genuinely helpful. Hang in there!

This entire thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently in the exact same boat - got laid off from my consulting firm two weeks ago and they immediately shut down my work email, which of course is what I used for my EDD account back in 2020. I've been putting off dealing with this because the whole process seemed so daunting, but reading everyone's success stories has given me the confidence to tackle it. I'm going to try the tech support line (1-833-978-2511) this Saturday morning using all the strategies mentioned here - calling right at 8:00 AM, having all my old paperwork ready, and being very specific about needing both account recovery AND email update. I found some old EDD correspondence in my files that should help with verification. The tip about checking old text messages is brilliant too - I actually found a few EDD texts from 2020 with reference numbers that I completely forgot about. It's amazing how much practical knowledge everyone has shared here versus the generic advice you get from official sources. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share what actually worked for them. It's frustrating that something so essential requires this much detective work, but at least now there's a clear path forward!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Lost my job at a marketing agency three weeks ago and they cut off my work email access immediately. I used that email for my EDD account back in 2020 and now I'm completely locked out when I need to file again. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there was a specific tech support line for account issues. I've been trying the main EDD number for days with no luck. Going to try calling 1-833-978-2511 tomorrow morning right at 8 AM with all my old paperwork ready. It's so frustrating that this is such a common problem but there's no clear guidance on the EDD website about how to handle it. Thank you to everyone who shared what actually worked - these real experiences are worth their weight in gold when you're trying to navigate this system!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Got laid off from my tech company last week and they immediately deactivated my work email - of course that's what I used for my EDD account back in 2020. I've been stressing about this for days thinking I'd have to start completely over. This thread is absolutely amazing - I had no idea there was a separate tech support line specifically for account recovery issues. I've been banging my head against the wall trying the main EDD number with zero success. The 1-833-978-2511 number is definitely going in my contacts right now! All the timing strategies people have shared are so helpful too - calling right at 8 AM on Saturday, or even 15 minutes before they officially open. And the tip about having old bank statements with EDD deposits is brilliant - I definitely have those saved somewhere. It's honestly ridiculous that such a critical system is this hard to access, especially when losing work email after layoffs is basically standard practice now. But reading all these success stories gives me hope that there's actually a way through this maze. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share what really worked - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you need when dealing with government bureaucracy!