Can't certify for EDD benefits on weekend - phone system says 'call during business hours'

The UI self-service line at 1-866-333-4606 should definitely work 24/7 for certifications. I certified by phone last Sunday without any problems. Sounds like there might be a system outage or maintenance happening. Regarding the UI Online account setup issues - double check these things: 1. Make sure you're entering her full legal name exactly as it appears on her claim documents (including middle initial if shown) 2. Verify you're using the correct format for her SSN (no dashes) 3. The EDDCAN number needs all 10 digits 4. The mailing zip code must match what's on file Sometimes even a single space after a name can trigger that error message. If you still can't get it working by Monday, I'd recommend calling the technical support line at 1-833-978-2511 (they're open 8am-8pm).

ya the phone system shoud work on weeknds for sure. my neighbor just did hers last sat night. maybe ur mom's claim has some flag on it that needs a real person? did she just file her initial claim?

You're experiencing two separate issues: 1. For new claimants, the first certification sometimes requires additional verification that the automated systems can't handle. This is especially true if there are any potential issues with the claim (like if your mom was fired instead of laid off, or if she worked for multiple employers). 2. The UI Online account setup errors are common. The system is EXTREMELY picky about matching information exactly. One thing people often miss is that you need to enter the name EXACTLY as it appears on the EDD documents - so if her mail says "Jane A Smith" but you're entering "Jane Ann Smith" it will fail. Unfortunately, you'll probably need to speak with a representative to resolve both issues. The certification phone line should work on weekends, so getting the "call during business hours" message suggests there might be a hold on her account requiring agent review.

I was in your exact situation in February trying to help my dad. EXACT. SAME. PROBLEMS. The EDD system is TERRIBLE for helping elderly parents! Here's what I discovered: for first-time certifications, sometimes the automated systems don't work even though they're supposed to. When I called the regular customer service line on Monday, they told me that new claims sometimes have a "review flag" that requires talking to a representative before the first certification can be processed. The problem is getting through to a representative is NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I spent THREE DAYS calling non-stop and never got through because of the "we're experiencing high call volume" message. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The agent was able to clear the flag on my dad's account AND help me with the online account setup issues. Saved me days of frustration.

I HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM LAST MONTH!!! The EDD phone system is BROKEN!!!! Normal business hours for certifying are supposed to be 24/7 but sometimes the system just decides to not work for no reason at all. Their whole computer system is from like 1980 and nobody at EDD CARES about fixing it. My claim had some stupid flag on it that made it so I couldn't use the automated system even though NOBODY TOLD ME THAT. I wasted an entire weekend trying to certify before finally getting through to someone on Tuesday who told me I had an "interview requirement" flag that wasn't even showing on my account. Good luck getting through on the phone. I called 137 TIMES in one day and never got past the robot voice.

Something similar happened to me. Make sure you're calling the right number for certifying. There's one for regular information (1-800-300-5616) and a different one for actually certifying (1-866-333-4606).

After reading everyone's responses, I think your mom likely has what's called a "pending determination" flag on her account. This happens with many first-time claims and requires a manual review before certifications can be processed. The system should notify you about this, but EDD's communication is notoriously poor. Your best option is to contact EDD directly on Monday. Be prepared for a long wait. The technical support line (1-833-978-2511) often has shorter wait times than the regular claim line. They can at least tell you if there's a flag on the account and transfer you if needed. Regarding the online account setup, try logging in with just the EDDCAN and the zip code first to create the initial account, then add the personal details later. Sometimes doing it in stages works better than all at once.

I'm dealing with something similar right now with my aunt's claim! She filed her initial claim about 2 weeks ago and we're having the exact same issues - can't certify by phone (getting the business hours message even though it should be 24/7) and the online account setup keeps failing with "information doesn't match" errors. From what I've learned lurking in this community, it seems like new claims often get flagged for manual review, especially if there's anything even slightly unusual about the employment situation. The frustrating part is EDD doesn't always tell you there's a flag - you just get these vague error messages. One tip that worked for us with the online account: try entering the name exactly as it appears on the physical mail, including any weird spacing or formatting. My aunt's middle name was abbreviated on some documents but spelled out on others, and that was causing the mismatch. We're planning to call first thing Monday morning too. Fingers crossed we can all get through! This whole system really needs an overhaul.