Can't certify for benefits by phone or online - locked out of UI Online for a month

I've tried early morning calls like you suggested but no luck so far. Maybe I should try Tuesday specifically. What exactly are 'the right prompts'? Does it matter which options I select when calling? I'm desperate to try anything at this point. I didn't know about the workforce center option - I'll look into that!

Thank you! I didn't realize there was a separate technical support line. I've been calling the regular EDD number like an idiot. I'll try 1-833-978-2511 first thing tomorrow morning. Do you know their hours? And should I have my ID verification documents ready when I call?

While paper certification is an option, it's much slower and won't fix the account access issue. The OP still needs to get their online account unlocked to avoid future problems. Also, EDD doesn't intentionally cut people off - they're understaffed and dealing with outdated systems. But I agree that calling multiple times is unfortunately often necessary.

This sounds like exactly what I need! I'll check out that demo. Did they need your SSN or any sensitive info? And did the EDD rep help you get your account unlocked right away or did you have to do something else afterward?

They don't need your SSN or any EDD account info - they just need your phone number to call you back when they get a representative. And yes, the EDD rep was able to unlock my account during that call. I had to verify some basic info with them, and they sent a new password reset link that actually worked. I was able to log in right after the call. The whole process took maybe 30 minutes once I got connected.

I didn't even think about contacting my assembly member! That's a great suggestion - I'll try both approaches. The assembly member route might take a little longer but it's definitely worth a try. I really appreciate everyone's suggestions. I was feeling so helpless before posting here.

Yeah penalty weeks are the worst cause they don't show up clearly in your UI account. My cousin had the same thing happen. Did they make you serve all the penalty weeks? I think there's a limit to how many they can give you at once.

i had 6 penalty weeks!!! had to serve ALL of them...got $0 for 6 weeks but still had to certify. EDD rep said they can give up to 30 penalty weeks for fraud cases but mine wasnt fraud just unreported income from 3 yrs ago. Ridiculous system.

Great news! I used Claimyr this morning and got connected to a Tier 2 specialist within 15 minutes. They unlocked my account, reset my password, and helped me certify for all the weeks I missed! I also contacted my assembly member's office yesterday as a backup, but the call service worked so quickly I didn't need their help. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions - I was able to certify for everything and they said I should receive all my back payments within 3-5 days.

That's fantastic news! I'm so glad you were able to get everything resolved. It's encouraging to hear success stories like this - gives hope to others who might be stuck in similar situations. The fact that you'll get all your back payments is huge relief I'm sure. Thanks for updating us on what worked! This thread will definitely help other people who run into the same account lockout issue.

Welcome to the struggle club! Address changes can definitely trigger account locks - it's one of their fraud prevention measures. When I called the tech support line, they just asked for the standard verification info: full name, SSN, date of birth, and the phone number/email associated with my account. They also asked me to confirm my current mailing address and the reason for the lockout. No physical documents needed over the phone. Make sure you call from the phone number that's registered with your EDD account if possible - it helps with verification. Good luck! The fact that @CosmicCommander got through so quickly gives me hope that the system might be working better lately.

@Freya Larsen I just went through this exact same situation! Address changes are a major trigger for EDD s'fraud detection system. When I called the tech support line, they also asked me to verify the OLD address that was on file before the change, so make sure you remember that. They wanted to confirm both the previous address and the new one I was trying to update to. The whole verification process took about 10 minutes, then they unlocked my account and I was able to log in immediately. If the tech support line doesn t'work, definitely try Claimyr - it s'worth the small fee to avoid weeks of calling hell. Hope you get through soon!

@Freya Larsen I went through the exact same thing when I moved last year! Address changes definitely trigger their security system. Just wanted to add that you should also have your original claim confirmation number handy if you still have it - they sometimes ask for that during verification. Also, if you re'using Claimyr, make sure your phone has good reception because they ll'call you back pretty quickly once they get through. I was in the middle of something and almost missed their callback! Really hope one of these methods works for you. This thread shows there are actually several ways to solve this problem, which is reassuring.