Denied EDD benefits but still getting certification emails - what's happening?
I'm so frustrated and confused right now. My husband got laid off from his warehouse job about 5 weeks ago. He filed for unemployment and got a notice last week saying he was denied benefits (something about insufficient wages in his base period). But here's what's weird - he keeps getting emails from EDD saying he has weeks to certify! Just got another one yesterday for weeks ending 4/5 and 4/12. Should he certify even though he was denied? Could the denial be a mistake? Has anyone else experienced this disconnect between denial letters and certification notices? I'm trying to help him figure this out because we really need the benefits while he's job hunting.
21 comments
Noah huntAce420
This is actually pretty common with EDD's system. The certification notices are automated and don't always sync up with claim determinations. However, there are a few things to consider: 1. What exactly did the denial letter say? Was it a formal Notice of Determination or something else? 2. When did your husband last work before the warehouse job? He might not qualify under his most recent employment but could qualify based on an alternate base period. 3. Your husband should absolutely continue to certify for benefits while appealing the determination. If the denial is reversed, he'll only get paid for weeks he properly certified for. I'd recommend he appeal the determination immediately if he hasn't already. You only have 30 days from the notice date to file an appeal.
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Dananyl Lear
•Thank you for the detailed response! The letter is titled "Notice of Determination" and it says "insufficient wages in the base period." He's worked at the warehouse for almost 7 months, and before that he was at a retail job for about 3 months. Before that he was not working for about 6 months due to health issues. Should we still appeal with this work history?
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Ana Rusula
definatly keep certifying!!! my brother had this happen and ended up getting all his $$ after he appealed. the system is messed up but sometims it works out in end
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Dananyl Lear
•That gives me hope! Did your brother have to do anything special during the appeal process? My husband is worried about making mistakes.
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Noah huntAce420
Based on what you've shared, I think you should definitely appeal. Here's why: 1. With about 7 months at the warehouse and 3 months at retail, your husband may have just barely missed the earnings requirements for the standard base period, which looks at earnings from months 2-13 before filing. 2. EDD offers an "alternate base period" which looks at more recent earnings (the most recent 4 completed quarters). This could include more of his warehouse earnings. 3. When appealing, specifically request consideration under the alternate base period and include proof of all earnings (paystubs, W-2s). The appeal form is simple - it's the DE 1000M. Just explain the circumstances and why you believe he should qualify. Mail it before the deadline on your determination notice.
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Fidel Carson
•I'm dealing with the exact same situation!!!!! Been certifying for 6 weeks after denial letter. Just hoping something happens. I hate this system so much it's insane
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Isaiah Sanders
I had a similar experience last year. The EDD's systems don't talk to each other well. The certification system is separate from the eligibility system. Your husband should: 1. File an appeal (DE 1000M form) 2. Continue certifying for ALL weeks 3. Try calling EDD to explain the situation The phone part is the hardest - took me 3 days of constant redialing to get through to anyone. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD rep I spoke with was able to see both the denial and my certifications and explained exactly what was happening with my claim.
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Dananyl Lear
•Thank you for the suggestion! I'm going to look into that service because we've been trying to call for days with no luck. Did they ask for any special information when you called?
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Xan Dae
Your husband should ABSOLUTELY KEEP CERTIFYING!!!! I went through 9 WEEKS of this exact same nonsense. Denied but told to certify. When I finally got through to an actual human at EDD, they told me there was an issue with how my employer reported my wages. They fixed it and I got backpay for ALL WEEKS I had certified for! If I hadn't kept certifying I would have lost thousands!!!!!
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Fiona Gallagher
•Not OP but this is helpful. Question though - did you have to do anything special when certifying after being denied? Like did you still report job searches and everything as normal?
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Xan Dae
Yes, I reported everything 100% normally. Job searches, any income, everything exactly like the instructions say. EDD told me that's the right approach - certify normally while the appeal/review is happening. Don't change anything about how you certify!
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Dananyl Lear
•This is so helpful, thank you! I'll make sure my husband certifies completely normally for all weeks while we work on the appeal.
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Thais Soares
I'm an accountant and see this all the time with clients. The issue is likely that the base period they're using doesn't include enough of your husband's recent work history. Here's what's happening: The standard base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before filing. So if he filed in March 2025, they're looking at Oct 2023-Sep 2024 earnings. But! California has an Alternate Base Period (ABP) that uses the last 4 completed quarters. This often helps people who started work more recently. The system automatically sends certification notices because it's programmed to continue the claim process while determinations are being made or appealed. Keep certifying, file the appeal, and specifically request ABP consideration in writing.
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Dananyl Lear
•This makes so much sense! He filed in late March, so they might be missing his most recent quarters of work. We'll definitely request the ABP in our appeal. Thank you!
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Fidel Carson
the edd system is absolute garbage trust me i kno. its like the right hand doesnt kno what the left is doing. my claim was denied cuz they said i quit but then i kept getting texts to certify for like 2 months straight. i finally appealed and won but it took FOREVER. like 11 weeks. just keep certifying and definitely appeal!!!
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Fiona Gallagher
•11 weeks?? That's crazy. Did they at least backpay you for all those weeks? I'm waiting on an appeal too and getting nervous about how long it's taking.
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Fidel Carson
yah they did backpay everything but it was ROUGH waiting that long. had to borrow money from family. the system is designed to make u give up i swear
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Isaiah Sanders
To answer your question about the service - when I called using Claimyr, the EDD rep just asked for normal verification info - last 4 of SSN, address, name, etc. Nothing different than a regular call. The difference was just that I actually got through instead of hearing "we're experiencing high call volume" for days on end. After connecting, I explained about my denial letter vs certification notices confusion, and they pulled up my file and explained everything.
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Dananyl Lear
•Perfect, thank you! We're going to try to get through tomorrow morning to get some clarity on the situation while we work on the appeal.
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Noah huntAce420
Just a final thought - when your husband does his certifications, he should be very careful about the work search requirements. Since he received a denial, the system won't prompt him if he makes an error in his certification. Make sure he: 1. Reports looking for work for each week 2. Keeps a record of at least 3 job search activities per week 3. Reports any income correctly (even small gigs) 4. Answers all questions honestly If his appeal is successful, they'll review his certifications, and any errors could lead to disqualification or even overpayment issues later. Good luck with the appeal! The alternate base period should help in your situation.
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Dananyl Lear
•Thank you so much for all your help! We're going to file the appeal tomorrow and make sure he keeps up with certifications and documents all his job search activities properly. I'll update here if we get any resolution in case it helps others.
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