Denied EDD benefits but still getting certification emails - what's happening?

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.

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

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.

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.

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!!!!!

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!

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.

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!!!

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

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.

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.

I'm going through something similar right now! Got denied for "insufficient earnings" but still getting those weekly certification emails. It's so confusing when the system seems to be telling you two different things at once. From what I've learned lurking in this community, it sounds like you should definitely keep certifying while you appeal. The automated certification system doesn't know about claim determinations, so it just keeps sending reminders based on your initial filing. I'd also suggest gathering all your husband's pay stubs and employment records before filing the appeal - sounds like the alternate base period might really help your case since he's been working more recently. The warehouse job plus retail work might be enough if they look at the right time period. Hope you get this sorted out soon! The whole system is so stressful when you're already dealing with job loss.

I went through this exact same thing about 8 months ago! Got denied for "insufficient wages" but kept getting certification emails every two weeks. It was so confusing and stressful. Here's what I learned: the certification system runs independently from the determination system, so you can be denied but still be expected to certify. The key thing is to KEEP CERTIFYING while you appeal - I can't stress this enough. When my appeal was eventually approved, I only got paid for the weeks I had properly certified for. A few things that helped me: - I appealed within the 30-day window (super important!) - I specifically requested alternate base period consideration in my appeal letter - I included copies of ALL my recent pay stubs, even from jobs that seemed too short to matter - I kept detailed records of my job search activities for every week I certified The whole process took about 7 weeks for me, but I got backpay for everything. Don't let the denial discourage you - with his recent work history, the alternate base period could totally change the outcome. The system is frustrating but it does work eventually if you stay on top of it. Good luck with the appeal! Feel free to ask if you have questions about the process.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! My wife was denied for "insufficient wages in base period" but we're still getting those certification emails every week. It's such a relief to see this thread and know we're not alone in this confusing mess. Based on all the advice here, we're definitely going to: 1. Keep certifying for every week (even though it feels weird after being denied) 2. File an appeal and specifically request the alternate base period 3. Gather all pay stubs from her recent jobs The thing about the base period looking at older quarters makes so much sense now - she just started working again after being out of the workforce for a while, so the standard base period probably misses most of her recent earnings. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! It gives me hope that this can actually work out if we stay persistent with the process. The EDD system is definitely broken but at least there seems to be a path forward. @Dananyl Lear - please do update us on how your appeal goes. I think a lot of us are in similar boats and would love to hear about any progress!