EDD Appeal Hearing this week - How quickly will I get backpay if I win?

I won my appeal last year, and it took about 9-10 days after the judge's decision for my backpay to hit my account. The judge actually told me during the hearing that they aim to issue decisions within 7-10 days, and then EDD processes the payment fairly quickly after that. For the hearing itself: - Have all your documents organized and in front of you - Write down key points you want to make so you don't forget when nervous - Speak clearly and professionally, don't interrupt - Answer questions directly - don't ramble - If employer says something untrue, note it down and address it when it's your turn - Focus on facts rather than emotions (even though it's emotional!) And yes, dressing professionally actually does help with mindset, even over phone! Good luck!

I had my hearing last month and won but still haven't gotten my money LOL the system is ridiculous!!! Nobody tells you anything and when you call EDD they act like they dont know whats happening either

The timeline for backpay after a successful appeal varies quite a bit. In my experience helping clients with appeals, here's what typically happens: 1) Judge issues written decision within 5-14 days of hearing 2) EDD receives the decision and updates your claim (3-7 days) 3) System processes any backpay owed (2-5 days) 4) Payment issues to your EDD debit card or direct deposit (1-2 days) So best case scenario is about 11 days, worst case can be a month. Important: once you win, you'll need to retroactively certify for all those weeks if you haven't already. The judge won't mention this, but it's required before payment processes. For your hearing: - The judge will explain the process at the start - You'll likely get to make an opening statement - Both sides present evidence and testimony - Keep answers factual and concise - Make sure to clearly explain how your hours were reduced (bring specific examples showing before/after if possible) Good luck! The fact pattern you described (constructive discharge through hours reduction) often results in favorable decisions.

make sure u record the call!! california is a 2 party consent state but u can still ask the judge for permission to record and they usually say yes. my friend didnt record and the employer lied about what was said in the hearing later

I'm going through the exact same thing! My hearing is next week. My employer also claimed I quit when they actually cut my hours from 40 to 12 per week. I'd love to hear how your hearing goes if you don't mind updating this thread afterward. I've been trying to call EDD constantly with questions about the appeal process but can never get through. It's so frustrating - I've called literally 30+ times some days and always get the "we're experiencing high call volume" message.

One thing nobody mentioned - bring up exactly how many hours you worked before vs after the reduction. When my employer reduced my hours from 38 to 15, the judge asked for specific details like what my schedule was before & after and how much I was earning weekly at both points. Having exact dates and numbers really helped my case. Also BE ON TIME for the call! Set multiple alarms. They will call exactly at the scheduled time and if you miss it, rescheduling is a massive hassle that'll delay your backpay even more.

u think 3 months is bad?? ive been waiting 7 months for my appeal lol the system is broken

One more important tip: during the hearing, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will focus specifically on whether your employer created a situation where a reasonable person would feel compelled to quit (constructive discharge). Make sure to emphasize: 1) How the reduction in hours made it impossible to pay essential bills 2) Any communication where you asked for more hours 3) That you would have continued working if given adequate hours This is the exact legal standard they use to determine if it was effectively a layoff rather than a voluntary quit. Don't get sidetracked by other workplace issues unless directly related to this point.

After you win, make sure to check your UI Online account daily. You may need to certify for those back weeks, and sometimes there are additional steps required that aren't communicated clearly. The system should update to show 'Appeal Approved' status within a couple weeks of your hearing. Also, for anyone reading this thread later - the backpay will come all at once, not week by week. So if you're owed months of benefits, it will be a single large deposit.

Just wanted to add - I went through this exact situation 6 months ago (employer claimed I quit when they cut my hours from 32 to 8 per week). Won my appeal and got about $6,200 in backpay. Few things that helped me: - Print out everything beforehand, don't rely on having documents on your computer during the call - Write a simple timeline with dates showing when hours were cut and when you had to leave - The judge asked me directly "would you have continued working if given your original hours?" - have a clear yes ready for that question My backpay took exactly 12 days after the judge's decision. The waiting is brutal but hang in there! The fact that you have text evidence of schedule changes puts you in a really strong position. Employers rarely have good documentation to counter that kind of evidence. Good luck on Wednesday - you've got this!

Just wanted to share some encouragement - I had my appeal hearing 2 months ago for almost the exact same situation (employer claimed I quit when they cut my hours from 40 to 10 per week). Won my case and got $5,400 in backpay about 2 weeks later. The hearing was way less scary than I thought it would be. The judge was actually really professional and fair - they asked clear questions and let both sides tell their story. My employer's HR person stumbled when asked for specific documentation about why my hours were reduced, while I had all my old schedules and paystubs organized. Key thing that helped me: I stayed calm and stuck to the facts. When the employer made claims that weren't true, I didn't get defensive or interrupt. I just waited for my turn and calmly presented my evidence that contradicted what they said. You're going to do great! Having those text messages showing schedule changes is huge - that's exactly the kind of evidence that wins these cases. The judge will see right through your employer's story when you have actual documentation like that. Wishing you the best on Wednesday! 🍀

I'm going through a similar situation right now - my employer cut my hours from 35 to 12 per week and then claimed I quit when I couldn't afford to stay. My appeal hearing is scheduled for next month and reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! @Benjamin Kim - based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like you have a really strong case with those text messages showing schedule changes. That's exactly the kind of documentation that wins these appeals. One thing I wanted to add that might help - when I was preparing for my hearing, I created a simple chart showing my weekly earnings before vs after the hour reduction. It really drives home the point that the reduced hours made it impossible to survive financially. Might be worth putting together something like that if you haven't already. Please do update this thread after your hearing on Wednesday! I'm sure there are lots of people in similar situations who would benefit from hearing how it goes. Sending you good vibes - you've got this! 💪

Just wanted to chime in with some practical advice for your hearing prep! I went through this same process last year (employer claimed voluntary quit when they cut my hours from 30 to 8 per week). A few things that really helped me during the actual hearing: - Have a glass of water nearby - your mouth gets dry when you're nervous - Write down 3-4 key bullet points on a notecard so you don't forget your main arguments - Practice saying out loud "I did not quit voluntarily, I was forced to leave due to insufficient hours" - having that phrase ready helped me stay focused - If you get flustered, it's totally okay to ask the judge "Can I have a moment to check my notes?" The judge in my case actually asked really straightforward questions like "How many hours were you working before?" and "What happened to make you unable to continue?" Your text evidence showing the schedule changes is going to be huge - that's way better documentation than most people have. My backpay took about 8 days to hit after the decision. The relief when that money finally came through was incredible! You're going to do great on Wednesday - the hardest part is just getting through the waiting. Rooting for you! 🙌

Hey Benjamin! I just went through this exact process about 8 months ago - same situation where my employer claimed I quit when they actually reduced my hours from 38 to 14 per week. Won my appeal and got my backpay! A few things from my experience: - The backpay took about 2.5 weeks to hit my account after the judge's decision. It was longer than some people here mentioned, but still faster than I expected - Definitely organize all your evidence in the order you want to present it. I had my old schedules, pay stubs, and text messages all printed and numbered - The judge asked me very specific questions about my expenses and whether the reduced hours covered basic living costs. Be ready to explain exactly why you couldn't afford to stay with the reduced schedule - Don't stress too much about the phone format - I was worried about not being able to see the judge's reactions, but they guide you through everything step by step Your text evidence showing schedule changes is golden - that's exactly what won my case. Employers rarely have documentation to counter that kind of proof. You've got this! The waiting has been the worst part, but it sounds like you're well-prepared. Sending good vibes for Wednesday! 🍀