EDD Disqualified me for answering 'yes' to availability question - can I appeal or just lose those weeks?

You're not disqualified indefinitely. What happened is you got disqualified for those specific weeks because your 'yes' answer indicated you weren't available for work (which is a requirement for UI benefits). You'll need to file an appeal for those weeks if you want to try to get them reconsidered. You can continue certifying normally (with 'no' to that question if you are available for work) for future weeks. Many people make this exact mistake!

I did THE EXACT SAME THING last year!!! Kept saying 'yes' to that question thinking I needed to explain why I was unemployed. Had to go through the whole appeal process which took forever. File the appeal form DE 1000M ASAP - you only have 30 days from the disqualification notice. Just explain honestly that you misunderstood the question. They might be lenient since it was your first time certifying.

don't stress about it too much, the edd questions are designed to be confusing lol. just keep certifying correctly going forward and file the appeal for those weeks

I went through something similar and found the whole appeal process incredibly frustrating. Took me weeks of trying to call EDD to even understand what was happening with my claim. After dozens of failed call attempts hitting the "maximum callers" message, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual EDD representative who explained everything and helped resolve my issues. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. Honestly saved me so much stress when dealing with my disqualification issue.

Here's what you need to know about your situation: 1. You're only disqualified for the specific weeks where you answered incorrectly, not indefinitely 2. You need to file an appeal using the DE 1000M form within 30 days of receiving your disqualification notice 3. In your appeal, clearly explain that you misinterpreted the question and didn't realize you were indicating you weren't available for work 4. Provide any evidence that you were in fact available for work during those weeks 5. Continue certifying correctly for all future weeks The good news is that honest mistakes like this often get resolved through the appeal process, especially for first-time claimants. The bad news is that appeals can take 2-3 months to process currently.

They ALWAYS do this to people!!! The EDD makes these questions DELIBERATELY confusing so they can deny benefits and save money!!! I answered a question wrong ONCE and they made me wait 6 MONTHS to get my money even though I appealed right away. The system is DESIGNED to make you fail!!!!!

Did u get a Notice of Determination in the mail yet? You need that before u can appeal. Also when did u do those certifications? I'm wondering how long before they actually disqualified u

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - when you file the appeal, make sure to include EVERY detail about your misunderstanding. Also, keep certifying for benefits every two weeks while your appeal is pending! That way if you win the appeal, they can pay you for all those weeks without further delay. My appeal took 11 weeks to get resolved but they eventually reversed the disqualification when I explained my confusion over the question.

One important thing to note: when you file your appeal, you can request a phone hearing instead of in-person if that's easier for you. Also, start gathering any evidence that shows you were available for work during those weeks - job search records, applications you submitted, etc. This will help support your case that you were actually available for work despite answering the question incorrectly.

my cousin works at edd and says they see this mistake like every day. just appeal and you'll probably win