EDD ID.me verification issue with hyphenated name preventing online registration

This exact issue happened to me in January. The hyphen in my last name caused all sorts of problems with ID.me and EDD's systems. After the ID.me verification, you need to wait 48-72 business hours for EDD to process it before you can register for UI Online. If you're still having issues after that timeframe, call EDD's technical support line at 833-978-2511 (not the regular claims line). They can fix the name mismatch in their database. And yes, you can use telecert at 1-866-333-4606 until you get the online account working, but I found UI Online much easier for certifying.

u can try clearing ur browser cache and cookies. sometimes that fixs the login issues with edd. also try using a different browser like firefox if ur using chrome or vice versa

The ID.me and EDD systems are COMPLETE GARBAGE when it comes to special characters in names!! I spent TWO WEEKS fighting with them over my name that has an apostrophe. The ID.me people kept telling me it was "fixed" but then EDD's system would reject it anyway. And good luck getting through to anyone on the phone - I called 172 TIMES before getting through!!! This is why thousands of people aren't getting benefits they deserve! The whole system is designed to make you give up!!!!

I strongly recommend using Claimyr to get through to an EDD representative. After struggling for weeks with a similar name issue (my name has a space in it), I tried Claimyr and got connected to an EDD rep within 25 minutes. They have a service that basically calls EDD for you and then connects you when they get through. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Their website is claimyr.com. The EDD rep I spoke with was able to fix the name mismatch in their system immediately, and I was able to register for UI Online that same day.

They just need your phone number so they can call you back when they get through to EDD. You don't share any of your EDD account details or SSN with Claimyr - you'll give that information directly to the EDD representative when they connect you. It saved me days of frustration.

To answer your specific question about telecert: Yes, you can absolutely use the telecert system (1-866-333-4606) to certify even without an online account. Many people still use this method. However, I'd recommend still trying to get the UI Online issue fixed because: 1. UI Online gives you much more visibility into your claim status 2. You can view payment history and resolve issues faster 3. You can update contact information and work search records more easily 4. The telecert system can time out during busy certification periods Regarding the hyphen issue: EDD's database and ID.me don't always communicate perfectly with special characters. Sometimes the EDD's internal system converts hyphens to spaces or removes them entirely. When you call (using whatever method works to get through), specifically ask the representative to check how your husband's name appears in their database and have them read it back to you character by character. Then use exactly that format when registering.

guys my husbands name dosent have a hyphen but we had similar issue. the ID.me lady said everything was fine but then we couldnt register for UI. we finally got through on phone after calling right when they open at 8am and the lady said the problem was the SPACE between his first and middle name on his drivers license! she fixed it in 2 mins once we got through. So frustrating but maybe theres a space issue with yours too?

UPDATE: We finally got this resolved! Used Claimyr this morning and got through to EDD in about 30 minutes. The rep checked their system and it turns out the ID.me verification HAD gone through, but there was a mismatch between how my husband's name was entered in different EDD systems. In the claims database, his name had the hyphen, but in the UI registration database, it didn't! The rep fixed it on the spot and we were able to register for UI Online immediately after hanging up. Thanks everyone for your help - especially the Claimyr recommendation. Such a relief to finally have this fixed!

So glad you got this sorted out! Your post is going to be super helpful for others dealing with hyphenated names and ID.me issues. I've bookmarked this thread because I know several people in my family have hyphenated names and might run into this same problem if they ever need to file for unemployment. The fact that EDD has multiple databases that don't sync properly with special characters is absolutely ridiculous - they really need to fix their systems! But at least now we know that Claimyr can be a lifesaver for getting through to someone who can actually fix these database mismatches.

This is such a common issue that EDD really needs to address systematically! I work in IT and the fact that they have multiple databases that don't properly sync special characters is a basic data integrity problem that should have been fixed years ago. For anyone else dealing with this, here's what I've learned from similar cases: 1) Always ask the EDD rep to read back your name exactly as it appears in ALL their systems (claims, UI Online, payment systems), 2) Screenshot or write down exactly what format works when you finally get registered, and 3) If you have to re-register for any reason, use that exact same format. It's ridiculous that we have to work around their technical limitations, but at least Derek's success story shows there IS a solution if you can get through to the right person!

This thread is incredibly valuable and I'm so glad Derek got his issue resolved! I'm bookmarking this for future reference because I have several friends with hyphenated and accented names who might face this exact problem. What strikes me most is how this showcases the fundamental flaw in EDD's system architecture - having multiple databases that don't properly communicate with each other is a recipe for exactly these kinds of disasters. It's 2025 and people are going weeks without income because government systems can't handle basic Unicode characters! The Claimyr recommendation seems to be a game-changer though. For anyone else reading this thread, Derek's experience proves that while the system is broken, there ARE solutions if you can get to the right person who understands how to manually fix these database sync issues. Thanks to everyone who contributed solutions here - this is exactly the kind of community knowledge sharing that helps people navigate these bureaucratic nightmares!

This is such an important thread for anyone with special characters in their names! I'm dealing with a similar issue right now - my maiden name has an umlaut (ü) and I've been going in circles with both ID.me and EDD for over a month. The ID.me agent assured me everything was "fixed" but I keep getting the same "information doesn't match" error when trying to register online. Reading Derek's success story gives me hope, and I'm definitely going to try Claimyr tomorrow morning. It's absolutely infuriating that in 2025 we still have government systems that can't handle basic international characters that are common in American names. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this community support is invaluable when you're dealing with these broken systems alone!

This thread has been incredibly helpful for me as someone who's been lurking here trying to figure out my own EDD issues! I have a hyphenated first name (Mary-Kate) and have been stuck in ID.me verification limbo for 3 weeks now. Every time I think it's resolved, I hit another wall. Derek's detailed breakdown of the solution and everyone's experiences with special characters in names has given me a roadmap I didn't have before. I'm definitely going to try Claimyr first thing Monday morning - the fact that multiple people here have had success with it is really encouraging. It's so frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops and use third-party services just to access benefits we've paid into, but I'm grateful this community exists to share these workarounds. Thank you all for being so generous with your time and knowledge - it really makes a difference when you're feeling lost in the bureaucracy!

As someone who just joined this community after dealing with my own EDD nightmare, this entire thread has been a lifesaver! I have an apostrophe in my last name (O'Connor) and have been battling with both ID.me and EDD for over 6 weeks now. The ID.me verification supposedly went through, but I keep hitting the same "information doesn't match" wall when trying to register for UI Online. Reading Derek's success story and seeing how many others have dealt with similar special character issues makes me feel less alone in this mess. The technical explanation from Ryder about multiple databases not syncing properly finally makes sense of why this keeps happening. I'm definitely trying Claimyr tomorrow - the fact that so many people here have had success with it gives me real hope. It's absolutely ridiculous that in 2025 we need third-party services to access our own benefits because government systems can't handle basic punctuation, but I'm so grateful this community exists to share these solutions. Thank you all for being so generous with your knowledge and experiences - you're literally helping people put food on the table when the system fails them!

Just want to add my experience as another data point for people dealing with special characters - my last name has an accent (García) and I went through almost the exact same ordeal as Derek. The ID.me agent said everything was "fixed" but I still couldn't register for UI Online. What finally worked for me was calling through Claimyr (took about 20 minutes to get through) and specifically asking the EDD rep to spell out my name letter by letter from their system. Turns out the accent got stripped out entirely during the transfer from ID.me to EDD, so my name was stored as "Garcia" in their database. Once the rep updated it to match exactly what was on my documents, I was able to register immediately. The whole process took maybe 10 minutes once I got the right person on the phone. It's insane that we have to deal with this in 2025, but at least there are solutions. Thanks Derek for sharing your success story - it gave me the confidence to keep pushing for a resolution instead of just giving up!