EDD appeal hearing decision timeline in San Diego - when and how will I be notified?
I just finished the second part of my EDD appeal hearing today in San Diego. The judge seemed fair but it's really nerve-wracking waiting for the decision. Does anyone know approximately how long it typically takes before they make a final ruling? Will I get the decision by mail or will it show up in my UI Online account first? This whole appeal process has been going on for almost 2 months now and the uncertainty is killing me. Need to figure out my next steps depending on the outcome. Thanks for any info you can share 🙏
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NebulaNova
From my experience after my appeal hearing last year, I received the decision by mail within 10-14 days. The Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) is required to issue a written decision that includes findings of fact and the reasons for the decision. They'll mail it to the address they have on file, and it might also eventually show up in your UI Online inbox, but mail is the official notification method. Make sure your address is current in the system!
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Nia Jackson
•Thank you! That's really helpful. Did your decision end up being favorable? I'm so nervous because I really need this resolved. I submitted all my evidence but the employer had a lawyer which made me extra anxious.
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Mateo Hernandez
Got mine in about 3 weeks last september. Good luck!!
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Nia Jackson
•3 weeks?! That's so long 😩 Did you call them at all during that time to check on status?
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Mateo Hernandez
•Nope just waited it out. No point stressing about it now that the hearings done
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Aisha Khan
when i had my appeal it took FOREVER to get the decision. like almost 5 weeks!!! and then they sent it to my old address even tho I updated it in the system like three times. EDD is seriously the most frustraiting government agency ever created!!!!
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NebulaNova
•That's unfortunate about the address issue, but to clarify, the Appeals Board is actually separate from EDD. They're an independent body that reviews EDD's decisions. It's still important to update your address with both entities if you've moved during the process.
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Ethan Taylor
Professional here - the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB) typically issues decisions within 2-4 weeks after the hearing concludes. By law, they're supposed to issue decisions "as soon as practicable," but current workloads can cause variations. The decision will come by mail to your address on record. They don't typically update UI Online with appeal decisions immediately, so watch your mailbox carefully. The decision letter will explain your options if the appeal is denied, including the deadline to file a second-level appeal to the CUIAB board itself (which is different from the ALJ hearing you just had). Good luck with your case!
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Nia Jackson
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! If it does get denied, do you happen to know what the success rate is for second-level appeals? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth pursuing if I get a negative decision.
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Ethan Taylor
•Second-level appeals have a lower success rate (roughly 15-20%) because they generally don't consider new evidence and only review for legal errors in the ALJ's decision. If you do need to go that route, consider consulting with a legal aid organization that specializes in unemployment issues. Many offer free assistance for low-income individuals.
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Yuki Ito
I had a similar situation last year and ended up waiting almost 3 weeks for the decision to arrive by mail. The worst part was calling EDD to check on my claim status during that time - I could NEVER get through! Eventually I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual EDD rep in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The rep was able to confirm my appeal was still in process but couldn't give specifics on the decision timeframe. At least it gave me peace of mind knowing my case hadn't fallen through the cracks.
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Aisha Khan
•does that really work?? im sick of calling EDD 50 times a day!
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Yuki Ito
•Yeah it actually does. Saved me so much frustration. My cousin used it too when she had issues with her identity verification.
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Carmen Lopez
OK so people are saying 2-4 weeks but I think that might be BEFORE the pandemic backlog? I'm in San Diego too and just went through this in January. Mine took exactly 27 days to arrive after my hearing. The judge ruled in my favor but then I had another 2 week wait before payments started processing again. So prepare for potentially 6 weeks total from hearing to money. The system is soooo slooowww right now.
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Nia Jackson
•Congrats on winning your appeal! That's encouraging. Did you have a lawyer or did you represent yourself? I'm wondering if I should have gotten legal help.
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Carmen Lopez
•I represented myself but I spent like 20 hours preparing! I organized all my documents chronologically with sticky note tabs, made a timeline of events, and practiced explaining my case to my sister beforehand. The judge seemed to appreciate how organized I was. If your hearing is already done though, not much you can do now except wait!
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AstroAdventurer
i got my decision in 12 days but that was back in 2021, might be different now idk. they just sent a letter in the mail. i was so nervous i checked the mailbox like 3 times a day lol. hope u get good news!!!!
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Nia Jackson
•Thanks! Did your UI Online account status change at all before you got the letter? I keep checking there too.
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AstroAdventurer
•nope nothing changed online until after i got the letter and it was approved then suddenly all my weeks changed from disqualified to paid it was awesome
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Nia Jackson
Thanks everyone for the responses! Sounds like I should expect to wait 2-4 weeks for the decision by mail. I'll make sure my address is updated correctly. Really appreciate all the insights - helps calm my nerves a bit. I'll update this thread when I finally get my decision letter for anyone who might be searching for this info in the future.
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