EDD appeal hearing suddenly postponed after 8-month wait - what happens next?

Unfortunately this happens fairly often with the Appeals Board. I had my hearing postponed twice before it finally happened. The first postponement took about 3 weeks to get rescheduled, but the second time they rescheduled within a week. Make sure to keep checking your mail AND email - sometimes they only send the new notice one way or the other. Also, call the Appeals office listed on your postponement notice first thing tomorrow. Sometimes they can give you more information about why it was postponed and roughly when you might expect a new date.

Thanks for responding. Did they ever tell you why yours was postponed? I'm worried this is going to drag on for months more. My postponement notice came by email, should I also be watching my physical mail for the new date?

same here! had mine pushed back 2x with no reason. EDD is such a joke lol

Did you eventually get your hearing? How long did the whole process take?

This happens when either the judge is unavailable (illness, emergency, etc.), when they're overbooked, or sometimes when they realize they're missing crucial documentation for your case. I recommend calling the Appeals Office tomorrow to politely ask about the reason and to confirm they have all the necessary documentation for your case. If documents are missing, you can often email them directly to speed things up.\n\nFor my clients, I've seen postponed hearings typically get rescheduled within 2-4 weeks. The good news is that postponed hearings often get priority in scheduling over brand new appeals. Also, make sure to use this extra time to continue gathering evidence that supports your case. If you're dealing with a misclassification issue, having pay stubs, communication with supervisors about your work schedule/duties, and any relevant employment documents will significantly help your case.

Thank you for the info. When you say

If ur desperate to talk to someone at EDD try Claimyr. It got me through to a rep when I couldnt get thru for weeks. the website is claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km My appeal got messed up too and I needed to talk to a human being ASAP! It actually worked for me when nothing else did.

I used this service too!!!! TOTALLY worth it. EDD never answers their phones

I'll check this out - at this point I'm willing to try anything to get some answers about my appeal.

THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME!!! They postponed my hearing TWICE with no explanation! The first time it took 6 weeks to get a new date, and the second time took almost 2 months! The whole system is designed to wear you down until you give up. I ended up having to survive on credit cards while waiting. Make SURE you call the actual Appeals office (not the regular EDD number) and document every call. Be warned though - even when you finally get your hearing, if you win, it can still take weeks for them to actually process your payments. The whole system is broken beyond belief.

That's awful! Did you ever find out why they postponed yours so many times? I'm worried this is going to happen to me repeatedly.

When my hearing got postponed last year, I called the Appeals Board number on the notice and they actually told me it was because they didn't have enough administrative law judges available that day. It was frustrating but at least they gave me an explanation. They rescheduled me within about 3 weeks. One thing I'd suggest - ask them if you can have a telephone hearing instead of in-person, as those sometimes get scheduled faster.\n\nAlso, while you're waiting, keep certifying for benefits if you're still within your benefit year. If you win your appeal, they'll pay all those weeks retroactively, but only if you've been certifying.

Good to know about keeping up with certification. My hearing was already scheduled as a phone hearing, so I'm not sure if that would help speed things up further. I'll definitely call tomorrow though.

Just to follow up on the Appeals Office contact information: don't use the general EDD number. On your postponement notice, there should be a specific Appeals Office location and phone number listed (usually at the top of the notice). That's the number you want to call. If for some reason it's not on your notice, you can find the regional Appeals Office contact information on the CUIAB website. Make sure you have your appeal case number ready when you call.\n\nRegarding documentation, since you mentioned having your former manager available to testify, make sure to get a written statement from them as backup. Sometimes witnesses aren't available on the rescheduled date, so having a signed statement as a backup can be crucial.

Thank you so much for this detailed advice. I do see a different number on the postponement notice that I hadn't noticed before. I'll call first thing tomorrow and I'll definitely get something in writing from my former manager just in case.

mine got postponed to and i never got the new date!! had to call like 50 times b4 someone told me i missed it lol make sure u keep calling them

Oh no, that's terrible! Did they ever reschedule it for you after that?

dont stress too much, i got my new hearing date like 10 days after postponment. but ya its super annoying

Just wanted to add - if you have any new evidence or documentation you were planning to present at tomorrow's hearing, you should still submit it now electronically if possible. When they reschedule, having all your documentation already in the system can prevent further delays. You can usually email documents to the Appeals Office handling your case - just be sure to include your case number and contact information with any submission.

That's a great suggestion. I was planning to bring everything with me to the hearing, but I'll scan everything tonight and email it to them tomorrow after I call.

UPDATE: OP, did you manage to reach anyone? I'm curious what they told you about the postponement. Did they give you any estimate for the new hearing date?

I finally got through to someone at the Appeals Office this morning! They told me the postponement was due to the judge having a medical emergency. They couldn't give me an exact date yet, but said it would likely be rescheduled within 2-3 weeks and that I'd get priority scheduling. I also submitted all my documentation via email like someone here suggested, and they confirmed receipt. Still frustrating, but at least I know what's happening now.