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EDD appeal marked 'case closed' after missing hearing date - never received notification!

I'm completely panicking right now. I just logged into my UI Online account and saw that my appeal case has been marked as 'CLOSED' - but I never even knew there was a hearing scheduled! I received an email yesterday saying my case was closed for failure to appear, but I NEVER got any notification about when the hearing was supposed to be. This is for an appeal I filed about 6 weeks ago when EDD disqualified me for supposedly not being available for work (which isn't true - I was available every day). Has this happened to anyone else? Is there any way to reopen an appeal or request a new hearing when you miss the date because you weren't notified? I'm seriously freaking out because I'm on the hook for over $4,800 in overpayments if this disqualification stands. I check my mail everyday and nothing came from EDD about a hearing date. I've already tried calling the appeal board but got disconnected after waiting for an hour.

Ethan Campbell

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You can definitely request a reopening of your appeal! You need to act quickly though. File what's called a Request to Reopen as soon as possible (ideally within 10 days of missing the hearing). You'll need to explain that you never received notification of the hearing date. Make sure to submit it in writing to the same Appeals Board office that was handling your original appeal. The key is proving you had "good cause" for missing the hearing - not receiving proper notification definitely qualifies as good cause. Include any evidence that shows you regularly check communications (like mentioning you check mail daily, monitor your UI Online account regularly, etc). The Appeals Board can reopen cases when there's good cause for missing hearings. Don't give up!

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Aisha Mohammed

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Thank you so much for this! Do you know if I can submit this Request to Reopen through UI Online or do I need to mail it? And do you think I should also call the Appeals Board again to explain the situation or just focus on the written request?

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Yuki Watanabe

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omg this exact thng happend to my brother last month!!! he missed his hearing cuz they sent the notice to his old address even tho he updated it online. EDD is such a mess seriously

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Aisha Mohammed

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Did your brother get his case reopened? What did he have to do? I'm desperate for any info right now.

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Yuki Watanabe

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ya he got it reopened! he had to write a letter explaining why he missed it and send it certified mail. took like 3 weeks but they gave him a new hearing date

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Carmen Sanchez

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BE CAREFUL about the deadline to request reopening!!! It's NOT actually 10 days - it's officially 20 days but the sooner you file the better. I went through EXACTLY what you're describing last year and almost got screwed by incorrect advice about deadlines. Here's what you need to do: 1. File DE 6054 form "Request to Reopen" - you can download it from EDD website 2. Include DETAILED explanation of why you didn't receive notice 3. Submit via fax AND certified mail to be safe (they lose paperwork constantly) 4. Keep calling until you reach someone who confirms receipt The notification system is BROKEN. I never received my hearing notice either but thankfully got my case reopened. Don't give up!!!

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Aisha Mohammed

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Thank you for the correction on the deadline! I just found the DE 6054 form online and will fill it out today. Did you have to provide any proof that you didn't receive the notice? I'm not sure how I would prove a negative like that.

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Carmen Sanchez

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You can't really "prove" you didn't receive something, but what helped me was: 1. Including a statement that I check mail daily 2. Mentioning I had received ALL other EDD communications 3. Noting I had no reason to intentionally miss a hearing I requested 4. Pointing out my active participation in the appeal process up to that point Make sure you mention checking your UI Online messages too because sometimes they claim they sent electronic notifications.

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Andre Dupont

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This is EXACTLY why everyone dealing with EDD should use Claimyr to reach an actual person. I had something similar happen with my appeal and was going nowhere until I used their service. Got through to an EDD rep in under 10 minutes who confirmed my reopening request was received and processed. Saved me weeks of anxiety. Their video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and their website claimyr.com has all the info. Best decision I made during my whole unemployment nightmare!

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Yuki Watanabe

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does it actually work? ive spent like 3 days trying to get thru to someone about my claim

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Zoe Papadakis

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I was skeptical about Claimyr at first, but it did get me through to an actual rep when I'd been trying for days on my own. Just to add a data point.

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ThunderBolt7

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I work as an advocate for unemployment claimants, and I see this issue constantly. Here's what people need to understand - EDD is supposed to send hearing notices at least 10 days before the scheduled date, but their notification system is deeply flawed. For reopening cases, make sure you're extremely specific about: - The exact efforts you made to stay informed (checking mail, UI Online, etc) - Any previous communication you successfully received from EDD (shows you're not just ignoring mail) - Any address changes or technicalities that might have affected delivery The legal standard is "good cause" for missing the hearing. Non-receipt of notification meets this standard, but you need to be very clear and detailed in your explanation. Send your request by certified mail so you have proof of delivery, and keep a copy of everything. Approximately 22% of appeals in California are missed hearings, and about half of those get reopened when properly requested.

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Jamal Edwards

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qstn - if they request reopening & get denied, can they file a NEW appeal on the same issue or is it just game over?

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ThunderBolt7

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Good question. If a request to reopen is denied, you actually have the right to appeal THAT decision as well. It's called a second-level appeal to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB). You'd essentially be appealing the decision not to reopen your case rather than the original disqualification issue. The timeframe for this is also typically 30 days from the denial of reopening.

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Mei Chen

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i missed my hearing last year cuz i was in the hospital. i filed the reopening form and they approved it no problem. just make sure u explain exactly y u missed it and dont wait too long to send the form!!!!!

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Aisha Mohammed

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UPDATE: I just got off the phone with someone at the Appeals Board after trying all morning! They confirmed they sent a hearing notice to my address three weeks ago for a hearing that was scheduled yesterday. I swear I never received it, but at least now I know what happened. I'm filling out the DE 6054 form right now and will send it certified mail today. They said I have a good chance of getting a new hearing since I called so quickly after finding out I missed it. The person I spoke with said they can see from my record that I've been responsive to everything else, so that helps my case. Thank you all for your help and advice! I'll update again when I hear back about the reopening request.

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Carmen Sanchez

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Good job getting through to someone! Make sure you note in your request the exact date and time of that phone call and the name of who you spoke with if you got it. That documentation really helps show you're being proactive.

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Ethan Campbell

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Sounds like you're taking all the right steps! The quick response time will definitely work in your favor.

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