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EDD appeal sent to inland office months ago - no hearing date yet, normal?

I'm losing sleep over this appeal situation and hoping someone can share their experience. After being disqualified from benefits (employer said I was fired for misconduct when I was actually laid off), I filed my appeal right away. That was back in early January. About 3 weeks later, I got a notice saying my appeal was transferred to the 'Inland Office of Appeals' and that I'd receive info about my hearing date 'soon.' It's now April and I haven't heard a single thing about when my hearing will be scheduled! No mail, no email, nothing in my UI Online account. Is this normal? How long are appeals taking right now? I've called EDD at least 20 times but can never get through to a real person. Starting to worry my appeal got lost in the system somewhere. Has anyone had a similar wait time for their appeal hearing to be scheduled?

Amara Eze

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i waited 4 months for my appeal last year... system is totally backed up

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Liam McGuire

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4 months!? That's insane but also makes me feel slightly better that I'm not alone. Did they eventually contact you or did you have to keep following up?

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Giovanni Ricci

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The appeals system is severely backlogged right now. I had a client wait nearly 5 months before getting a hearing date, and that was considered "fast" by current standards. Some inland offices are taking 6+ months. Here's what you should do: 1. Send a follow-up letter to the appeals office requesting status (include your case number) 2. Check if your mailing address is current in UI Online 3. Call the appeals office directly (not regular EDD) at 916-263-6830 4. Request an expedite if you're facing financial hardship The good news is that if you win your appeal, you'll get all back payments. The bad news is yes, these extremely long waits are unfortunately normal right now.

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Liam McGuire

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Thank you so much for this detailed response! I had no idea there was a separate number for the appeals office. Will try calling them tomorrow. My mailing address is definitely current. Would an expedite request actually help? I am definitely facing financial hardship - had to move in with my parents because I can't afford rent while waiting for this to resolve.

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NeonNomad

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Appeals backed up EVERYWHERE not just inland office!! My friend waited 7 months for his hearing in LA office. Then they rescheduled it twice!! Total nightmare.

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OMG 7 months?!? That's completely ridiculous! The entire system is broken beyond belief. My neighbor had the same experience with constant rescheduling.

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Dylan Mitchell

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I'm also waiting since December lol. This is my second rodeo with appeals and last time (2023) took 5 months before I got my hearing date. Then another month before actual hearing. Then 2 more weeks for decision. So buckle up, it's a long ride 🙃

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Liam McGuire

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This is really depressing but I appreciate the reality check. Guess I need to figure out how to survive for potentially several more months without this income. Did you eventually win your appeal last time?

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Sofia Martinez

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I had this exact situation last year. Appeals are taking 5-7 months on average right now, which is completely unacceptable but unfortunately the reality. One thing that helped me was using Claimyr to get through to an actual EDD rep who could check the status of my appeal. It costs a bit but saves hours of redial frustration - they get you on the callback list with EDD. You can see how it works at https://claimyr.com or check the video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD agent I spoke with was actually able to contact the appeals office and push for my hearing date to be set. Got my hearing scheduled about 3 weeks after that call. The wait is still ridiculous, but at least I got some movement on my case.

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Liam McGuire

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Thanks for the suggestion! I've never heard of Claimyr before but getting through to someone who could actually check on my appeal status would be amazing. At this point I'm willing to try anything that might help.

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Dmitry Volkov

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Anyone saying 5-7 months is sugar coating it. My appeal took 9 MONTHS before I got a hearing date. By then I had already found another job and almost forgot about it. The system is completely broken. I wish I had better news but prepare for a very long wait.

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Amara Eze

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damn 9 months thats insane... did u at least win?

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Giovanni Ricci

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Just wanted to add - make sure you're preparing for your hearing while you wait. Gather any documentation that proves you were laid off rather than fired for misconduct. This includes: - Any emails or communications about the layoff - Witness statements from coworkers if possible - Performance reviews showing good performance - Company announcements about downsizing - Unemployment notice from employer The judge will want evidence beyond just your word against your employer's. Many people lose appeals simply because they don't bring enough documentation to the hearing.

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Liam McGuire

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This is excellent advice - thank you! I do have emails showing the company was downsizing and text messages with my manager where she explicitly said I was being laid off due to budget cuts. I'll start organizing everything now so I'm prepared whenever this hearing finally happens.

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The EDD appeals process is DELIBERATELY slow to discourage people from appealing! They hope you'll give up or find another job before your hearing. It's a disgraceful tactic that punishes people who are already struggling. I had to contact my state assembly member's office to get any movement on my appeal. They have staff who can sometimes expedite cases. Worth a try!

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Dylan Mitchell

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THIS!! 👆 Contacting your assembly member actually works sometimes. My cousin did this and suddenly her appeal that had been sitting for 6 months got scheduled within 2 weeks. They hate when politicians start asking questions lol

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NeonNomad

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check ur spam folder! my hearing notice went to spam and i almost missed it!! they sometimes send email notifications now not just mail

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Liam McGuire

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Oh! I hadn't thought of that. Just checked my spam folder but nothing there related to EDD or appeals. I'll keep checking though and make sure to look at spam regularly. Thanks for the tip!

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