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Javier Gomez

EDD approval notification: Do they mail approval letters and can I certify without UI Online?

I just had my eligibility interview yesterday after waiting almost 3 weeks, and the EDD rep said I was eligible for benefits (laid off due to company downsizing). She mentioned something about receiving information in the mail but I was so relieved I didn't catch all the details. Will I get an actual approval letter in the mail confirming my benefits amount? Also, my internet is super unreliable right now - can I certify for benefits through regular mail or over the phone instead of using UI Online? I really don't want to miss any certification deadlines while waiting for my internet company to fix the outage in our area.

Emma Wilson

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yes you'll def get an approval letter in the mail with all your benefit info!! I got mine like 5 days after my interview. It shows your weekly benefit amount and how much u can get total. I think u can certify by mail but its way slower, theres a phone option too 1-866-333-4606

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Javier Gomez

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Thank you! Do you know if the phone certification is automated or do I talk to a real person? I'm worried about getting everything right the first time.

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Malik Thomas

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Yes, you'll receive an official Notice of Determination by mail confirming your eligibility and weekly benefit amount (WBA). There should actually be several documents sent to you: 1. Notice of Determination (approval letter) 2. EDD Customer Account Number letter (needed for phone certification) 3. DE 2063 form (paper certification form) For certification without UI Online, you have two options: - Telecert: Call 1-866-333-4606 and use the automated system - Mail: Complete and return the DE 2063 form they send you The phone system is generally reliable, but paper certification can take 7-10 days to process, which might delay your payments. I'd recommend phone certification until your internet is restored.

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This is correct information. Just to add - make sure you write down your EDD Customer Account Number when you receive it. You cannot use the telecert system without it. Also worth noting that the paper certification option requires you to actually mail it in 1-2 days before your certification date to ensure it's processed on time.

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Ravi Kapoor

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When I got approved in January, I never got my approval letter!!! Had to call EDD 46 times before getting through to someone who could tell me I was approved. The whole system is broken. Don't count on getting ANY mail from them on time!! CALL THEM before you miss deadlines!

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Freya Larsen

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Same thing happened to me!! I waited 2 weeks for a letter that never came and almost missed my first certification period. The EDD website says they mail everything but half the time they don't actually send it or it gets lost. Always call to verify your status.

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trying to get thru to EDD is a nightmare lol i spent 3 days calling over and over before i finally used claimyr.com and got a callback from EDD within 25 mins. they have a video showing how it works https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km totally worth it bc i was able to confirm my benefits and fix an issue with my address so i actually got my paperwork

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Omar Zaki

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Do they really call you back that fast? I've been trying to reach EDD for days with no luck.

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To clarify some confusion in this thread: 1. EDD is required to send determination notices, but mail delays happen. If you don't receive your notice within 10 days of your interview, you should contact them. 2. For paper certification: The DE 2063 forms are typically mailed automatically every two weeks, but you can request them by calling 1-800-300-5616 if you don't receive them. 3. Telecert (1-866-333-4606) is fully automated - you'll need your SSN, EDD Customer Account Number, and to answer the same certification questions as online. 4. You must certify on time regardless of which method you use. Paper certification should be mailed 2-3 days before your certification date to allow for processing time. The phone certification is generally very reliable and much faster than mail certification.

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Javier Gomez

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Thank you for laying everything out so clearly! I'll definitely use the telecert option as soon as I get my customer account number. One last question - will the Money Network card also come automatically or do I need to request that separately?

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Malik Thomas

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Your Money Network debit card should arrive automatically about 7-10 days after your first payment is processed. You don't need to request it separately. If you previously had unemployment with a BoA card (prior to 2023), you'll still get the new Money Network card - they don't use the old system anymore. Just make sure your mailing address is correct on your EDD account. If you move or need to update your address, do it right away through UI Online or by phone.

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Javier Gomez

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Perfect, thank you! I'll keep an eye out for all these different mailings. Really appreciate everyone's help with this!

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Freya Larsen

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Wait I'm confused about something... when you certify by phone do you still get paid as quickly as online? My neighbor said paper certification took forever but phone was just as fast as the website???

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Phone certification (Telecert) processes payments at the same speed as UI Online - typically 24-48 hours after certification if there are no issues with your claim. It's only the paper certification by mail that causes delays, as it must be received, manually processed, and entered into their system.

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Chloe Taylor

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My sister just went through this whole process last month. She got her approval letter in about a week, but the benefit amount was wrong! They calculated it based on the wrong quarter of earnings. She tried calling for days but couldn't get through until she went to the actual EDD office in person! So make sure you double-check all the numbers when you get your letter!

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Javier Gomez

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Oh that's concerning! I'll definitely check all the calculations when the letter arrives. Thanks for the heads up.

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Malik Thomas

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One additional tip: When you receive your Notice of Determination and EDD Customer Account Number, take photos of both documents with your phone or make copies. I've heard from many claimants who misplaced these important documents and had difficulties accessing their benefits later. The Customer Account Number is particularly important as you'll need it for phone certification and other EDD services.

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Javier Gomez

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Great suggestion! I'll definitely do that. I've learned my lesson about keeping important documents backed up after losing my tax forms last year.

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Ravi Gupta

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Just want to add that if you're worried about missing certification deadlines due to internet issues, you can also set up text alerts through EDD to remind you when your certification periods open. You can do this by calling 1-866-333-4606 and following the prompts, or through UI Online when your internet is working again. The text alerts will remind you 2-3 days before your certification is due, which gives you plenty of time to use the phone system or mail in your forms. This really helped me stay on track when I had similar connectivity problems earlier this year!

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This is such a helpful tip! I had no idea EDD offered text alerts for certification reminders. That would definitely give me peace of mind while dealing with these internet issues. Do you know if there are any other useful alerts they offer, like when payments are processed or if there are issues with your claim that need attention?

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Yara Khoury

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Hey Javier! Congrats on getting approved! Just wanted to share my recent experience - I got my approval letter about 6 days after my phone interview, and it included all the info about my weekly benefit amount and total claim balance. For certification without internet, I'd definitely recommend the telecert phone option (1-866-333-4606) over mail. I used it for about 3 weeks when my laptop died and it was super straightforward - just have your SSN and customer account number ready. The automated system walks you through the same questions as online and your payment gets processed just as fast. One thing to watch out for - make sure your mailing address is 100% correct in their system. My neighbor had issues because EDD had an old apartment number on file and his important documents kept getting returned. You can double-check this when you call or once your internet is back up. Good luck and don't stress too much about the deadlines - as long as you certify within your 2-week window using any of the methods, you'll be fine!

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Sofia Price

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Thank you so much Yara! This is really reassuring to hear from someone who actually used the phone system recently. I was nervous about the automated questions but it sounds pretty user-friendly. I'll definitely double-check my address when I call - that's a great point about making sure everything is correct in their system. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, it helps a lot knowing what to expect!

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Ian Armstrong

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Hey Javier! I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago when I was laid off from my tech job. You'll definitely get multiple pieces of mail from EDD - the approval letter, your customer account number, and the paper certification forms (DE 2063). Mine took about 7-8 days to arrive. For certification without internet, I'd strongly recommend the phone option (telecert) over mail. I used it for almost 2 months when I moved and didn't have reliable internet set up yet. The automated system at 1-866-333-4606 is actually pretty intuitive - it asks the same basic questions as online like whether you worked, looked for work, were available for work, etc. You just press numbers to respond. The key thing is you MUST have your EDD Customer Account Number to use telecert - write it down as soon as you get that letter! Also, make sure to certify during your designated 2-week period regardless of which method you use. Phone certification processes payments just as fast as online (usually 1-2 business days), while mail can take a week or more. One tip: if you're worried about deadlines, you can call the general EDD number to confirm your certification dates once you're in the system. Better to be safe than sorry!

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Nia Thompson

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Thanks Ian! This is exactly the kind of detailed info I was hoping for. It's really helpful to know the timeline for receiving all the different documents - 7-8 days sounds reasonable. I'm definitely leaning toward the phone certification option now based on everyone's feedback. Question though - when you call that general EDD number to confirm certification dates, is that the same 1-866-333-4606 number or a different one? I want to make sure I have the right contact info ready. Also, did you ever run into any issues with the automated system not recognizing your responses or anything like that?

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