EDD certification page won't accept fractional hours - need urgent help

don't stress too much, just round up to 33 hours. the system doesn't accept decimals, never has. the small difference in wages isn't going to trigger any red flags.

The EDD system is designed to only accept whole numbers for hours worked. The official guidance is to round to the nearest whole hour. In your case, since 32.5 is exactly halfway, you could technically round either way, but I always recommend rounding up to be safe. The small difference in reported wages (half hour's worth) won't trigger any issues, especially if you explain the rounding in the additional information section at the end of the certification. Just add a brief note stating your actual hours were 32.5 but you had to round due to system limitations.

OMG I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM LAST MONTH!!! I worked 18.75 hours and couldn't enter it! I called EDD like 47 TIMES trying to get through to ask about this. FINALLY got someone after 3 days who said to just round to nearest whole number and make a note in the comments section. The whole system is SO STUPID and outdated, they seriously need to fix this!!! Why build a system that can't handle basic decimals in 2025?!?!

I remember having this exact problem! I just rounded down and moved on with my life. Never had any issues.

This is a common question. The EDD system only accepts whole numbers for hours worked. The correct procedure is to round DOWN to the nearest whole hour. So in your case, enter 32 hours. This is the official EDD policy - they know their system has this limitation and their internal processes account for minor discrepancies during employer verification. Make sure your reported wages are exact to the penny though, as those must match employer records precisely. The hours field is primarily used for calculating your hourly rate to ensure it meets minimum wage requirements.

Here's what I learned during my unemployment journey - fractional hours are indeed a problem with the EDD system. After struggling to get through on the phone lines for days (constant busy signals and disconnections), I found Claimyr.com which connected me to an EDD representative in about 20 minutes. The agent confirmed I should round to the nearest whole hour and ensure my wages are exact. You can see how their service works in this video: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Saved me so much frustration when I had questions like this that weren't clearly explained on the website.

guys are overthinking this waaay too much lol. i've been on unemployment 3 times and always just rounded however was easiest. nobody at edd is gonna come after you for a half hour difference... they got bigger fish to fry

UPDATE: I ended up entering 32 hours as suggested and made sure my wages were exactly correct to the penny. I also added a note in the comments section explaining that I worked 32.5 hours but rounded down due to system limitations. My certification went through without any issues! Thanks everyone for your help with this frustrating technical limitation.

When I had this problem last year I just decided to always work whole hours LOL! I literally told my boss I can only work in full hour increments because the EDD system is so bad. Surprisingly he was cool with it since he knew how important my UI benefits were during my partial employment. Maybe ask your employer if you can work rounded hours to avoid this whole mess?

This is such a common frustration with the EDD system! I've been dealing with UI certifications for a while now and can confirm that the system absolutely does not accept decimal hours - it's been like this for years unfortunately. The safest approach is to round DOWN to the nearest whole hour (so 32 in your case) and make sure your wage amount is exactly correct to the penny. The EDD's internal systems are designed to handle these minor discrepancies during employer verification, and they prioritize wage accuracy over precise hour reporting. Always add a note in the comments section explaining the actual hours worked vs. what you entered due to system limitations - this creates a paper trail showing your good faith effort to be accurate. It's frustrating that a government system in 2025 can't handle basic decimals, but at least now you know the workaround!

I had this exact same issue a few months ago! The EDD system is definitely outdated when it comes to handling fractional hours. What worked for me was rounding DOWN to 32 hours (as others have mentioned, this seems to be the official guidance) and making sure my wage amount was precise to the penny. I also wrote a brief note in the additional comments section saying something like "Actual hours worked: 32.5, rounded down due to system limitations." Never had any follow-up issues or flags on my account. The key thing to remember is that EDD's backend systems are built to handle these small discrepancies - they know their own system's limitations. Your employer will report the exact hours/wages to EDD separately, and their reconciliation process accounts for rounding differences in the hours field. Just make sure those wage dollars and cents are exactly right!

I just went through this same nightmare last week! The EDD system really is stuck in the stone age when it comes to basic functionality. After reading through all the responses here, it's clear that rounding DOWN to the nearest whole hour is the way to go - so many people have confirmed this approach works without issues. What really helped me was calling it out explicitly in the comments section with something like "Actual hours: 32.5, entered 32 due to system limitation." The wage amount being exact to the penny seems to be what really matters for their verification process. It's honestly embarrassing that a state system can't handle decimals in 2025, but at least there's a proven workaround that won't get you flagged. Hope this helps future people dealing with the same frustrating limitation!

I've been certifying for UI benefits for over a year now and this fractional hours issue comes up constantly in this community! Based on all the responses here and my own experience, the consensus is definitely clear: round DOWN to the nearest whole hour (32 in your case) and make absolutely sure your wage amount is precise to the penny. I always add a note in the comments section like "Actual hours worked: 32.5, rounded to 32 due to system limitations" - this shows good faith reporting and creates documentation if there's ever a question. The EDD's verification systems are built to handle these small hour discrepancies since they know their own system can't accept decimals. What matters most for matching employer records is that wage amount being exact. It's frustrating that we have to work around such a basic limitation, but this approach has worked consistently for everyone I've seen try it. Don't stress too much about the half-hour difference - focus on getting those wages reported accurately!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! It's so frustrating that the EDD system can't handle something as basic as decimal hours in 2025. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like the consensus is definitely to round DOWN to the nearest whole hour (so 32 in cases like this) and make sure the wage amount is exactly correct to the penny. The advice about adding an explanatory note in the comments section seems really smart too - something like "Actual hours worked: 32.5, rounded to 32 due to system limitations." It's reassuring to see so many people confirm this approach works without triggering any flags or issues. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating these ridiculous system limitations!