EDD confusion: worked full-time for 18 months but denied new claim due to 'insufficient wages'
I'm completely lost with my EDD situation right now. I received unemployment benefits during 2020-2021 (like many others), then found a full-time job in October 2021. Fast forward to May 2025 - I was let go after working consistently for over 18 months. When I filed a new claim, I got this confusing message saying I 'didn't make enough wages' to qualify for a new claim, and something about 'continuing to process federal extension on previous claim.' But my previous claim from the pandemic era is obviously expired, I have zero weeks available to certify, and haven't received any payments in years! I'm genuinely confused - shouldn't working full-time for 18+ months qualify me for a new claim? Has anyone else encountered this weird situation? The unemployment calculator showed I should qualify based on my income. What am I missing here??
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William Rivera
This sounds like a system error. After 18 months of full-time work, you should absolutely qualify for a new UI claim. Here's what might be happening: The EDD system sometimes incorrectly tries to reopen an old claim instead of processing a new one. When you filed, did you select 'File New Claim' or 'Reopen Claim'? Also, check if your employer properly reported your wages to EDD - this is crucial for qualifying for a new claim. Your next step should be to speak with an EDD representative directly to have them look at your wage history and correct this error.
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Kayla Jacobson
•Thanks for the info! I'm pretty sure I selected 'File New Claim' since I knew my old one was long expired. I've tried calling EDD multiple times but keep getting the 'we're experiencing high call volume' message and then it hangs up. It's so frustrating. Do you know if there's a better time of day to call? Or should I try to visit an office in person?
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Grace Lee
omg i literally had the EXACT same thing happen to me last month!! worked for almost 2 years after my covid benefits and then got laid off. got the stupid 'not enough wages' message too which made NO SENSE. turns out my employer had reported my wages under a slightly different name (they put a hyphen in my last name that shouldnt be there) so EDD couldnt find my wage history properly. took me 3 days of trying to get through to somebody on the phone but when i finally did they fixed it in like 10 minutes. keep trying to call!!
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Kayla Jacobson
•That's really helpful to know! I never even considered it could be something as simple as a name discrepancy. I'll double-check all my paystubs and tax documents to make sure everything matches. Did they fix it while you were on the phone, or did you have to provide additional documentation?
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Mia Roberts
I bet this is a base period problem. EDD doesn't look at your most recent work quarters when determining eligibility - they use a "base period" that's the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you filed in May 2025, they'd look at Jan-Dec 2024 plus Jan-Mar 2025. If most of your work was very recent, it might not all count toward eligibility. Check the EDD base period calculator.
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Kayla Jacobson
•Hmm, that's interesting but I don't think that's the issue in my case. I worked consistently from Oct 2021 through May 2025, so all of 2024 and Q1 2025 should definitely show full-time wages. Unless my employer messed something up with reporting?
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The Boss
I dealt with this exact issue a few months back and it was incredibly frustrating. After dozen of failed calls, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually get through to an EDD rep. They have this system that keeps calling EDD for you until they get through, then they call you and connect you with the rep. Saved me days of frustration. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Once I actually got to speak with a representative, they confirmed there was an error in how my previous wages were being calculated. The rep manually reviewed my wage history and verified I had sufficient earnings. They had to file an appeal on my behalf, but my claim was eventually approved with the correct benefit amount. The key is definitely getting to speak with an actual human at EDD who can look at your specific situation.
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Grace Lee
•I've heard of that service! My cousin used it too. Said it was way better than spending entire days hitting redial.
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Evan Kalinowski
u might need 2 file a wage investigation if ur employer didnt report right. happened 2 me. check ur wage statement in ui online and compare to ur paystubs. if differnt u gotta submit proof of wages with form DE 1326E. look it up
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Kayla Jacobson
•Thanks for the tip about the DE 1326E form! I'll definitely look into that. Where exactly do I find my wage statement in UI Online? Is it under the claim history section?
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Victoria Charity
The whole EDD system is DESIGNED to deny people benefits they deserve!!! I worked FULL TIME for TWO YEARS and they still gave me the runaround about "insufficient wages" when I got laid off. I had to call FIFTY-THREE TIMES before getting through to someone who could help me. Then they suddenly found all my wages and approved my claim. They do this ON PURPOSE hoping people will give up and not get the benefits they're entitled to. It's a DISGRACE how they treat hardworking Californians who lost their jobs through no fault of their own!!!
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The Boss
•While I understand your frustration, I don't think it's actually designed to deny benefits. The system is just outdated and overwhelmed. These kinds of issues are usually database errors or reporting problems that can be fixed once you reach someone. But I agree it's unacceptably difficult to reach a representative when you need help.
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Jasmine Quinn
im so confused about all this unemployment stuff too lol. i thought u could just apply whenever u lose a job? didnt know there were all these wage requirements and base periods and stuff. learning so much from this thread
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William Rivera
•Yes, there are definitely eligibility requirements beyond just losing your job. You need to have earned enough wages during the base period, lost your job through no fault of your own, and be able and available for work. The system can be complicated, but once you understand the basics, it makes more sense.
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Kayla Jacobson
UPDATE: I finally got through to EDD this morning (called right when they opened at 8am). Turns out there were TWO problems - 1) My employer had reported my wages to the wrong SSN for one quarter (typo on their end), and 2) The system was trying to reactivate my old pandemic claim instead of creating a new one. The rep was actually super helpful and fixed both issues. They're processing a new claim for me now and said I should see everything updated in my portal within 10 days. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! I'll post again once everything is resolved to confirm it all worked out.
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Mia Roberts
•That's great news! And exactly why it's so important to actually speak with a representative. These system errors happen fairly often, but they're usually fixable. Good job being persistent.
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