EDD disqualification weeks confusion - am I permanently denied benefits?

This doesn't necessarily mean your entire claim is denied. When EDD says weeks are "applied to your disqualification," they're essentially serving you penalty weeks. This usually happens when they determine you provided incorrect information. Since you accidentally reported zero work when you actually got paid for 3 hours, they've imposed a disqualification period. The standard penalty is typically multiple weeks where you won't receive benefits, even if you'd otherwise qualify. The good news is that once you serve these penalty weeks, you can start receiving benefits again assuming you meet all other eligibility requirements.

got the same message last year!!! dont worry ur not perma-denied. they just make u serve penalty wks b4 u can get paid again. keep certifying!!

This is what's called a false statement penalty. When EDD determines you provided incorrect information (even accidentally), they impose penalty weeks where you must continue to certify but won't receive benefits. The number of penalty weeks depends on what they determined: - Minor discrepancies: 2-5 weeks - More significant issues: 5-10 weeks - Serious misrepresentations: 10+ weeks You should have received a Notice of Determination explaining the specific disqualification period. Check your UI Online inbox or wait for mail correspondence. Important: You MUST continue certifying during penalty weeks or you won't receive benefits when the penalty period ends.

EDD IS RIDICULOUS! They act like you committed fraud when it was an honest mistake about 3 HOURS of work!!! I had something similar happen and they gave me SEVEN penalty weeks for forgetting about a single day of training pay. The system is designed to punish people who make tiny errors while the real fraudsters get away with millions. It's completely backwards!!

my cousin went through this. he did try to appeal but they said since he technically did work those hours even if it was honest mistake it still counts as false statement. frustrating system but what can ya do

If you need to talk to an actual EDD rep about this (which I highly recommend), try using Claimyr. I was in a similar situation with penalty weeks and couldn't get through on the phones for days. Claimyr got me connected to an EDD agent in about 25 minutes when I'd been trying for over a week on my own. They have a good explanation video here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. The rep was able to explain exactly how many weeks I needed to serve and confirmed I was certifying correctly so I wouldn't miss payments after the penalty period.

Impt question: during these penalty weeks are u required to do the work search activities? I mean since ur not getting paid anyway why bother? Just wondering cuz i might be in same boat soon...

Just to add - once you serve your penalty weeks, I'd recommend double-checking your claim balance to make sure it's correct. Sometimes after disqualifications, the system can take a bit to update properly. Also, the week after your last penalty week, call to confirm your certification was processed correctly if you don't see a payment pending within 2-3 days.

BTW my friend had the EXACT same thing happen (disqual for not reporting training pay) and when she finally got thru to EDD they told her she could have requested a waiver of the penalties since it was an honest mistake with proof! Of course they don't advertise this option anywhere!!! Might be worth asking about if u can ever reach a human there.

I've been through this exact scenario and wanted to share some practical advice that helped me get through it. First, those penalty weeks are definitely not permanent - you'll be able to receive benefits again once you serve them. During my penalty period, I called 211 (dial 2-1-1) which connected me to local assistance programs that helped with rent and utilities while I was waiting for benefits to resume. Many counties have emergency assistance funds specifically for situations like this. Also, some food banks and community organizations don't require proof of income status, just that you're experiencing hardship. For the EDD side, I'd strongly recommend getting everything in writing - screenshot your UI Online account showing the penalty weeks, save all determination notices, and document every certification you submit. When your penalty period ends, having this documentation made it much easier to resolve a small glitch that delayed my first payment back. The system does work, but it's definitely stressful while you're going through it. Hang in there!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Got penalty weeks for not reporting some training pay that I completely spaced on during my first certification. The "applied to your disqualification" language is super confusing - I thought it meant my whole claim was dead too. But after reading everyone's responses here, I feel so much better knowing it's just temporary penalty weeks that I have to serve. The financial stress is real though - I'm on week 2 of 5 penalty weeks and already behind on bills. Definitely going to try that 211 number @Laila Prince mentioned and look into the waiver option @Lena Schultz brought up. Has anyone had luck getting through to EDD lately to ask about waivers for honest mistakes like this? The phone system seems impossible to navigate. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess!

I'm currently going through the exact same situation and this entire thread has been such a lifesaver! I got hit with 4 penalty weeks for not reporting a small cash tip I received on my last day of work that I completely forgot about when I first certified. Like many of you, I saw that "applied to your disqualification" message and immediately panicked thinking my entire claim was denied. The relief I felt reading everyone's experiences here is indescribable! I'm on week 2 of my penalty period right now and the financial anxiety has been brutal, but knowing that this is temporary and that so many others have successfully gotten through it gives me hope. I've already called 211 based on @Laila Prince's recommendation and found a local food bank that's helping me stretch my grocery budget. Next step is to try the Claimyr service to see if I can get through to ask about that waiver option @Lena Schultz mentioned. Even if the waiver doesn't work out, just having a clear timeline and knowing what to expect makes this so much more manageable. Thank you all for sharing your stories and practical advice - this community is amazing!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been an absolute lifeline! I got hit with penalty weeks for not reporting some training pay that slipped my mind completely during my first certification. That "applied to your disqualification" message sent me into full panic mode - I was convinced my entire claim was dead. Reading everyone's experiences here has been such a relief! I'm currently on week 1 of what turned out to be 4 penalty weeks according to my determination notice. The financial stress is already intense, but knowing this is temporary and seeing so many people who've successfully made it through gives me hope. I've already started implementing advice from this thread - called 211 and found some emergency food assistance, and I'm planning to try the Claimyr service to see if I can ask about that waiver option @Lena Schultz mentioned. For anyone else just starting this process, the documentation tips from everyone here are gold - I'm now keeping detailed records of everything I do during these penalty weeks. Thank you all for turning what felt like a disaster into something manageable with clear steps forward!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now and this thread has been such a lifesaver! Just got my determination notice showing 6 penalty weeks for not reporting some last-minute training hours that I completely forgot about during certification. That "applied to your disqualification" message is absolutely terrifying when you first see it - I was convinced my entire claim was dead and panicked for days before finding this community. Reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring! I'm currently on week 2 of 6 and the financial stress is real, but knowing this is temporary and seeing so many success stories gives me hope. Already started implementing the amazing advice from this thread - called 211 and found local food assistance, set up automatic certification reminders, and I'm keeping detailed documentation of everything. Planning to try the Claimyr service to ask about that waiver option @Lena Schultz mentioned too. Thank you all for turning what felt like a complete disaster into something manageable with practical steps forward. This community support is incredible and knowing we're not alone in making these honest mistakes makes such a difference!

I'm currently going through this exact same nightmare and finding this thread has been such a relief! Just got hit with 3 penalty weeks for not reporting some severance pay that was processed after my termination date - completely slipped my mind during my first certification. That "applied to your disqualification" message is absolutely heart-stopping when you first see it! I genuinely thought my entire claim was permanently denied and spent two days in complete panic mode before finding this community. Reading everyone's experiences has transformed my terror into something manageable with actual steps I can take. I'm on day 3 of week 1 and already implementing the amazing advice here - called 211 yesterday and found emergency rent assistance I had no idea existed, set up multiple phone alarms for certification reminders, and started my documentation journal. Planning to try the Claimyr service to see if I can get through to ask about the waiver option too. The financial stress is definitely real but knowing this is temporary and seeing so many people who've successfully made it through gives me actual hope. Thank you all for sharing your stories and practical advice - this community support is incredible when you're feeling completely lost in the system!