EDD false statement penalty weeks still showing after rep said they'd end - desperate for help

Unfortunately, EDD phone reps often give conflicting information, especially about penalty weeks. I went through something similar in 2025 and found that penalty weeks must be served in FULL - there is no \

Thank you for this info! That's what I was afraid of - that the rep gave her completely wrong information. It's so frustrating because she planned her finances based on what that EDD rep told her. Do you know if there's any way to escalate this or file some kind of complaint since she was given incorrect information? I'll definitely tell her to ask for a Tier 2 specialist and get everything in writing this time.

OMG the same exact thing happened to my roommate!!! The EDD people told him one thing on the phone and then the website showed something completely different. These penalty weeks are NO JOKE and the EDD agents just say whatever they want with no accountability. so infuriating!!!!

It really is infuriating! Did your roommate ever get it resolved? How many weeks did he end up having to serve?

I worked through a penalty week situation last year. The most important thing your cousin needs to do is get accurate information in writing. Here's what works:\n\n1. Send a message through UI Online asking for an EXACT count of remaining penalty weeks and the EXACT date when benefits will begin (assuming continued certification). Print this response.\n\n2. There is NO CAP on penalty weeks that I'm aware of. They must be served in full unless your cousin qualifies for a penalty week waiver, which is only available in very specific circumstances.\n\n3. Keep certifying every two weeks even during penalty weeks. If she misses certifications, it creates new problems.\n\n4. Document everything - dates of calls, names of representatives, what was promised.\n\n5. If she's truly facing financial hardship, she should look into emergency assistance programs beyond CalFresh - many counties have rental assistance and utility payment support.\n\nUnfortunately, EDD representatives sometimes provide incorrect information, especially about complex issues like penalty weeks. The system is automated, and until all penalty weeks are served, payments won't process regardless of what a representative says.

Thank you for such detailed advice! I hadn't thought about sending a message through UI Online to get something in writing - that's brilliant. And good point about making sure she keeps certifying. She's been doing that religiously every two weeks, but it's definitely important to keep up with it.

i had 12 penalty weeks and had to serve EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. there is no cap or shortcut. edd phone people will say ANYTHING to get you off the phone. dont trust verbal info!!!

That's so disheartening to hear, but thank you for confirming what others are saying. Did you just have to keep certifying until you got through all 12 weeks? How did you manage financially during that time?

Your cousin might want to try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD representative faster. I was in penalty week hell last month and couldn't get through on the regular line for days. I used their service and got connected to a Tier 2 specialist who actually knew what they were talking about in about 15 minutes. They have a video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km\n\nThe key is specifically asking for a Tier 2 specialist who can access the penalty week system. Regular Tier 1 reps often don't have the training or system access to properly assess penalty week situations. When I finally got through, the specialist explained exactly how many weeks I had left and when payments would start. The information was accurate and I could finally plan accordingly.

is this service legit tho? seems sketchy to have to pay just to talk to EDD when its our right to begin with!!!

I was skeptical too, but I was desperate after trying for a week to get through. It worked for me, and the peace of mind from getting accurate information was worth it. But everyone's situation is different - if you can get through on your own, that's obviously better.

Ok so I actually worked for EDD (not currently) and can tell u the truth about penalty weeks. There IS NO CAP! The rep was either confused or just told your cousin what she wanted to hear. False Statement Penalty Weeks must be served in full - period. Each week shows as a 'non-payment week' on UI Online. The ONLY exception is if she qualifies for a financial hardship waiver, which is rare and requires extensive documentation.\n\nAlso, just FYI, penalty weeks carry over between benefit years - they don't expire. If she had 9 left from before, she needs to serve all 9, regardless of what the rep said about only serving 2 more.

Thank you for this insider perspective! I suspected the rep might have just said whatever to get my cousin off the phone. Is there ANY recourse when you're given completely incorrect information by an EDD representative? It seems wrong that they can just say anything with no accountability.

Unfortunately there's very little recourse. You can file a complaint, but it won't change the penalty week requirement. The EDD system is automated - until all penalty weeks are served, the system won't issue payments regardless of what a rep says. My advice is to focus energy on serving the remaining weeks while seeking temporary assistance rather than fighting the system, which rarely works.

I'm going through penalty weeks right now too. It's absolute torture. From my research and experience so far, here's what I've learned:\n\n1. Penalty weeks never expire and must be served in full during periods when you're otherwise eligible for benefits\n\n2. The cap your cousin was told about doesn't exist as far as I know\n\n3. If she has 9 weeks left, she needs to serve all 9 by certifying every two weeks\n\n4. Even during penalty weeks, you MUST meet all eligibility requirements including work search\n\n5. Payments will automatically begin after the last penalty week is served\n\nThe most reliable way to check how many penalty weeks remain is through UI Online under Claim History - it will show which weeks were penalty weeks and how many have been served. Each certification that shows \

This is SO helpful, thank you! I'll definitely check out 211.org to see what other resources might be available to help her through this tough time. And good tip about checking Claim History to count the remaining penalty weeks - I'll help her do that tonight.

my sister had penalty weeks and ended up having to borrow money from family... EDD system is brutal when youre already down on your luck

It really is brutal. My cousin has already maxed out her credit cards and doesn't have family who can help financially. It's such a difficult situation to be in.

Based on all the responses, I think your cousin needs to: \n\n1. Get an accurate count of her remaining penalty weeks (likely all 9 remaining ones, not just 2)\n\n2. Create a realistic budget based on receiving no unemployment for those weeks\n\n3. Continue certifying every two weeks\n\n4. Look into emergency assistance programs\n\n5. Document everything in case she needs to file an appeal later\n\nMake sure she doesn't give up on the job search either - even one interview could lead to employment. And if she does find work before serving all penalty weeks, those weeks will still be there if she needs unemployment again in the future, so it's better to clear them now if possible.

Thank you for summarizing everything so clearly. I'll help her come up with a budget plan tonight and research emergency assistance options. It's going to be tough, but at least now we know what we're dealing with rather than having false hope based on incorrect information.

I'm so sorry your cousin is going through this nightmare. I dealt with penalty weeks myself in 2023 and it was absolutely devastating financially. The misinformation from EDD reps is unfortunately very common - they seem to either not understand the penalty week system or just tell people what they think they want to hear. From my experience, here's what helped me survive the penalty weeks: 1. Apply for every assistance program possible - not just CalFresh but also utility assistance (LIHEAP), rental assistance through your county, and food banks 2. Look into gig work like DoorDash, Uber, or TaskRabbit for immediate income while still job searching 3. Contact local churches and community organizations - many have emergency funds for people in crisis 4. Check if her county has a 211 helpline (dial 2-1-1) for comprehensive resource information The penalty weeks are brutal but they do end eventually. I had to serve 8 weeks and it nearly broke me financially, but I got through it. Make sure she keeps detailed records of everything and continues certifying religiously. Once those penalty weeks are done, her payments should start automatically. Stay strong and don't let EDD's incompetence destroy your hope. There are resources out there to help bridge the gap.

I'm so sorry your cousin is dealing with this - the misinformation from EDD reps about penalty weeks is unfortunately very common and causes so much unnecessary stress and financial planning issues. From everything I've seen and experienced, penalty weeks must be served in FULL - there's no cap or shortcut like that rep told her. If she had 9 remaining weeks, she'll likely need to serve all 9, not just 2 more. Here's what I'd suggest for immediate next steps: 1. Log into UI Online and check her Claim History to see exactly how many penalty weeks have been served vs. remaining 2. Send a message through UI Online asking for written confirmation of her exact penalty week count and expected benefit start date 3. Keep certifying every two weeks during penalty weeks (this is crucial!) 4. Look into emergency assistance - many counties have rental/utility help, food banks, and emergency cash assistance programs Also, while she's serving penalty weeks, she can still do gig work (DoorDash, Instacart, etc.) to get some immediate income without affecting her unemployment claim. Just make sure to report any earnings when certifying. The system is brutal but the penalty weeks do eventually end. Document everything going forward and don't trust verbal information from reps - get it in writing through UI Online messages. Hang in there!