EDD payment stuck on pending after first certification - normal wait time?

The first payment usually takes 7-10 business days to process. EDD has to verify all your information before releasing that initial payment. It's completely normal for it to still be pending after only 3 days. If it's still pending after 10 business days, then you might want to contact EDD to check if there's an issue with your claim.

mine was pending for like 2 weeks the first time lol dont worry yet

Is this your very first payment EVER from EDD or just the first one for a new claim? Because my first payment for a brand new claim back in January took over TWO WEEKS and nobody could tell me why!!! I was panicking the whole time and couldn't get through on the phone. But then suddenly it just switched to paid and the money appeared on my card the next day. But every payment after that was only 2-3 days.

I had this exact issue in February. First payment was pending for about 8 days, then suddenly changed to paid. EDD often puts a hold on first payments to verify everything is correct with your claim. If you certified on Sunday, I'd give it until at least next Monday before worrying. If it goes beyond 10 days, you definitely need to contact EDD. The problem is getting through on the phone - I had to call 47 times before getting connected when I had an issue with my second certification.

The first payment typically takes longer because your claim undergoes additional verification. The EDD system needs to confirm several things: 1. Your identity verification was successful 2. Your previous employer has had a chance to respond 3. All wage information has been verified 4. No eligibility issues were detected Most first payments process within 10 business days if everything is in order. However, if you have any pending eligibility issues or identity verification problems, it could take longer. The pending status is very normal for a first certification that's only 3 days old. I'd recommend waiting until at least 10 business days have passed. If it's still pending after that, then you should contact EDD to check if there are any issues with your claim that need to be resolved.

Have you checked your UI Online inbox? Sometimes they send a message asking for additional information that holds up the payment. I didn't realize this and my payment was pending for almost 3 weeks because I never checked my inbox and didn't respond to their question.

first payments always take forever because edd doesnt care about us. they make us wait while bills pile up and then act like its our fault for not having savings. my first payment took 12 days and i almost got evicted. the whole system is designed to make u suffer

If it goes past 10 days and you need to contact EDD, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to an EDD representative without having to call hundreds of times. I used it when my claim was stuck for weeks and got through in about 20 minutes instead of spending days redialing. You can check out their demo video here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km or visit claimyr.com. It was a lifesaver when I was in a similar situation with my pending payment.

did u get the money on ur bank account or the edd card? cuz that makes a difference too

Did you happen to work or earn any income during the week you certified for? If you reported earnings, that sometimes triggers a manual review which can add time to the pending status.

The WORST part is when you finally get desperate enough to call, you can NEVER get through! I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at EDD when my payment was pending. The phone system is COMPLETELY USELESS - it just tells you they're experiencing high call volume and DISCONNECTS you! How are we supposed to resolve issues when we can't even talk to anyone??!!

Just to follow up on what others have said - if your payment stays pending for more than 10 business days, you can also try contacting EDD through your UI Online account using the Contact EDD feature. Sometimes this can be more effective than calling. Also, make sure you continue to certify for benefits every two weeks even if your first payment is still pending. Missing a certification period can create additional complications with your claim.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my first claim two weeks ago and certified last Sunday. My payment has been pending for 4 days now and I was starting to worry. Reading all these responses is really reassuring - sounds like 7-10 business days is totally normal for the first payment. I had no idea they did all that extra verification for the initial payment. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it really helps to know what to expect!

I'm in a similar boat - just certified for my first payment 5 days ago and it's still pending. Reading through everyone's experiences here is so helpful! It sounds like the 7-10 business day timeline is pretty standard for first payments. I was getting worried because my regular job used to pay me within 2-3 days, but unemployment is obviously a completely different system with all the verification steps. Going to try to be patient and wait the full 10 business days before calling. Thanks for starting this thread - it's exactly what I needed to see today!

I went through this same anxiety when I first filed! My first payment took exactly 9 business days to switch from pending to paid. What helped me was checking the EDD website daily but not obsessing over it - I set a specific time each morning to check rather than refreshing constantly throughout the day. The waiting is brutal when you're worried about bills, but from everything I've seen, first payments almost always come through within that 7-10 business day window. Keep your head up - you'll get through this! And definitely keep certifying every two weeks even while this first one is pending.

I just went through this exact same situation last month! My first payment was pending for 8 business days and I was losing my mind checking the portal every few hours. What really helped me was remembering that EDD processes payments in batches, usually Tuesday through Thursday, so even if your payment switches to "paid" status, it might not hit your account until the next batch processing day. Also, if you're getting direct deposit, make sure to check with your bank about their processing times - some banks hold unemployment deposits for an extra day or two. Hang in there, the first payment really is the longest wait!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Filed my first unemployment claim about 10 days ago and certified this past Sunday. My payment has been stuck on pending for 3 days now and I was starting to get really worried, especially since I've never been on unemployment before and didn't know what to expect. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like the 7-10 business day wait for first payments is completely normal due to all the verification steps EDD has to do. I had no idea they had to verify identity, check with employers, and do all these additional reviews for the initial payment. It's frustrating when you're already stressed about finances, but at least now I know I'm not alone in this waiting game. Going to try to be patient and wait the full 10 business days before panicking. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines - it really helps to know what's normal!

I'm going through the exact same thing! Just submitted my first certification 4 days ago and my payment is still pending. I've been checking the portal obsessively which is probably making my anxiety worse. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I had no idea that first payments take so much longer due to all the verification steps EDD has to do. It makes total sense that they need to verify identity, check with previous employers, and review everything before releasing that initial payment. The 7-10 business day timeline that everyone mentions gives me hope that mine should come through soon. It's definitely nerve-wracking when you're already stressed about finances, but knowing this is completely normal helps a lot. Thanks for posting this question - I was wondering the same thing and was starting to panic!