EDD retroactive claim question - how far back into 2023 can I file?

Generally, EDD allows you to backdate a claim up to 30 days without requiring special approval. For anything beyond that, you need to demonstrate "good cause" for the delay. Good cause could include things like hospitalization, language barriers, or not knowing you were eligible. Since you're talking about April 2023, that's well beyond 30 days, so you'd need to provide solid documentation explaining why you didn't apply earlier. You'd need to request backdating through an EDD representative directly - can't do it just through UI Online.

I went through this exact situation last year. The 30-day standard backdating is accurate, but for anything further back, it gets REALLY complicated. I tried backdating a claim from 9 months prior and was initially denied. Here's what worked for me: I had to speak directly with an EDD specialist (not just a regular rep) who could review my case. They required: 1. Written statement explaining why I didn't file earlier 2. Any documentation supporting my reason 3. Proof of my employment ending date In my case, I had to appeal their initial rejection before it was approved. The entire process took about 2.5 months.

I eventually got approved for 6 of the 9 months I requested. They determined I had good cause for those months but not for the entire period. Honestly, it was a lot of work, but for me it was worth it - came out to about $8,200 in benefits I otherwise wouldn't have received. Just be prepared for a lengthy process.

Theres actually no limit on how far back u can claim if u have a good reason but they make it suuuuper hard. my cousin got 7 months of backpay after proving she was in hospital and couldnt apply. but they denied my backdating request for 4 months just cuz i said i didnt know i qualified. they said that's not good enough reason.

I had a similar situation last year trying to backdate to January 2023. It's not impossible but honestly the EDD system is designed to make it hard. Not knowing you qualified isn't technically sufficient reason according to what they told me. I had to get creative and document how my language barrier (I'm ESL) prevented me from understanding eligibility requirements. Worked for me, but took 3 appeals.

Hey, I work with a lot of unemployment cases. Here's what you need to know about backdating to 2023: 1. The TECHNICAL limit is up to the beginning of your benefit year, provided you have good cause 2. The PRACTICAL limit depends on your ability to prove good cause 3. "Not knowing I qualified" is specifically addressed in their guidelines as NOT sufficient alone 4. Documentation is EVERYTHING - medical records, evidence of misinformation, etc. Frank assessment: April 2023 is possible but unlikely without substantial documentation of why you couldn't file. EDD has gotten much stricter about backdating since the pandemic.

After trying to call EDD for WEEKS about backdating my claim (and never getting through), I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD rep in less than 30 minutes! They basically call EDD for you and then call you when they get through. I was skeptical but it actually worked. Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km or their website claimyr.com - it saved me days of frustration. The rep I spoke with was able to process my backdating request right away.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I'll give it a shot and try to backdate my claim - worst they can say is no, right? I'll use that Claimyr service to get through to someone since it sounds like speaking to an actual person is the only way to make this happen. I'll update this thread if I have any luck!

The whole system is designed to deny benefits to as many people as possible!!! I tried backdating to 2023 and they kept giving me the runaround until I gave up. Don't get your hopes up. EDD is broken beyond repair.

Quick update - while backdating to April 2023 might be challenging, I'd specifically point out that your situation with gig work is actually a common misunderstanding. Make sure to explain that you didn't realize partial benefits were available while doing gig work. Document any sources of misinformation (like websites, friends, etc.) that led you to believe you weren't eligible. That specific misconception sometimes gets more leniency than a general "I didn't know I qualified" reason.

I'm in a similar boat - got laid off in June 2023 and only found out recently I might have qualified for benefits. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like the key is having documentation to support your "good cause" for not filing earlier. One thing that might help your case is if you can show you received conflicting information about gig work eligibility. Maybe screenshot some outdated forum posts or articles that suggested you couldn't get benefits while doing DoorDash? I've seen some old articles from 2022 that were pretty misleading about partial benefits. Also, don't give up after one denial - sounds like appeals can sometimes work even when the initial request doesn't. The amount of money involved makes it worth fighting for, especially if you were out of work for several months.

I'm dealing with something similar - got laid off in March 2023 from my retail job and didn't apply for benefits until I learned about backdating just last week. From everything I'm reading here, it seems like the key factors are: 1) having a documented reason beyond just "didn't know I qualified," 2) being prepared for a long appeals process, and 3) getting through to an actual EDD specialist (not just regular customer service). One thing I noticed from the responses is that people who successfully got backdating had specific documentation - medical records, language barriers, proof of misinformation, etc. For those of us who just genuinely misunderstood the rules around gig work, it sounds like we need to be really strategic about how we present our case. Has anyone here had success specifically with the "gig work confusion" angle? I'm wondering if there are particular ways to frame that misunderstanding that EDD finds more acceptable than others.