EDD says I don't have enough wages for new claim but I've worked full-time - can't reach anyone

same thing happend to me! turned out my employer wasnt reporting my wages correctly to EDD. total nightmare

This is actually a common issue. There are a few possibilities of what's happening: 1. Your employer wasn't properly reporting your wages to EDD (happens more than you'd think) 2. You're looking at the wrong base period (EDD uses a specific time period that might not include your most recent work) 3. You worked in multiple states recently and need to file an interstate claim What you need to do is request your wage information from EDD using the DE 4506 form, and get your pay stubs together as evidence. Then you can file a wage investigation if there's a discrepancy. But you NEED to talk to an EDD rep to get this started properly.

I've been through EXACTLY this!!! The most frustrating part is not being able to talk to anyone at EDD to explain your situation. After 3 DAYS of calling non-stop (literally had to redial over 200 times), I finally got through to someone who fixed the issue on the spot. If you're desperate to reach EDD quickly and stop the endless redialing, I used a service called Claimyr last week (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an EDD agent in about 25 minutes without me having to constantly redial. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Once I finally spoke with someone, they said my employer had reported my wages under a slightly different name than what I used on my application, so the system couldn't match them up. Took 5 minutes to fix once I actually talked to a human!

JUST FYI - The base period they use is weird!!! It's not the most recent quarters you worked. For claims filed in March 2025, they look at wages earned from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. The last 5 months don't count! So if you just started this job a year ago, some of your wages might not be in their calculation yet.

I went through this nightmare in January. Here's what you need: 1. Your last 18 months of pay stubs (or whatever you have) 2. A wage print out from your employer (HR or payroll can provide this) 3. Any W-2s you have 4. A DE 4506 form to request your wage info from EDD The key is getting through to an actual tier 2 specialist at EDD who can help with wage investigations. Regular agents often can't help with this specific issue. And don't panic - if it turns out there was a reporting error, they'll backdate your claim to when you first applied, so you won't lose any weeks of benefits. But start the process ASAP as it can take time to resolve.

This sounds like a case where you need to request a wage investigation. Here's the exact process: 1. Complete the DE 4506 form to request your wage information 2. Gather all evidence of your employment (pay stubs, W-2s, etc) 3. Contact EDD and specifically request a wage investigation 4. Submit your evidence as directed by the EDD representative 5. Follow up within 10 days if you don't hear anything The most important part is actually reaching someone at EDD. Try calling at exactly 8:01 AM when they open, or right after lunch at 1:02 PM - slightly better odds of getting through. Be ready to wait on hold for a while once you do connect.

EDD is a total disaster right now, my cousin has been trying for TWO WEEKS to get his claim sorted!!! And he's calling like 50+ times a day!! The whole system is designed to make you give up, I swear. don't stop trying, that's what they want!!

One thing to check - are you sure you filed for regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) and not State Disability Insurance (SDI) or Paid Family Leave (PFL)? I've seen people accidentally file for the wrong program and get confused by the responses. Just want to make sure you're in the right system before you go through all the trouble of a wage investigation.

Update: I finally got through to EDD this morning after using the Claimyr service someone recommended here. The rep confirmed my employer had been reporting my wages under a slightly different spelling of my name, so the system couldn't match them to me! She said she's initiating a wage investigation and temporarily entering my wages based on the pay stubs I had. I should have a determination within 10 days. THANK YOU all for the advice - I would have been totally lost without it!