EDD shows 'false statement penalty week' on certification - am I disqualified?

A false statement penalty week means EDD determined you knowingly provided incorrect information on a previous certification or application. This doesn't mean you're permanently disqualified, but you won't get paid for a certain number of weeks (usually 2-15 weeks depending on the severity) even though you still have to certify. Did you report all income accurately? Or maybe miss an interview? They should have sent a determination notice explaining what happened.

same thing happend to me last year they said i didnt report 2 days of work but i swear i did. ended up with 5 penalty weeks and still had to do all the certifications every week but got $0. really sucked

You need to check your UI Online inbox immediately. They always send a Notice of Determination before applying penalty weeks. It should explain exactly what the issue was (unreported wages, incorrect information, etc.) and how many penalty weeks you're receiving. You have the right to appeal within 30 days of the notice date if you believe the decision is incorrect. In the meantime, you MUST continue certifying every two weeks as normal even though you won't receive payment during the penalty period. If you stop certifying, you'll have a much bigger problem to fix later.

you should DEFINITELY appeal it!! i had the same thing last year where they said i didnt report income but i had proof i did. you need to gather your pay stubs and any emails or texts about those work days. if you can prove you made an honest mistake they might reduce or cancel the penalty. but do it fast cuz the 30 day deadline is serious they wont give u extra time!!!

While you're preparing your appeal, you should also try to speak directly with an EDD representative. They can sometimes provide more details about the determination that aren't clear in the notice, and in some cases, they can help resolve simpler issues over the phone without a formal appeal hearing. I know it's incredibly frustrating to get through to EDD though. After spending days getting busy signals, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an EDD agent. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Talking directly to a representative helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed for my appeal.

I HATE THE EDD!! They make it impossible to get through on the phone and then punish you for tiny mistakes that THEY SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT MONTHS AGO!! Why wait until January to tell you about something from last year?? The whole system is designed to deny people benefits and it's CRIMINAL!!!!

Here's what you need to know about the appeal process for a false statement penalty: 1. File the appeal using the form they provided with the determination notice (DE 1000M). You can mail it or submit it online through UI Online. 2. Clearly explain WHY you believe the determination is incorrect. If it was an honest mistake, state that explicitly. If you have evidence you did report the income, include copies. 3. Be prepared for the appeal hearing. These are typically conducted by phone with an Administrative Law Judge. You'll want all your documentation organized and ready. 4. Continue certifying every two weeks during the entire process, even though you won't receive payments during the penalty period. 5. If the appeal is successful, you'll receive backpay for any weeks that were under penalty. Honest mistakes happen, but you need to be proactive about addressing this.

my cousin had penalty weeks and said you can still get food stamps while waiting for edd to start paying again. might help u get by

I went through this exact situation 6 months ago and want to share what I learned. The appeal process can take 2-3 months, so prepare for a long wait. During my hearing, the judge was actually pretty fair and asked detailed questions about whether I intentionally withheld information or if it was an honest mistake. One thing that really helped my case was showing a pattern of accurate reporting - I printed out all my previous certifications to demonstrate that I consistently reported income correctly, which made the one missed report look like a genuine oversight rather than intentional fraud. Also, if you're struggling financially during the penalty weeks, check if your county has emergency rental assistance programs. Many have special funds for people dealing with unemployment issues. Don't give up hope - honest mistakes can often be resolved if you present your case well!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - it's such a stressful situation! I had a similar experience last year where I got hit with penalty weeks for allegedly not reporting some gig work income. The anxiety of not knowing what you did wrong is the worst part. One thing that really helped me was requesting a "wage record" printout from EDD (you can do this through UI Online) to see exactly what income they have on file for you. Sometimes there are discrepancies between what you reported and what employers reported to EDD, which can trigger these penalties even when you thought you were being honest. Also, during your appeal hearing, be very specific about your reporting process - like "I always certified on Sunday mornings and would have my pay stubs right in front of me" - this kind of detail helps show you were being diligent. The judge in my case really appreciated that I could walk through my exact routine for completing certifications. Hang in there - 7 weeks feels like forever but if your appeal is successful, you'll get all that back pay. Keep documenting everything and don't let EDD intimidate you!

I just went through this nightmare myself a few months ago! Got hit with 4 penalty weeks for supposedly not reporting some freelance work I did. The whole thing was terrifying because like you, I had no idea what I had done wrong. Here's what I wish someone had told me: Don't panic, but DO act fast. The appeal deadline is firm - no extensions. I spent the first week just freaking out instead of gathering documents, which made everything more stressful. One tip that really helped me: When you're preparing for the appeal hearing, write out a timeline of EXACTLY what happened during those work days in January. Include dates, hours worked, how much you were paid, and most importantly - what you remember about reporting it. Even if you're not 100% sure, explaining your normal process shows good faith. Also, if you have any text messages or emails with that temp agency about scheduling or pay, screenshot everything now before it gets deleted. Those little details can make a huge difference in proving this was an honest mistake rather than intentional fraud. You're going to get through this! The appeals process sucks but it does work when you have documentation and can show a pattern of honest reporting. Keep your head up!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this stress - penalty weeks are absolutely terrifying when they come out of nowhere! Reading through all the advice here, it sounds like you're on the right track with the appeal. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet: if you end up having to go through the full penalty period, make sure you understand exactly when it ends. The EDD website isn't always clear about this, but your penalty weeks should be clearly numbered in your determination notice. Keep track of which penalty week you're currently in so you know when to expect payments to resume. Also, during the penalty period, you might want to be extra careful about your continued certifications. Since you're already under scrutiny, double and triple check everything you report during these weeks. I know it sounds paranoid, but one small mistake during a penalty period could potentially trigger additional issues. The fact that you found documentation from the temp agency is huge - that's exactly the kind of evidence that can turn these cases around. Best of luck with your hearing, and remember that the system is designed to be intimidating but people do win these appeals regularly when they have good documentation and can show honest intent.

Hey Emma, I know how overwhelming this must feel right now - I went through something similar last year and the stress was unreal. One thing that really helped me during the appeal process was keeping a detailed log of every action I took and every communication with EDD. This includes dates you submitted documents, confirmation numbers, who you spoke with on the phone, etc. Also, when you get to your hearing, don't be afraid to ask the judge to clarify anything you don't understand. They're supposed to explain the process and your rights clearly. In my case, the judge actually walked me through exactly what evidence they were looking for and gave me a chance to address each point directly. The waiting is brutal, but you're doing everything right by appealing quickly and gathering documentation. The fact that multiple people here have successfully overturned these penalties when they had evidence should give you hope. Stay strong and keep fighting it - you've got this!

I'm so sorry you're going through this Emma - the false statement penalty system is really harsh and confusing. One thing I want to emphasize that others have touched on: make sure you save EVERYTHING related to your appeal in multiple places (email yourself copies, print them out, save to cloud storage). I learned this the hard way when my computer crashed during my appeal process and I almost lost crucial documentation. Also, if you do end up speaking with an EDD representative (whether through Claimyr or by getting lucky with the phone lines), take detailed notes of everything they say including their name, the date/time, and any reference numbers they give you. Sometimes phone reps give conflicting information, so having that documented can be really helpful if issues come up later. The good news is that temporary work situations like yours are exactly the kind of cases where appeals often succeed, especially when you can show a pattern of honest reporting like others have suggested. The system knows people make innocent mistakes with temp work because the reporting can be confusing. Keep fighting this - you're being way more proactive than most people would be!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this Emma - the stress and confusion of penalty weeks is absolutely awful, especially when you have no idea what triggered them. Reading through everything, it sounds like you're handling this exactly right by appealing quickly and gathering all your documentation. One additional thing that might help: when you're preparing for your hearing, try to reconstruct not just WHAT you reported, but HOW you reported it. For example, did you use the dropdown menus in UI Online to report the temp work? Did you enter it as "wages" or maybe categorize it differently? Sometimes the issue isn't that you didn't report income, but that it got categorized in a way that didn't match what the employer reported to EDD. Also, temp agencies can be tricky because they sometimes report earnings to EDD under different timelines than when you actually did the work. Your January work might have been reported by them in February, which could create confusion in EDD's system about when you should have reported it. The fact that you have emails and documentation from the temp agency puts you in a really strong position for your appeal. Most people don't have that level of backup proof, so you're already ahead of the game. Hang in there - this process is frustrating but you're doing everything right to fight it!