EDD suddenly sending paper certification forms - can't certify online anymore

omg same thing happened to me last month!! super annoying. i called EDD like 37 times and when i FINALLY got through they said my account got flagged for 'identity verification issues' (even tho i already did the stupid id.me thing months ago) and thats why they switched me to paper forms. u probably have to call them to fix it

This is actually a common issue with a few different possible causes. Most likely scenarios: 1. Your account may have been flagged for an eligibility review, which temporarily switches you to paper certification 2. There could be an identity verification issue that needs resolving 3. Sometimes it happens if you report excessive wages during certification 4. The system occasionally glitches after maintenance updates You should definitely call EDD to resolve this. While paper forms work, they take much longer to process (7-10 days vs. 1-2 days online). Make sure to continue certifying on time using the paper forms while you get this sorted out to avoid payment interruptions.

I had to deal with paper forms for almost 2 months last year. It was a NIGHTMARE. The payments took forever to process and one form got lost in the mail so I had to request a replacement and ended up missing a payment cycle. Call them ASAP!!!

The exact same thing happened to me three weeks ago! I spent FOUR DAYS trying to get through to EDD. All I got was 'we're experiencing high call volume' messages and immediate disconnects. Super frustrating!!! I finally got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they have this system that calls EDD for you and connects you when they get an agent. Saved me so much time and frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Once I got through, the EDD agent told me there was a 'certification method flag' on my account that needed to be removed. They fixed it right on the call and I was able to certify online again for my next period. Worth trying!

I've seen this happen several times to claimants I've helped. There are specific scenarios that trigger EDD to send paper forms: 1. Quarterly income review flags (when employer-reported wages don't match your certifications) 2. After reporting excessive earnings that would disqualify you for that certification period 3. After missing a certification deadline 4. When there's a pending eligibility interview scheduled 5. Random selection for identity verification (separate from ID.me) While you're waiting to resolve this, make sure you fill out the paper form EXACTLY as instructed. Use black ink only, stay within the boxes, and mail it back promptly. Paper forms take longer to process, but your benefits will still come through. If you can't reach EDD by phone, you can also try sending a secure message through your UI Online account asking them to switch you back to online certification.

@person8 Yes, Claimyr definitely works! It's the only way I've been able to actually speak with EDD in the past year. Their regular phone system is completely overwhelmed. The video demo shows exactly how it works.

@person3 they switched me back to online after I called but it took like a week for the system to update. super annoying but at least I didnt have to keep using the paper forms. just keep trying to call them!!!

BTW make sure you make a copy of the paper form before you mail it!!! I learned this the hard way when mine got lost and I had no record of what I'd submitted.

Update: I checked the EDD website and found they did a system update on the 15th of this month. Several people have reported certification issues following the update. If this is related to the system maintenance, it might resolve itself by your next certification period, but I'd still recommend contacting them to be safe.

This happened to me too about 6 months ago! It's super stressful when you're depending on those payments. In my case, it turned out EDD had flagged my account because I had moved and updated my address, which apparently triggered some kind of verification process. Here's what worked for me: I called first thing in the morning (like 8:01 AM) and kept redialing until I got through. It took about 2 hours of constant calling but I finally reached someone. They were able to see exactly why my account was flagged and fixed it immediately. I was back to online certification within 3 days. While you're waiting to get through, definitely fill out and mail that paper form ASAP so you don't miss your certification deadline. And like others said, make copies! I'd also suggest checking your UI Online account daily to see if the "Certify for Benefits" button comes back - sometimes these things resolve faster than expected. Don't panic too much - this is fixable, it's just frustrating to deal with. Good luck getting through to them!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Got the DE 4581 form yesterday and my online certification option disappeared. Reading through these comments has been super helpful - sounds like it could be related to the system update on the 15th or possibly triggered by reporting earnings. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy that @Lucas mentioned, and I'll definitely make copies of the paper form before mailing it. Has anyone had luck with the secure message option through UI Online that @Liam suggested? Wondering if that might be faster than trying to get through on the phone. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - makes me feel less alone in dealing with this mess!

This is so frustrating! I've been dealing with EDD issues for months now and just when you think everything is running smoothly, something like this happens. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like there are multiple possible causes - system updates, address changes, income reporting flags, or random verification checks. I'd definitely recommend trying multiple approaches at once: call early in the morning (8 AM seems to be the magic time), send a secure message through UI Online even if it takes longer, and fill out that paper form as backup. The certified mail tip from @Aisha is brilliant - tracking is so important with EDD. One thing I'll add that might help others: if you have a local Assembly member's office, they sometimes have constituent services staff who can help escalate EDD issues. It's worth a shot if the regular phone lines aren't working. They won't solve it overnight, but they can sometimes get your case prioritized. Hope everyone gets this resolved quickly! The stress of not knowing when your next payment will come through is awful.

This exact same thing just happened to me! I got the DE 4581 form in the mail yesterday and my UI Online account no longer shows the certification option. I've been certifying online without any issues for the past 6 months, so this came completely out of nowhere. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like this could be related to the system update on the 15th, or maybe something got flagged in my account. I did report some part-time work income on my last certification, so that might have triggered a review. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy (8 AM sharp) that several people mentioned, and I'll also send a secure message through UI Online as backup. In the meantime, I'll fill out the paper form and mail it with tracking to make sure I don't miss my certification deadline. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and tips - it's such a relief to know this is a known issue that can be resolved, even if it's frustrating to deal with. The stress of potentially missing payments when you're depending on them is no joke!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Got my DE 4581 form in the mail yesterday and my online certification option just vanished. I've been reading through all these comments and it's such a relief to know I'm not alone - I was seriously worried I'd somehow messed up my account. Based on what everyone's sharing, it sounds like the system update on the 15th might be causing widespread issues. I also reported some freelance income on my last certification, so that could have triggered a flag too. I'm planning to try the early morning calling strategy (seems like 8 AM is the sweet spot) and will also send a secure message through UI Online as backup. Definitely going to make copies of the paper form and send it certified mail - that tracking tip is gold! Has anyone who got switched back to online noticed if there's a pattern to which accounts got flagged? Like, is it mostly people who reported income, or address changes, or just random? Trying to figure out if there's any way to avoid this happening again in the future. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is a lifesaver when dealing with EDD chaos!