EDD won't let me file new claim because old inactive claim still shows as open

Thanks! I looked all over UI Online but don't see a "Reopen Claim" button anywhere. Maybe because I waited too long? It just shows my claim from January with the last payment date from February.

Ugh that's what I was afraid of. Did your benefits get backdated to when you first tried to reopen?

nope. only from when i finally got thru to them on the phone. lost like 3 weeks of $$$

This is super helpful! I tried the certify option and you're right - it then gave me a "Reopen Claim" link. Thank you! Quick question though - my new job paid quite a bit more than my old one. Is there any way to get EDD to recalculate my benefit amount based on the new wages?

Glad that worked! Unfortunately, your benefit amount is fixed based on the base period wages that were used to establish the original claim. The only way you'd get a recalculation is if: 1. Your benefit year has ended (12 months from original filing date) 2. You've earned enough wages in the new job to qualify for a new claim 3. The new wages would result in a higher weekly benefit amount If your new job was just for a couple of months, it probably won't affect your claim until your current benefit year expires. Then you could file a new claim that would include those wages in the calculation.

I know it can be super frustrating dealing with EDD's phone lines. After days of trying, I finally used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an EDD rep in less than 30 minutes. It saved me from pulling my hair out! Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km or visit claimyr.com. I used it when I needed to reopen my claim and the website wasn't working properly.

Thank you for breaking it down so clearly! I managed to find the reopen option after trying to certify like someone suggested. Now it's asking me about my most recent employer - should I enter the info for the job I just lost, or do I need to put the same employer that was on my original claim?

You should enter information for your most recent employer (the job you just lost). The system needs to know about all employment since your last certification. They'll use this information to determine if you qualify to reopen the claim and whether any adjustments need to be made. Make sure to have accurate information about your start and end dates, and the reason for separation from this most recent job. If you're unsure about any details, it's better to provide your best estimate rather than leaving fields blank.

It depends on timing. If your original benefit year (12 months from when you first filed) has ended, then yes, you file a new claim that would include the new wages. But if you're still within the original benefit year, like the original poster who said their first claim was only 4 months ago, then you reopen the existing claim. The representative was likely talking about filing a new claim after your benefit year ends, which would potentially give you a higher weekly benefit amount if your new job paid more.

Thanks for the heads up! Do you know how many job contacts we need to list each week? Is it still 3?

As of 2025, EDD typically requires that you make at least 3 job contacts per week and be prepared to log them during certification. Make sure to keep records of: - Company name and contact information - Date of application or contact - Position applied for - Method of contact (online, in-person, phone, etc.) - Result of contact (if known) You don't need to upload proof with each certification, but EDD can request verification later, so keep good records. Some claimants have been selected for eligibility interviews specifically to verify work search activities.

That's great news! The pending status is normal for the first payment after reopening. It should switch to paid within 2-3 days. Make sure to continue certifying every two weeks on time even if you're still waiting for that first payment to process.