How to recover EDD bank levy money after winning overpayment appeal?
After a 7-month battle with EDD, we finally won our appeal hearing last week! The judge ruled we weren't at fault for the so-called 'overpayment' (EDD claimed we owed $4,250). The problem is, before our hearing date, EDD already put a levy on our bank account and seized $275. Now that we've been cleared of any wrongdoing, how do I get that money back? Will EDD automatically refund the levy amount, or do I need to contact someone specific? The paperwork from the judge just says 'claimant not at fault' but doesn't mention anything about returning funds already collected. Has anyone dealt with this situation before? I've tried calling but keep getting the 'too many callers' message.
21 comments


McKenzie Shade
you have to call them and tell them about the judje ruling. they wont do anything automatic trust me
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Caden Turner
•That's what I was afraid of. Been trying to call for days but can't get through. Do you know if there's a specific department I should be asking for?
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Harmony Love
I went through something similar last year when EDD wrongly said I had a $2,700 overpayment. They took about $350 from my tax refund before I won my appeal. It took THREE MONTHS to get my money back!!! You have to keep calling and specifically ask for the "Benefit Overpayment Section" and have your appeal case number ready. Don't bother with the regular reps, they'll just transfer you and you'll get disconnected.
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Caden Turner
•Three months??? That's ridiculous! Thanks for the tip about asking for the Benefit Overpayment Section though. Did you have to provide them with a copy of the judge's decision or did they already have that in their system?
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Harmony Love
•They should have it in their system but BRING RECEIPTS!!!! I had to fax them a copy of the judge's decision anyway because they claimed they couldn't find it. Make copies of EVERYTHING.
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Rudy Cenizo
You'll need to submit EDD form DE 800, "Claim for Refund or Credit." This is the official way to request funds be returned after a successful appeal. Include your appeal number, a copy of the judge's decision, and proof of the levy (bank statement showing the withdrawal). Mail it to: Employment Development Department Benefit Overpayment Section P.O. Box 826218 Sacramento, CA 94230-6218 Also important: EDD has up to 90 days to process refund requests, so document everything and follow up if you don't hear back within 45 days. You can also check your UI Online account for updates under the "Overpayment" section to see if they've processed the refund.
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Caden Turner
•Thank you so much for this detailed information! I had no idea about form DE 800. I'll download it right away and get everything submitted. Really appreciate the mailing address too - that saves me another phone call attempt.
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Natalie Khan
•Make sure u call too! Don't just mail stuff and hope. They lose paperwork all the time!!
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Daryl Bright
I've been dealing with EDD issues for years, and getting through to them on the phone can feel impossible. Have you tried using Claimyr? It's a service that helps you get through to an EDD agent without the endless redial nightmare. I discovered it after spending days trying to reach someone about my appeal situation. The video demo shows how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km With your bank levy situation, you definitely need to talk to a human at EDD, not just submit paperwork. Took me 15 minutes to get through with Claimyr instead of days of failed calls. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.
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Caden Turner
•I've never heard of this service before! At this point I'm willing to try anything to get through. Those automatic hangups after waiting on hold are infuriating. I'll check out that video demo, thanks!
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McKenzie Shade
•is that even legit? sounds fishy to me
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Sienna Gomez
I used to work as an administrative judge for EDD appeals (retired in 2022), and I want to clarify something important: When you win an appeal against an overpayment determination, EDD is LEGALLY REQUIRED to refund any money they collected from you through levies, tax intercepts, or wage garnishments. The problem is that the Appeals Division and Collections Division don't communicate efficiently. You need to do two things: 1. Submit the DE 800 form as mentioned above 2. Contact an actual human at Collections (which is difficult, I know) Don't wait for an automatic refund - it rarely happens without prompting. And keep proof of everything you submit.
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Caden Turner
•Thank you so much for this insider perspective! It's frustrating that two departments within the same agency don't communicate better. I'll definitely follow through on both suggestions.
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Natalie Khan
•this is why our tax dollars are wasted!!! systems dont even talk to each other and we have to do THEIR job for them to get OUR money back!! 🤬🤬🤬
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
I went through the EXACT same thing in February! Won my appeal after EDD said I had an overpayment, but they had already garnished $420 from my bank account. I sent in the DE 800 form with my appeal decision letter and bank statements showing the levy. Also called EDD (took me 22 attempts over 3 days to finally get through). The agent I spoke with said it would take 6-8 weeks for processing. It actually took 9 weeks, but I did eventually get the full amount back via direct deposit. The agent told me they're dealing with a huge backlog of these refund requests because so many people are winning appeals lately. Just be patient and persistent!
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Caden Turner
•Wow, 22 attempts over 3 days is brutal! But I'm glad to hear you eventually got your money back. That's encouraging. Did you receive any kind of notification when the refund was processed, or did the money just appear in your account?
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
•No notification! The money just showed up one day with a vague description like "CA EDD REFUND" on my bank statement. I was checking my account daily because I needed that money for bills. Keep a close eye on your bank account!
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Caden Turner
UPDATE: After reading all your helpful advice, I was able to get through to EDD this morning! I used the tip about calling right when they open (8:00 AM) and only had to wait about 30 minutes. The representative confirmed I need to submit the DE 800 form along with copies of my appeal decision and bank statements showing the levy. She said the normal processing time is 45-90 days, but they're working through a backlog right now. I'm mailing everything tomorrow with tracking. Thanks everyone for your help - I'll update again when I (hopefully) get my refund!
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Harmony Love
•Good luck! Send it certified mail so they can't claim they never got it. That's what happened to me the first time.
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Rudy Cenizo
•Great news! Make sure to keep the certified mail receipt and tracking number. I recommend following up by phone in about 30 days just to confirm they received everything. The DE 800 refund process usually works, but sometimes they need a little nudge.
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Liam Fitzgerald
Congratulations on winning your appeal! That's a huge victory after 7 months of fighting. I'm currently going through a similar situation - EDD claimed I had an overpayment of $3,100 and already garnished $890 from my wages before my appeal hearing next month. Reading through all these responses gives me hope that I can get my money back if I win. One thing I noticed from everyone's advice is that you really need to be proactive and persistent with EDD. It sounds like they won't automatically fix things even when they're legally required to. The DE 800 form seems to be the key, along with certified mail and follow-up calls. Keep us posted on how the refund process goes! Your experience could help others in the same boat. Fingers crossed you get your $275 back quickly!
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