Just received EDD disqualification letter for 2020 claim - no overpayment amount specified

Yes, you'll receive a separate Notice of Overpayment that details exactly how much they believe you owe. It usually arrives 1-2 weeks after the disqualification notice. And absolutely appeal this! The fact that you quit due to having a newborn during the early pandemic might actually qualify under the special COVID provisions that were in place. When you appeal, be very specific about the timeline - when your baby was born, when you quit, and emphasize the lack of childcare options during that period. Under the PUA rules at that time, childcare facility closures were a valid reason for benefits. Make sure to file your appeal within 30 days of the disqualification notice date (not when you received it). I went through something similar last year with a 2020 claim being questioned. The appeals process takes time but can definitely work in your favor if you have documentation.

OMFG they are STILL going after people from 5 YEARS AGO?!?!? This is absolutely ridiculous. The EDD system is completely broken. They approve you when you need it, then years later they're like "oops just kidding give it all back". I was hit with a similar letter in January for my 2020 claim. They claimed I didn't provide sufficient proof of self-employment even though I UPLOADED ALL THE DOCUMENTS THEY ASKED FOR. Now they want $22,700 back!!!! I appealed immediately and am still waiting for a hearing date. The system is designed to wear you down until you just give up.

when i got my disqualification letter the overpayment notice came 3 days later in a separate envelope. they'll definitely tell you how much they think you owe. my advice is don't panic yet and definitely appeal! i had success getting my overpayment waived because i could prove i applied in good faith and didn't lie on my application. the whole pandemic unemployment thing was confusing for everyone

I'm an administrative law specialist who has handled many EDD appeals. Here's what you need to know: 1. The separate overpayment notice will arrive soon - keep checking your mail daily 2. You have 30 calendar days from the date on your disqualification notice to file an appeal (DE 1000M form) 3. For your specific situation, you should request both appeal AND overpayment waiver 4. The appeal argument would be that quitting to care for a newborn during a public health emergency constituted "good cause" under expanded COVID provisions 5. The waiver argument would be financial hardship and that you applied in good faith You don't necessarily need a lawyer for the initial appeal filing, but representation at the hearing can be beneficial. Many legal aid organizations offer free assistance with EDD appeals - try Legal Aid Foundation or Bet Tzedek if you're in Southern California, or Bay Area Legal Aid if you're in Northern California. Document everything and gather evidence of your childcare situation in 2020. Since PUA had special provisions for childcare unavailability during COVID, this could be central to your appeal.

You are not required to make payments while your appeal is pending. Make sure you check box #4 on the DE 1000M form which requests that collection activities be suspended during appeal. If they send you a billing notice before your appeal is resolved, respond in writing that you have an active appeal and reference your appeal case number (which you'll receive after filing). Don't ignore any mail from EDD - respond to everything promptly. And keep detailed records of all communications.

This happened to me too! Have you been trying to call EDD to get more information? I spent THREE WEEKS trying to get through to someone who could explain my disqualification notice. Always busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. So frustrating!!! I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD rep was able to explain exactly why I was disqualified and what specific documents I should include with my appeal. This made a HUGE difference in my case because I was about to submit an appeal with incomplete documentation. Definitely worth connecting with a real person before you submit anything.

Yes, it's completely legit. They don't access your EDD account or anything - they just connect the call for you using their system that can get through the busy signals. You still talk directly to an actual EDD representative. I was skeptical too but it honestly saved me weeks of frustration.

Actually i think you might have a decent case for the appeal. I quit my job in 2020 too because of fear of covid and i had two high-risk people in my household. I got a similar disqualification letter in 2023, but I appealed and actually WON my case! The judge ruled that quitting due to genuine fear during the early pandemic when there were no vaccines and lots of unknowns could constitute "good cause" especially with a newborn involved. Make sure you emphasize in your appeal that: 1. You had just given birth 2. No vaccines were available yet 3. Information about COVID risks was still emerging 4. Childcare facilities were closed by government order These factors combined made it impossible for you to continue working safely. Don't give up hope!

The whole process took about 5 months from when I filed my appeal to getting the decision. The actual hearing was scheduled about 3.5 months after I submitted my appeal paperwork. The hearing itself took about an hour (over phone), and then I got the decision in the mail about 5 weeks later. It's definitely a long process but worth it if you win! And even if you don't win the appeal, you can still apply for a waiver of overpayment or a payment plan. Just stay on top of all the deadlines and keep responding to everything they send you.

quick question - did u get any warning before the disqualification letter? they're supposed to do a phone interview before disqualifying u but they skipped that step for me too

One more important thing - if you end up having to repay, make sure to request a "waiver of overpayment" using the DE 1446W form. For COVID-era claims, EDD has special criteria for waiving repayment if you can show: 1. You applied in good faith (believed you were eligible) 2. Repayment would cause financial hardship 3. Repayment would be against "equity and good conscience" The fact that you had a newborn during a pandemic and childcare facilities were closed is very relevant to this waiver request. EDD should have sent you a DE 1446W form along with your overpayment notice, but if they didn't, you can download it from their website. Even if your appeal is denied, many people are successful with the waiver request, especially for pandemic claims where the rules were changing and confusing.