Made huge wage reporting error on EDD certification - now disqualified for excess income
I'm so frustrated with myself right now! Just completed my first certification for unemployment and somehow I entered DOUBLE my actual wages (typed in my bi-weekly amount instead of weekly). Now I've received a determination notice saying I'm disqualified due to 'excess income' for those weeks. I immediately called EDD to explain the honest mistake but the representative just told me there's no way to recertify and that I need to 'pay more attention next time.' Seriously?! They won't let me correct an obvious data entry error? Has anyone successfully appealed this kind of situation or am I just out those benefit weeks completely? This seems ridiculously unfair for a first-time mistake.
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Emma Johnson
That sux man, EDD is so strict bout everything. Same thing happened to my cousin last yr... they never fixed it for him either. System is designed to make ppl fail IMO
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Faith Kingston
AuthorThat's exactly how it feels! Like they're looking for any tiny reason to deny benefits. It was a simple data entry error that anyone could make - I wasn't trying to hide income or anything.
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Liam Brown
You should absolutely request a determination appeal. Don't just accept what the phone rep told you. You have 30 days from the date on your disqualification notice to file an appeal. Get a copy of your paystubs showing your actual earnings and submit those with your appeal form. Be very clear that you made an unintentional error by reporting bi-weekly instead of weekly wages. Appeals take time but are successful in cases of honest mistakes with documentation. The DE 1000M form for appeals is available on the EDD website.
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Faith Kingston
AuthorThank you so much for this advice! I didn't know I could appeal this type of mistake. I still have all my paystubs so I can definitely prove what my actual earnings were. I'll download the DE 1000M form today.
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Olivia Garcia
wait i'm confused... if u reported more money than u actually made, wouldn't that be good for EDD? they get to keep more of your unemployment $$ that way? why would they even care lol
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Liam Brown
That's not how it works. When you report wages during certification, EDD reduces your weekly benefit amount based on what you report. If you report too much, they'll determine you made too much money to qualify for any benefits that week. So by accidentally reporting double wages, OP essentially disqualified themselves from receiving benefits they were actually entitled to.
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Noah Lee
I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM LAST MONTH!!! First time certifying and I totally messed up my wages (put in gross instead of net). Called EDD for THREE DAYS STRAIGHT and kept getting that stupid "we're experiencing high call volume" message and hung up on. FINALLY got through to someone who basically told me the same thing - tough luck, pay more attention next time. THIS SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!
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Ava Hernandez
Yikes! Both of your situations sound awful - but I think there's some confusion here. You actually need to report gross wages (before deductions), not net wages. So if you reported gross, that was actually correct! The problem was probably something else with your certification.
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Isabella Martin
I had to deal with something similar and wasted weeks trying to get through to EDD on the phone. Eventually found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes instead of endless busy signals. Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. The rep I talked to was actually helpful and processed my appeal request right over the phone. Saved me so much frustration compared to trying to call directly.
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Faith Kingston
AuthorThanks for the tip! I'll definitely check out that service if I keep having trouble getting through. Did you end up getting your issue resolved completely?
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Isabella Martin
Yes! It took about 3 weeks for my appeal to process, but they ultimately fixed my certification and released the payment. Just make sure you have your documentation ready when you talk to them.
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Elijah Jackson
As others have mentioned, filing an appeal is your best option. However, it's important to understand that this is considered a "Benefit Determination" issue, not a simple data correction. EDD's system doesn't allow retroactive changes to certification data for security reasons. When you file your appeal, make sure to: 1. Use the exact terminology "unintentional reporting error" 2. Include copies (not originals) of all pay stubs for the period in question 3. Provide a simple calculation showing your actual weekly wages 4. Include any employer contact information for verification Timing is critical - appeals must be received within 30 days of the determination notice date (not the mailing date).
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Faith Kingston
AuthorThis is incredibly helpful, thank you! Do you think it would help if I also got a letter from my employer confirming my actual wages for those weeks?
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Elijah Jackson
Absolutely! A letter from your employer would significantly strengthen your appeal. Have them include their EDD employer account number if possible. The more official documentation you can provide, the better your chances of a favorable outcome.
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Emma Johnson
i heard if u mess up on certifications ur basically screwed... my buddy kept trying for like 2 month to fix something similar and gave up eventually
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Elijah Jackson
While EDD can be difficult to work with, they do have established appeal processes specifically for these situations. Many people give up too early in the process or don't provide proper documentation. With the right approach, certification errors can absolutely be corrected.
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Olivia Garcia
quick tip - make sure u take screenshots of everything from now on when u certify!! i always do this cuz EDD makes so many mistakes and then tries to blame us lol
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Faith Kingston
AuthorThat's a smart habit! I'll definitely start doing that from now on. Lesson learned the hard way.
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Liam Brown
One additional suggestion - when you submit your appeal, also include a cover letter that briefly explains: 1. This was your first time certifying 2. You mistakenly reported bi-weekly instead of weekly wages 3. You're attaching documentation showing your actual earnings Keep it simple and factual. I've seen many similar appeals granted when proper documentation is provided. Good luck!
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Faith Kingston
AuthorThank you! I'm feeling much more hopeful now. I'm going to submit the appeal tomorrow with all the documentation you've suggested. Will update here if I get good news!
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Ben Cooper
I went through something similar about 6 months ago - made a wage reporting error on my second certification and got hit with an overpayment notice. The key thing that saved me was being extremely persistent with the appeal process. Don't let that first phone rep discourage you! I ended up having to call back multiple times and eventually got connected to someone in the appeals department who actually understood these types of honest mistakes happen. Make sure when you file your DE 1000M that you clearly state it was an "inadvertent error" and attach copies of your actual pay stubs. It took about 5 weeks but they reversed the determination and I got my benefits restored. The system is definitely not user-friendly for first-time filers, but appeals do work when you have the right documentation!
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