VICTORY! EDD phone appeal success - tips for others with appeals

CONGRATS!!! 🎉 This gives me hope for my situation. I'm waiting for my appeal hearing date (been 7 weeks already). Did they ask a lot of detailed questions about your work history? My situation is different (they say I was fired for misconduct but I actually quit for good cause) but I'm trying to prepare.

This is excellent news and thanks for sharing your success strategy! For your friend's phone appeal today, here are some additional tips I've gathered from my experience as an EDD claimant: 1. Be on the call at least 10 minutes early - they sometimes call ahead of schedule 2. Answer the phone professionally - first impressions matter 3. Have a quiet environment with good reception 4. Take notes during the hearing 5. Speak clearly and avoid interrupting the judge 6. Only answer what's asked - don't volunteer extra information that could create new issues 7. If she doesn't understand a question, ask for clarification rather than guessing 8. Be honest but frame facts in the most favorable light Phone hearings actually have a higher success rate than in-person in my experience.

congrats but those appeals are totally random imo! my brother had WAY better documentation than me and still lost his. i barely tried and won mine lol. its just which judge u get and if their having a good day 🤷‍♂️

One thing about phone appeals - your friend should know they sometimes use weird conference call systems where she needs to press buttons to join. I missed half my hearing because I didn't realize I had to press 1 to actually connect! Make sure she knows what system they're using and any access codes needed ahead of time. Also did your judge call from a blocked number? Mine did and I almost didn't answer!

I had my appeal last month but still haven't heard anything back. How long did it take for you to get the decision?

This is really timely! I've been trying to get through to EDD for days to ask about my own appeal situation (different issue - they say I failed to do work search activities properly). I found a service called Claimyr that helped me actually reach an EDD rep yesterday after weeks of failed calls. It basically puts you in the call queue without you having to keep redialing. You can check it out at claimyr.com and there's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The rep gave me specific information about what documentation I need for my appeal hearing. Might be useful for your friend if she has any last-minute questions before her hearing.

I wanna just add that if ur friend has any mental health issues or anxiety she should mention that upfront!! I have documented anxiety and when i mentioned that at the beginning, the judge was SUPER nice about letting me take my time answering and even take short breaks when i got overwhelmed. made a HUGE difference for me!!!

Congratulations on your successful appeal! For your friend's hearing today, I'd emphasize the importance of addressing the specific legal reason for disqualification rather than general fairness arguments. Each disqualification is based on a specific section of the Unemployment Insurance Code, and the judge needs to hear why that specific section doesn't apply or was misapplied. For example: - False statement disqualifications (1257a): Focus on good faith/no intent to defraud - Voluntary quit (1256): Focus on good cause for leaving - Misconduct (1256): Show actions weren't willful/deliberate violation of duties - Able and available (1253c): Demonstrate reasonable availability for work - Work search (1253a): Show reasonable efforts to find work Knowing which section applies to her case will help her target her testimony to exactly what matters legally.

One more question - did they backpay you for all the weeks you were disqualified right away? Or is there another waiting period?

This is such an inspiring success story! Thank you for sharing all the practical tips - it really helps to see what actually works in these appeals. I'm currently waiting for my own appeal hearing (they say I didn't meet work search requirements during a week when I was actually interviewing for 3 different positions). Your point about organizing documentation chronologically is spot-on. I've been putting together a folder with all my job applications, interview confirmations, and follow-up emails sorted by week. It's tedious but I can see how it would help during the hearing to quickly reference specific dates. For your friend's hearing today - I'd add that she should have water nearby! My cousin had a phone hearing that lasted almost an hour and her voice got really dry halfway through. Also, if possible, use a landline or make sure her cell phone is fully charged and she's in an area with strong signal. Wishing her the best of luck! Stories like yours give the rest of us hope that the system can work when you're properly prepared.

This is so encouraging to read! I just got my appeal hearing notice yesterday and I've been stressed about it for weeks. Your documentation strategy is really smart - I'm going to start organizing everything chronologically like you did. Quick question: when you say you had "relevant EDD code sections ready," did you print them out or just bookmark them online? I'm trying to figure out the best way to have reference materials accessible during a phone hearing without rustling through a bunch of papers. Also sending positive vibes to your friend for her hearing today! With all this great advice from everyone, she should be well prepared. The tip about answering unknown numbers is especially good - I would have definitely missed the call thinking it was spam.