Will EDD pay backpay for weeks served under penalty weeks? Confused about benefits

No, you don't get backpay for penalty weeks. That's the whole point of the penalty - you certify as normal but don't receive benefits for those weeks. Once you've served all 6 penalty weeks, then you'll start receiving your regular weekly benefit amount for each week you certify (assuming you meet all other eligibility requirements). The penalty weeks are essentially weeks where you'd otherwise qualify for payment but don't receive anything as a penalty for the previous issue.

in the same boat rn... 8 penalty weeks for me bc of a mistake THEY made but somehow i'm being punished?? edd system is a joke

I HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM!!! They hit me with 10 penalty weeks because of some mix-up with my previous employer. Called them 37 TIMES before finally getting through to someone who could actually help. The agent explained that penalty weeks are weeks where you get ZERO payment - it's not held and given to you later. It's a punishment plain and simple. The whole thing is designed to be confusing on purpose if you ask me. They have these weird rules and never explain them clearly on the website.

Your friend probably confused penalty weeks with a regular hold on your claim. Penalty weeks = no money ever. Account hold = delayed money that you eventually get. Easy mistake to make since EDD uses weird terminology for everything!

To add some additional clarity here, penalty weeks are distinct from disqualification weeks. With penalty weeks, you must continue to certify and meet all eligibility requirements (available for work, searching for work, etc.), but you receive no payment. These weeks count toward your benefit year and reduce your maximum benefit amount. The number of penalty weeks is determined by the nature of the violation - usually 2-15 weeks depending on severity. The fact that you have 6 suggests a moderate issue. If the overpayment truly wasn't your fault (meaning EDD made an administrative error rather than you or your employer providing incorrect information), you should appeal immediately. You have 30 days from the date on your determination notice to file an appeal.

my cousin had penalty weeks last yr and he said the worst part was having to do all the work search stuff and certify even tho he wasnt getting paid. make sure u still do all that or they can give u more penalty weeks for not certifying properly

One more thing that might help - make sure you check your UI Online account for any outstanding tasks or messages. Sometimes there are additional steps required to clear penalty weeks, and those notifications can get buried in your inbox or task list. If you believe the penalty was applied in error, you should also gather documentation showing that the incorrect wage reporting was your employer's mistake, not yours. This would be essential for an appeal.

Good luck with your appeal! Just want to add that when you gather your documentation, make sure to include any written communication you had with your employer about the wage discrepancy. If you have emails or texts showing they acknowledged the error, that can really strengthen your case. Also, if you have your final pay stub from that job, compare it to what EDD shows they reported - sometimes the mistake is obvious when you see them side by side. The appeal process can take a while (like 2-3 months in my experience) but it's definitely worth it if you can prove the error wasn't your fault. You might even be able to get those penalty weeks removed retroactively.

Just want to jump in here as someone who went through a similar situation last year. I had 4 penalty weeks due to an employer wage reporting error and it was incredibly frustrating. The key thing I learned is that you absolutely need to appeal if the mistake wasn't yours - don't just accept the penalty weeks. I initially thought it wasn't worth the hassle, but after reading posts like this and getting advice from other community members, I decided to fight it. It took about 10 weeks total, but I eventually got the penalty weeks completely removed and received backpay for the weeks I had already served the penalty. The documentation is crucial - I gathered my pay stubs, tax forms, and even a letter from my former employer acknowledging their reporting error. Don't give up on the appeal process even if it seems daunting!