Tips and Tricks: Getting Through to California’s EDD, Sanity in Tact
Back in January, I posted Thanks to the EDD, I’m Slowly Losing My Mind.
It chronicled my infuriating experience with California’s unemployment office. I shared my frustration at not being sent my first unemployment check two months after filing my claim. I highlighted my disbelief at being told to call a 1-800 number, then spending weeks dialing it in vain.
And I soon came to realize I wasn’t alone.
Comment after comment, readers shared their own stories. They gave tips and tricks for getting past the automated phone system. They laughed at the preposterousness of the situation (and probably cried quietly to themselves). Six months later, the comments section of that post is still alive and kicking.
So if you find yourself jobless, checkless and at the wrong end of an EDD phone call, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s what we’ve learned from our community since the story went live:
- Keep your resume with CalJobs up to date.
- You did know you needed to post your resume on CalJobs, right?
- Make sure you fill out both columns on the right hand side of the form (some people, I’m told, overlook one of the columns; alright fine, it was me, but the lady on the phone assured me it happens a lot)
- Make photocopies of your claim form, in case you make a mistake on one or in case they stop sending them to you.
- Make sure the check boxes are dark. Form is read by computers.
- There is no unemployment office in California, at least no office that allows you to speak to an adviser face-to-face. All contact is by phone, mail and email. But mostly it’s by Scantron sheets from the late 70s.
- If you’re unlucky enough to have to call them (lost form, problem on form, etc), dial 12117 as soon as you hear “welcome”. Our readers swear by it.
- Still can’t get through? Try the Vietnamese line: 1-800-547-2058. It’s got less traffic than the other lines and the person who picks up will be bilingual, and will have to speak to you in English. I know at least two people who this worked for.
- Calling 223 times in one day is not unusual, and no guarantee you will get through.
- Still can’t get through by phone? Go here, and send them a message. You’ll receive a reference number by email. Keep it!
- They don’t have downloadable bi-weekly claim forms online. That would be too efficient. But you can request to have a new one sent to you. Go here. Click on “select category” >Unemployment Insurance Benefits>Select Topic>Claim Form-Need Replacement Form.
- Stay on top of them like “you’re managing a bunch of kindergartners”
Thanks so much to everyone who has chimed in to share tips and support. And if you have any other suggestions or stories, please continue to share them!
Sometimes it’s just a relief to know that other people are going through the same maddening experience. And that if you are losing your mind (as I was), it really is thanks to the EDD.
P.S. For musings not related to unemployment, check out my new blog, Lipstick & Lemonade
Also – another basic question. The last time i received a claim form was in december, and at that point it assumed (dumb to assume i know) that they stopped pending my hearing. Turns out that they stopped coming because the postal office got screwed up and never delivered it. Therefore i haven’t received a claim form in about 3 months. Can i request to have those re-delivered? thank you all for your help
I filed 12/7/08. Denied 12/24/08 (of course I sent in my appeal right away). Hearing was 3/10/09, decision letter 3/25/09. I was also told that they were behind and it would take a couple of week to get my hearing date. But 6months is crazy but mine was over a year ago so maybe. It may also have to do with where you live, I’m in So. Cal. I remember it wasn’t long before I got my checks cuz I was even surprised by how quick it took. I didn’t expect to get paid for at least another month or so. It sounds like you should be getting your checks soon. Wait the 15 days and then call.
I’m not certain whether I’m on my first or second extension, I was laid off 12/31/09 & have been receiving benefits since filing (I signed up right away online). My form (notice?) states I have $5,777 left in my account (?), so far I haven’t gotten a notice, or any specific information like I’m seeing posted here. Here it is March ’10 & just got a half payment stating my “claim expires 01-02-10″, then I receive another letter titled “Additional Instructions”. I keep getting the run-around, including when I went in person yesterday to EDD & had a kid at the desk tell me I had to “start over” who then handed my forms to file again.?
I’ve learned much from this site, thank you & please help.
Casey – same thing happened to me, I missed a couple of weeks thinking the same thing, pending my hearing. I called EDD for something totally different and the reps the one that mentioned to me that I had missed some weeks. Edd didn’t mentioned missing claim forms? I’d call them to make sure you’re up to date, 3 months seems like a long time. If there was a screw up with the post office EDD might think that your ending your claim since they haven’t received a claim form from you in 3 months. They may have you do another telephone interview too.
@Ann, I appreciate your response, and i will call them today (in theory get through). I really do not want to do another telephone interview as I still haven’t received a dime after 6 months. I will post results later this evening.
Casey-
I just got a call from the appeals specialist (Wow! They actually called ME!). She received my fax; however the decision mailed did not have my SSN on it. She said they had to look it up which has delayed things. So I refaxed and gave her my SSN. Make sure when you fax that your SSN is somewhere on it for them….
I definitely would call them and ask for replacement forms. They will send them all at once. Fill them out and send back asap. If you can’t get thru, request them online. It may take 3 days to respond to you but they will. I’ve done it.
Casey, just a side note:
I just got a call from the appeals specialist (Wow! They actually called ME!). She received my fax; however the decision mailed did not have my SSN on it. She said they had to look it up which has delayed things. So I refaxed and gave her my SSN. Make sure when you fax that your SSN is somewhere on it for them….
I would definitely call and ask for replacement forms. It is your money! They will send them all at once. Fill them out and send them back asap. If you cannot get thru, request them online. It may take 3 days for them to respond, but they will. I’ve done it.
Casey, just a side note:
I just got a call from the appeals specialist (Wow! They actually called ME!). She received my fax; however the decision mailed did not have my SSN on it. She said they had to look it up which has delayed things. So I refaxed and gave her my SSN. Make sure when you fax that your SSN is somewhere on it for them….
Also, yes you need to call them right away and ask for the replacement forms. It’s your money! You will get them all at once. Fill them out and send back asap. If you cannot get thru, request them online. It may take 3 days for them to respond, but they will. I’ve done it.
Sorry i posted twice. didn’t think the first one went thru.
Thank you Lisa, i just called the 213 # posted earlier by Kris and arrived at a VERY defeated sounding woman who gave me the fax #. and thank you for the tip on the SSN. What sort of time frame did they give you on actually receiving your check/s?
And i will definitely request those claim forms. thank you
Thank you to everyone for all the helpful information. The EDD replied to my email questions within 7 days. However, I still did not receive any update about the status of my claim, and my telephone interview was 16 days ago. Today, I called the 800 number (English version) and also dialed the 12117 number as previously suggested. Miracle of miracles, I got through…waited 5 minutes to speak with a rep, then got transferred to a different department. After speaking with 3 reps for a total phone time of 25 minutes, I was told my claim had been put on hold…apparently that’s what caused the delay. It seems that patience and persistence are key to getting the right answers from EDD. Best wishes to everyone.
Also – did you fax every page or just the one with the decision on it?
Casey,
The Appeals Specialist did not give me a timeframe, but I am going to call EDD in the morning to make sure they have updated my information.
I faxed all the pages. I ended up scanning them and using Myfax, free trial internet program. Worked great, as long as I don’t forget to cancel my free trial!
the results of my call were actually great! I called and talked to a wonderful woman at edd for about 30 minutes. We talked about everything from the state of the state of california, careers etc…She said that she looked it over and everything was great, that i should be receiving my new claim forms any day. I will fax the pages tomorrow. Thank you all
Hey All
I have a question, i have been recieving beniits for about two months. My employer lost his first appeal and I am waiting for the finding of the second hearing which was with the administrative law judge. Do i have to pay back all the money that I have recieved thus far if I loose?
Casey-
Good news! I called the EDD self service number for check information, and for the first time in 8 months, it was different! My check was issued today!
The faxing really did work… fax, fax, fax!
i have had so many problems with edd they have screwed up my claim and now they are requesting to pay back on over payment. i have contact several times about my claim and they send they finally got it corrected and now they have said that they over paid me. How can i pay back something i no longer have i used the money for living. i am so confussed with the calif edd i am apalaud with the system it has failed us as tax payers and workers
Lisa that is great! I will check later today, but faxed in my appeal result form yesterday so it may take a few days. Let me know if you get it all at once or in the form of 30 checks…Im excited for you good luck!
After more than 20 years in the private sector,I found myself dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare called the E.D.D…
Filed online at the end of Jan ,and by the time I received my claim form,mailed and allowed 10 days for check; I would finally get it by Feb 22nd. On the 18th, mail arrived from E.D.D., but it was no check. A phone interview was now scheduled for Feb 25th…plus a Career Service Center appointment for March 10th.
The phone interview was regarding the way my employment had ended. An interviewer would make a decision,and ANOTHER 10 day waiting period before I find her decision for or against me……………..10 days after interview, I am still waiting,and getting sick of hearing “dial 1 for English”
I finally got through,getting no reasons for delay, I asked to talk to a supervisor,none were available but said they could have one call me back…What choice did I have?. Unbelievably 2hours later a supervisor called me back,and said a decision would be made by the end of the day,and I would get it in the mail in 3 or 4 days.
Well, I was denied,and my Career Services Center agent showed me on her pc screen why. Complete misrepresentation of what I said,including a misquote which I have recorded. She recommended going for the appeal………………….those who appeal have a %87 PERCENT SUCCESS RATE……..Now I am waiting for a $#%$$#^%^ date….Though a couple tips she gave
1. When answering the ruling judges questions,keep answers brief.
2. Keep detailed records of everything…these E.D.D. employees are really under the gun with their workloads more than tripling in the last few years,and are prone to mistakes,bad tempers,ect…..
Regarding being “self employed”….I had thought and had been told that the minute you are “self employed” you are OUT so far as EDD is concerned!
Is that so?
After months and months of trying to get through to CAEDD over the phone with no hope in sight – I found this blog and discovered the tip of calling the Vietnamese language line. It worked. They answered my questions and my claim has been straightened out. I am eternally grateful.
My entire journey with CAEDD took from August 2009 – March 2010. I was initially denied due to my first interviewer basically lying about what I said so that she could deny my claim. I did however win my appeal. Be careful during your interview. If they make a statement that you do not feel applies to you, make sure that you correct them. If something doesn’t make sense, ask them what it means.Even if they say that you have “a lot of issues” and are basically wanting to hurry you off the phone or talk over you or are hostile, don’t let them push you around. I did and I learned the hard way. I had to wait several months to get my claim because of this.
Could someone please clarify the question on the claim form about taxes taken out? Sorry if this sounds like a silly question. According to the booklet, opting for taxes taken out (at 10 percent) is voluntary, although the UI payments are taxable. So, if you receive UI payments for many months (assuming ongoing unemployment) and decide to not have taxes taken out, will you potentially be stuck with a large tax bill at tax time the following year? Thanks for any insight about this, pro or con…
Libby, yes you are responsible for Fed taxes at the end of the year. The EDD mails you a form (DE1066) to show all the payments made to you during the year. You can have the tax taken out each week at 10 percent. You must mark the box for each week you want the tax taken as each claim form represents separate weeks. This is a good way to save some money at the end of the year. Pro: you get more money each two weeks; Con: you may have to pay taxes at the end of the year.
Trocaria, when you become self employment there are two things to consider: one. are you working just part time? if yes, then as long as you do not exceed your weekly award you may still qualify for benefits. two, if you are working full time (40 hours/wk) you no longer qualify regardless of the amount you may earn in the week. Usually the EDD will schedule you to a telephone interview to determine if you are still in the labor market. If working part time, just tell them you are still looking for regular full time work and taking the self employement work to keep you going. If you exceed your weekly award two or more weeks in a row you have to reopen the claim (call or do it on line).
Casey-
Good news! I went to the mailbox today, and it was stuffed full!
I received 14 checks! And I still have two more coming just to catch me up to date.
I faxed my appeal decision to the appeals specialist on Friday March 5th, and the checks were issued on March 11th.
So for me, this is timeframe from beginning to now::
Applied for UI – 7/10/09
Phone Interview – 8/21/09
Denied! – 8/24/09
Appealed – 8/29/09
zzzzzzzzzzzzz……….6 months later!
Appeal Hearing – 2/2/2010
Received Decision – 2/24/2010
Faxed Decision – 3/5/2010
Received Checks – 3/13/2010
I know I googled all over the place trying to figure out how long it took to get an appeal, or get the decision, or get the checks. Hopefully this will answer some questions for others.
Also Casey, please let me know how it goes for you too!
lisa that is great! finally a real person getting their checks after going over everything! i faxed my stuff on friday so hopefully by the beginning of next week! was it a relief to finally get some money?
Casey-
You have no idea what a relief it is… but you will. SOON!
I was surprised that they actually sent separate checks, but pleased at the same time. I did not know how I was going to cash a $10,000 check since I no longer have a bank account. Guess I will have to go open one up tomorrow, but for now, I was able to cash two of the checks at Walmart for $3.
If you don’t have an update on the self service check information line by Wednesday morning, call EDD to make sure they have your taken care of your faxed information.
Please update me too. I will be checking! Thanks!
the advice to stay on top of them like kindergartners – it’s not a joke. It’s to the point where every single phone call where something is resolved, REQUIRES a follow up call to make sure the issue was resolved accurately.
I was without checks since december while they reopened my extension claim- they simply could not figure it out; they finally had me ‘start over’ by filing from scratch (after getting checks for over 6 months and suddenly stopping)- I have the printout of the screen where I entered my address info accurately- yet somehow, THREE TIMES an EDD employee entered my address incorrectly, first ommitting the appartment, then getting the apartment as only the letter and not the number, then omitting the apartment AGAIN! I FINALLY got one check, as an experiment by a kind employee who said she would attempt to send one and if I got it then she’d send the rest of the back-forms. Well that one came, I cashed the check, put the form in the mail. And nothing, for a month. I’ve been calling the automated line and it still says that the last check paid was from the end of february. Been trying as usual to get through every day for the 7 last days, i’m so sick of hearing “due to the number of callers…”
I just wish we got a busy signal, why make us go through the options and get our hopes up just to get swatted?
update: been trying to get through since 8:15am or so, it’s 12:49pm now, got through and had to wait while the agent had to look through my info, it took about 20 minutes of silently waiting bc my thing must be so complicated by now lol- anywho she found where the previous sets were returned-to-sender, she found where the last one went through, basically I HAD to call back once it went through to CONFIRM I got the one they mailed (mailing the form back and cashing the check isn’t confirming I got them apparently). They didn’t tell me that, I could’ve been calling since the day the check came and not had to wait so long. *sigh*
Lesson: stay on them like white on rice!
My employer has all the employees on the 20% CA unemployment workshare thing yet he is still requiring us to work 40 hours a week. Is this fraud?
I have been unemployed since May. I have not found work since then, except a one-day production assistant job last month. I put this down and the amount I was paid on my EDD continued claim form, but my check has not arrived. Would putting down a temp job I did delay my check? Wishing now I hadn’t taken the job and wondering if that was a big mistake. The job ended because it was merely a one-day shoot for a 60-second commercial. I have no idea how this kind of thing effects my check – I assumed they would just take that amount of money I earned out of my check but I’m worried. I should have received the check Friday or Saturday but they still haven’t cut it.
Tess, thank you for the helpful information about taxes. I finally received my first check (6 weeks after filing my initial claim)…very much appreciated. Now I just hope the checks keep coming in as scheduled. Good luck to all…keep EDD under your thumb.
Could someone please clarify the claim form question about refusing work? What if an employer calls with an inappropriate job offer? For example: Let’s say I’m a teacher by profession and an employer offers me a job as a school janitor. Clearly, the job is not a good match and I would refuse it. If this happened, would I still need to answer “yes” to the question about refusing work? Thanks in advance for any suggestions/comments…
Libby,
I personally would never check yes on that box. It will send out an automatic “phone interview” which would temporarily stop your checks.
Libby,
EDD does not care if a job offer is inappropriate. They may claim that they do in their little booklet but in the end, they do not. They do not care if the job is off, the pay is off, the start date is off.
They could care less if the employer did a “bait and switch” as like what happened to me. They just DO NOT CARE.
As I was told in my interview, EDD expects you to be able to start any job at any time for any amount of pay. Period.
Also be careful. I have been hearing that there are some employers out there that if you turn down work and did not sign a dang thing with them, are still turning in a list to EDD of people they offered work to each quarter! A person I know got caught up in a dragnet like that. He decided against the job after having given them a verbal ok. He did not come in; they turned his info over to EDD!
Check out this new video about those that have exhausted all UI benefits…..
I see that there is a bit of discussion going on here, so I thought I might ask about what I’m currently researching online. I recently began collecting unemployment from California in January after not getting work this semester as a part-time community college instructor. I took a part-time position doing outside sales which I stayed at for the last two months, but the job was making me no money. In fact, I was likely losing money b/c I was wasting gas driving around town and not having enough time to spend actively pursuing a worthwhile full-time position somewhere. So, I left the sales position earlier this week in order to focus more time on finding a legit job.
My question is this: Did I shoot myself in the foot and ruin my chances of continuing to collect my UI benefits? I have been receiving partial checks for the last few pay periods (less the small amount I was making at the sales job) and need to know what mght be acceptable language to use in the “reason no longer working” blank on the continued claim form. Please help, I’m freaking out!
Lisa and Trocaria, thanks so much for your insight and suggestions. Steve, I’m not sure what you should list as reason no longer working in your situation…good question. Were you laid off, did the company downsize, was the job temporary or seasonal, did your contract end…?
If you quit your job or refused work look at the Benefit Determination Guide http://www.edd.ca.gov/UIBDG/ for assistance. Try to find what constitutes good cause because if you have a telephone interview you should know in advance what questions will be asked.
Vietnamese line worked for my husband! they are so screwed up at Cal EDD but we have no choice but keep at it – they claim that they never received our last DE4581 claim form so the checks stopped!
“There is no unemployment office in California, at least no office that allows you to speak to an adviser face-to-face. All contact is by phone, mail and email. But mostly it’s by Scantron sheets from the late 70s.”
This is not true. There are certain offices where you are able to discuss your claim in person. In Los Angeles, the Verdugo office in Glendale answered all my questions with a smile.
hi, i was wondering if i still have my edd beneift? i recieved my checked on 3-05-10 and mailed out my cont claim form on fri, but the mail man did not pick it up. it finally got out on 3-15-10, and on fri i did not get my new check. was my claim form late? which caused the delay? thank you in advance
Hi, I am looking for some tips on the phone interview. My employer and I came to a mutual agreement to end my employment back in February. Basically in lieu of being fired for not meeting sales numbers. HR told me they will not contest my unemployment on their end. I filed for unemployment the day after I was let go and everything seemed to be moving forward. I received my first claim form filled it out and sent it in. Three days later I received a request for a phone interview. I also want to point out that I had to report to report received wages for one of the weeks on my claim form. I received residual commission from my previous employer. I am not sure if this might have triggered my phone interview. Anyway, any tips on what to expect and what to say/not to say on the interview would be great. Thanks!
Marissa,
On the back of the letter it should list the things EDD will go over during the phone interview. See if any of that has to do with your commission. Or it could just be the standard phone interview where they over you claim.
Andy
I’m kinda confused, when did you mail out your cont form? If you received your check on 3-5 (Fri), your supposed to mail in your claim form that came with the check on/after 3-14 (Sun). If you mailed it out on 3-15 you should be getting a check this Mon (3-22). Call the check info line, they’ll tell you if a check was cut. If you mailed out the form before the week ending date they won’t process your claim form and you’ll be mailed out a duplicate form to resend. As far as I know, if you’re 2 weeks late on your claim form then EDD assumes you found a job or your ending you claim. Call Mon if you a check hasn’t been cut for you. Good Luck
Marissa, for my telephone interview, I prepared answers to the questions on the back of the letter.
Andy, when I mail in my claim forms, I mail them on the exact date as specified plus I drop them off in the letter slot inside a local post office. That has worked out very well and my checks are coming in on a regular basis…which I’m so thankful for.
Lisa – an update from me – apparently my faxing did not work. i faxed in my appeal form last sunday (a week ago) and when i call for check information it still says that their records do not show a recent claim payment! so frustrating! i call and they say to wait it out blah blah etc…I will inform you of any changes. thank you for keeping me up to date on your happenings
Casey-
That sucks! See how different things are from person to person? I am sorry it did not work for you.
If you look for the office number that matches the area code of the fax number you faxed to, give the office a call and ask for the “appeals specialist”. There is a post on here that has all the direct office numbers by location.
I might have gotten lucky, but the appeals specialist was very helpful for me. After I spoke to her, my checks were cut the next day.
Thank you for keeping me updated. I will keep looking for more.
I will be sure to do that – last time i called that number a very defeated woman just gave me the fax number, i will make sure to ask for an appeal specialist. Thanks a lot i appreciate it.
I got through to an appeals specialist and she said she pulled up my hearing notice and would file the decision today and checks would be mailed tomorrow! thank the freaking lord!