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!

Hi Gregpry, it sounds like you're dealing with a common EDD eligibility review process. Since you already mailed in the pay stubs they requested and now have a phone interview scheduled for June 27th, here's what I'd recommend: 1) Make sure you have copies of all the documentation you sent, including the pay stubs totaling $300, 2) Be available during the entire 2-hour window (10am-12pm) as they can call anytime during that period, 3) Have all your employment history and relevant documents ready during the call. The interview is likely just to clarify the discrepancy they found and verify the information you provided. Since you already sent the requested documentation, this should hopefully be a straightforward verification process. Good luck with your interview!

Hey Gregpry, I went through something similar last year. The fact that you already sent in the pay stubs is good - that shows you're being proactive. For the phone interview, make sure your phone is fully charged and you're in a quiet place with good reception. I'd also suggest writing down a brief timeline of that job and the $300 earnings beforehand so you can reference it during the call. The interviewers are usually pretty reasonable if you're honest and have your documentation ready. Since you already mailed the stubs, this is likely just a formality to close out their review. Stay calm and answer their questions directly. You've got this!

Just wanted to chime in as another newcomer dealing with this exact same issue! Got laid off from my restaurant management job last Friday and encountered that same confusing "You Do Not Need to Reapply" message when trying to file online. My previous claim was also from 2021 during the pandemic. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no clue this was such a common problem with old pandemic claims still causing system glitches. It's really frustrating that EDD hasn't fixed this widespread issue after all this time, but I'm so grateful to have found this community with actual solutions from real people. I'm planning to follow the successful strategy outlined here: calling right at 8 AM tomorrow with all my documentation ready (screenshots of the error, old EDD account number from 2021, employment details). The success stories from people getting through after persistent calling give me confidence that this approach really works. One question for those who've successfully resolved this - did the rep mention anything about preventing this from happening again in the future? Like, is there anything they do to properly close the claim this time so it doesn't cause issues if someone needs to file again years down the line? Just curious if EDD has learned anything from these recurring problems. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community support means everything when dealing with such a broken system!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with this exact same issue! Just got laid off from my data analyst position two days ago and when I tried filing online, I got hit with that same "You Do Not Need to Reapply" message. My last claim was also from 2021 during the pandemic. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea this was such a widespread problem with old pandemic claims still showing as "active" in EDD's system. It's honestly mind-boggling that they haven't fixed this glitch after 4+ years, but I'm grateful to have found actual solutions from people who've successfully dealt with it. I'm going to try the 8 AM calling strategy tomorrow with all my documentation ready: screenshots of the error message, my old EDD account number (thankfully found it in an old 2021 email), and complete employment details. The success stories here give me hope that persistence really does work, even if it takes 20+ attempts. One thing I'm wondering - for those who got through, did the reps give any timeline for when EDD might actually fix this system-wide? It seems crazy that they're still handling these cases manually when it's clearly such a common issue. But I guess at least there's a solution once you reach the right person! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and practical advice - this community has been way more helpful than any official EDD resource I could find online!

Just wanted to add another helpful tip for anyone still struggling with this - I work in a restaurant where my hours can be really irregular (like 3 hours 17 minutes one day, 6 hours 8 minutes another). What I do is keep the calculator app open on my phone and immediately convert my hours right when I clock out each shift. So if I worked 3 hours 17 minutes, I do 17 ÷ 60 = 0.28, so that's 3.28 hours total. I write it down in my notes app as "3:17 = 3.28" so I have both formats for reference. This way when certification time comes around, I already have all my hours pre-converted and don't have to stress about doing math when I'm trying to submit my certification. Plus if I ever get audited or questioned, I have a clear record of how I calculated everything. The immediate conversion really takes the pressure off!

This thread is incredibly thorough! As someone who just started part-time work while on EDD, I was making the exact same mistake as the original poster - thinking 4:30 meant 4.30 hours. The divide-by-60 rule is a game changer. I love all the different approaches people have shared - from keeping cheat sheets to using apps like Toggl. I think I'm going to combine a few of these strategies: use the basic conversion formula (minutes ÷ 60), keep that handy reference list of common conversions in my phone, and convert my hours immediately after each shift like @Julia Hall suggested. One thing that's really reassuring from reading all these responses is that as long as you're consistent and honest, small rounding differences aren't going to get you in trouble with EDD. I was so worried about being perfectly precise, but it sounds like the most important thing is just picking a method and sticking with it. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate the EDD system!

One additional resource that might be helpful for your situation - California's EDD has a "Work Sharing" program that some employers participate in instead of laying people off or cutting hours dramatically. If your employer is considering hour reductions across multiple employees, they might be eligible to set up a work sharing plan where you keep more of your hours but still get partial unemployment benefits to make up the difference. It's worth asking your HR department if they've looked into this option, especially if the hour cuts are expected to be temporary or affect multiple workers. The work sharing program can sometimes be better for both employees and employers than traditional partial unemployment. Also, since you mentioned you're in real estate sales, be aware that if you're classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee, the rules are completely different. Independent contractors generally aren't eligible for regular unemployment benefits (though there were some temporary pandemic programs). Make sure you understand your employment classification before going through all this planning - it would be frustrating to do all this research only to find out you're not eligible for traditional UI benefits in the first place!

This is such a comprehensive discussion! I'm in a similar situation (retail management with fluctuating hours) and this thread has been incredibly educational. One thing I wanted to add that I learned when researching this recently - if you do end up filing for partial unemployment, make sure you understand the difference between "able and available" requirements versus regular unemployment. With partial unemployment, you still need to be "able and available" for full-time work, which means if your current employer offers you more hours (even at inconvenient times), you generally have to accept them or risk your benefits. This can be tricky to navigate if you're trying to balance keeping your current job while meeting EDD's availability requirements. Also, for anyone tracking their base period earnings, I found it helpful to request my "Request for Benefit Audit Trail" from EDD (you can do this even before filing a claim). This shows exactly what wage information they have on file for you from employer reports, which can help you identify any missing quarters or discrepancies before you actually need to rely on that data for benefit calculations. The advice about setting up your online account early and familiarizing yourself with the system is spot-on - the last thing you want is to be learning the interface when you're already stressed about reduced income!