Can't reach California Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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I had this exact same issue last month! Turns out my claim had expired and I needed to file a new one entirely. The system doesn't always make it clear when your benefit year has ended. Check your account summary page - if your benefit year end date has passed, that's why you can't reopen or certify. You'll need to start a completely new application instead. It's frustrating but once I figured that out, everything worked smoothly. Hope this helps!
This is super helpful! I didn't even think to check the benefit year end date. The EDD interface is so confusing - they really should make it more obvious when your year has expired. Thanks for sharing your experience, it gives me hope that there's actually a solution here!
I went through this exact same frustration a few months ago! Here's what worked for me: first, double-check if your benefit year actually expired by looking at the dates in your account summary. If it has expired, you can't reopen - you have to file a brand new claim instead. If your benefit year is still active, try logging out completely, clearing your browser cache, and then logging back in. Sometimes the system just glitches and needs a fresh start. Also, I noticed that certain browsers work better than others - Chrome seemed to work more reliably for me than Safari. If none of that works, the messaging system through UI Online actually got me faster responses than calling. Hope this helps and you get it sorted out soon! 🤞
Thank you for such a comprehensive breakdown! I'm definitely going to try the browser cache clearing trick first since that seems like the easiest fix. It's so helpful to hear from someone who actually got through this mess. Did you end up having to wait long for responses through the UI Online messaging system? I've been hesitant to try that route but it sounds like it might be worth a shot if calling isn't working out.
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UPDATE: I followed the advice here and it worked! I updated my address in UI Online yesterday, then called Money Network this morning. They confirmed they had my new address in their system, cancelled the old card, and are sending a new one to my current address in Oakland. Should arrive in 7-10 business days. For anyone else with this issue - definitely update your address in UI Online FIRST, then wait at least 24 hours before contacting Money Network. The customer service rep told me that's the #1 mistake people make. Thanks everyone for your help!
Great to hear you got it resolved! Just a heads up - you might want to sign up for direct deposit once you get your new card to avoid any future card delivery issues. You can do this through your Money Network account after activating your card. That way, future payments go straight to your bank account.
That's excellent advice - I'll definitely set up direct deposit as soon as I get the card. Thank you again for your help!
So glad you got this sorted out! Your update is really helpful for others dealing with the same issue. Just wanted to add that if anyone is still having trouble getting their card after updating their address and calling Money Network, you can also visit a local EDD office if there's one near you. I know it's not ideal, but sometimes an in-person visit can help expedite things when you're dealing with urgent situations like rent being due. The wait times can be long but at least you're guaranteed to speak with someone who can access your account directly.
That's a great point about visiting in person! I didn't even think about that option. Do you happen to know if all EDD offices handle debit card issues or if there are specific locations that are better for this type of problem? I'm in the Bay Area so if there's a particular office that's known to be helpful with card/payment issues, I'd love to know for future reference (and in case anyone else reading this needs that info).
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I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! My part-time retail job (18 hours/week) got cut to just 6 hours and I'm so confused by all the EDD requirements. Reading through these responses has been super helpful - especially about the "good cause" exception for part-time work restrictions. I didn't realize you could get documentation from a doctor for caregiving responsibilities. My situation is a bit different - I'm caring for my disabled sister - but it sounds like that might qualify too? Also really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with actually getting through to EDD. I've been putting off calling because I keep hearing horror stories about wait times, but it sounds like I really need to push for that determination interview to get everything sorted out properly. Has anyone here had success with the good cause exception for family caregiving? I'm wondering what kind of documentation EDD typically accepts for that.
Yes, caring for a disabled family member absolutely qualifies for the good cause exception! I went through this process about 8 months ago when caring for my mom who has mobility issues. EDD accepted a letter from her doctor explaining her condition and need for regular assistance, plus a brief statement I wrote about my caregiving schedule. For your sister's situation, you'd want documentation from her doctor outlining her disability and care needs, and how that impacts your availability for work. Even if you don't have formal caregiver paperwork, a doctor's note explaining the level of care required and your role can work. The determination interview wasn't too scary once I had everything organized. The interviewer was actually pretty understanding when I explained the family situation with proper documentation. Just be clear about how many hours per week you need for caregiving and how that limits your work availability. Definitely push for that interview - it made all the difference in getting my partial unemployment approved while working reduced hours. Good luck!
I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been working part-time at a small marketing agency (22 hours/week) and recently got my hours slashed to just 10 hours. Like many others here, I was totally confused by the "must be available for full-time work" requirement when I've been part-time by choice for over two years. What really resonates with me is the discussion about documenting everything. I'm also dealing with a job that's trying to change the fundamental terms - they want me to start doing cold calls and door-to-door sales when I was hired specifically for digital marketing work. It feels similar to the remote-to-in-person issue others have mentioned. Reading about the "good cause" exceptions gives me hope. I don't have caregiving responsibilities, but I am finishing my bachelor's degree part-time in the evenings, which is why I've always worked part-time hours. Does anyone know if being in school counts as a valid restriction for the part-time availability requirement? I'm wondering if I need documentation from my school as well. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's making me feel less alone in navigating this confusing system!
Yes, being in school definitely counts as a valid restriction! I had a similar situation when I was finishing my degree while working part-time. EDD recognizes education as "good cause" for limiting availability to part-time work. You'll want to get documentation from your school showing your enrollment status, credit hours, and class schedule to prove the time commitment. For your job trying to change your role from digital marketing to cold calls/door-to-door sales - that's absolutely a material change in job duties! That's completely different work from what you were hired to do. Document any communications about this change and be prepared to explain how it differs from your original job description. When I went through my determination interview for school-related part-time restrictions, they were pretty reasonable about it. Just make sure you can show you're still actively looking for part-time work that fits around your class schedule. Good luck with everything!
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The whole system needs an overhaul. In 2024 there's no excuse for not being able to reach an EDD representative when people's livelihoods depend on it. We deserve better than this broken phone system.
Absolutely agree. Other states have figured out better systems - California has no excuse for this dysfunction.
Right? We have the technology to fix this but apparently not the political will. Meanwhile people suffer.
I feel your frustration completely. I've been in the same situation for 2 weeks now - my claim got flagged for identity verification and I can't get anyone on the phone to help me submit the required documents. The automated system just loops me back to "call during business hours" even though I'm calling at 10am on a Tuesday. It's like they've designed this system to be as difficult as possible to navigate. Has anyone had success with the identity verification process specifically?
The identity verification loop is the worst! I got stuck in that same cycle for weeks. What finally worked for me was getting through to an actual EDD representative who could manually flag my account for document review. They had me upload everything through the UI Online portal while on the call to make sure it went through properly. The automated system seems completely broken for ID verification cases.
Darcy Moore
Just checking in - has there been any update on your situation? Did you end up trying Claimyr to reach someone at EDD?
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Edward McBride
•I actually did try Claimyr yesterday after seeing your suggestion! Got through to someone in about 25 minutes. The rep confirmed they received my appeal but said they couldn't expedite it or give me an exact timeframe. At least I know it's in the system. I'm also going to try contacting my assembly member like someone else suggested. I'll update here when I hear anything!
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Olivia Clark
I'm in a similar situation - filed my appeal 3 weeks ago and haven't heard anything yet. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying! It sounds like 4-8 weeks is pretty normal right now depending on your location. A few things that might help while you're waiting: I called my local legal aid society and they have a free unemployment appeals clinic that helps people prepare for hearings. They reviewed my documentation and gave me some really good tips on how to present my case. Also, if you're facing eviction, look into your county's emergency rental assistance programs - some of them will help even if you're waiting on unemployment appeals. Keep us posted on how the assembly member route works out for you. I might try that myself if I don't hear anything in the next week or two. This whole system is so frustrating but at least we're not going through it alone!
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Malik Thompson
•@Olivia Clark That legal aid clinic sounds incredibly helpful! I m'also dealing with my first appeal and feeling pretty lost about the whole process. Could you share which organization you contacted? I m'in SoCal but I d'imagine most legal aid societies have similar programs. It s'honestly such a relief to find this thread and realize I m'not the only one stuck in this waiting game. The uncertainty is almost worse than the financial stress sometimes. Really hoping we all get through to our hearings soon!
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Danielle Mays
•@Olivia Clark That s'such great advice about the legal aid clinic! I had no idea those existed. I m'definitely going to look into that for my area. It really does help knowing other people are going through the same timeline - I was starting to think something was wrong with my appeal since it s'been radio silence for almost a month now. The waiting is honestly the worst part because you can t'plan anything or know when or (if you) ll'get some relief. Thanks for mentioning the rental assistance too. I ve'been so focused on the EDD appeal that I didn t'even think about other emergency programs that might help bridge the gap. Every little bit helps right now!
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