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I'm having this EXACT same issue! Been trying to certify for 3 weeks now and it's the most frustrating thing ever. I fill out everything correctly, get to the final submit button, click it, and then it just dumps me back to the beginning like I never even started. No error message, no explanation, nothing! I've tried Chrome, Safari, Firefox, cleared my cache multiple times, tried different times of day - absolutely nothing works. Based on all the suggestions here, I'm definitely going to try Microsoft Edge at 4am tomorrow morning with all extensions disabled. Really hoping that works because I'm behind on my car payment and desperately need this to go through. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not losing my mind and it's actually a system issue!
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this too! Three weeks is absolutely ridiculous - I can't believe EDD hasn't fixed this widespread issue yet. The lack of any error message is what makes it so maddening, right? You have no idea what's wrong or how to fix it. I hope the Edge + 4am method works for you! Another thing I read somewhere is to make sure you're not copying and pasting any text into the forms - apparently sometimes that can cause submission issues too. Everything needs to be typed fresh. Really hoping you get this resolved soon, especially with your car payment situation. Keep us updated on how it goes!
I'm dealing with this exact same certification loop nightmare right now! It's been going on for almost 2 weeks and I'm at my wit's end. Like everyone else here, I complete all the questions perfectly, hit submit, and then get kicked back to the start with zero explanation. It's so validating to read all these comments and realize it's not just me - this is clearly a widespread system issue that EDD needs to address urgently. I'm definitely going to try the Microsoft Edge + early morning approach that worked for Khalil, along with disabling all browser extensions and writing my answers down on paper first. Thank you to everyone sharing their workarounds and experiences - this community is incredible when the official system is failing us so badly. Will report back if I have any success!
I'm so glad you found this thread! I just joined this community yesterday because I was having the exact same issue and feeling like I was going crazy. It's been 5 days of the same frustrating loop for me - complete everything, submit, get bounced back to square one. Reading everyone's experiences here has been such a relief. I'm planning to try the Edge browser + 4am method tonight too, along with writing everything down first like others suggested. It's absolutely insane that we have to become tech support specialists just to access our own benefits! Please do update us on your results - we're all in this together and every success story helps others figure out what might work. Fingers crossed for both of us!
I just want to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm brand new to unemployment benefits (just filed my claim two weeks ago) and was completely lost about when to expect payments. The EDD website is so confusing and doesn't explain any of this clearly. From reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key things to remember are: 1. Check your UI Online account to see which certification group you're in 2. Payments come 1-3 days after you certify (not on fixed weekdays) 3. The first few payments might be irregular while your claim gets established 4. Set up Money Network text alerts if you're using their card 5. Create calendar reminders for certification dates I'm still waiting for my first payment but now I know what to expect instead of just sitting here wondering when money might randomly appear. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences - it's so reassuring to know this confusion is totally normal for newcomers!
This summary is perfect! I'm also brand new to this (just got approved for benefits last week) and was feeling so overwhelmed by all the uncertainty. Your 5-point breakdown is exactly what I needed to see laid out clearly. I had no idea about certification groups or that the timing would stabilize after a few cycles. Just bookmarked this thread because it has more useful information than anything I could find on the actual EDD website! It's honestly ridiculous how unclear their official communication is for new claimants. Thanks for putting together such a helpful summary - definitely going to follow all these steps while I wait for my first payment to come through.
As someone who's been navigating EDD for about 5 months now, I can totally relate to this confusion! The system really doesn't make it clear upfront, which is so frustrating when you're trying to budget on a tight timeline. Here's what I've learned: Your payment schedule is tied to your certification group, not specific days of the week. I'm in Group 1 and certify every other Sunday night, then my payment hits my account consistently on Tuesday mornings around 6 AM. It took about 3 certification cycles for this pattern to become rock solid, but now I can plan my budget around it perfectly. The most important thing is to log into your UI Online account and check your "Notifications" section - it will show your next certification date. That's your anchor point for predicting payments. Also, if you're using direct deposit instead of the Money Network card, the timing might vary slightly based on your bank's processing schedule. One practical tip that saved my sanity: I set a phone reminder for my certification day that says "Payment expected in 2 days" so I never have to wonder when money is coming. Takes all the guesswork out of it! Your first payment being on a random day is totally normal while your claim gets established. After that, you'll have a predictable routine that's as reliable as a regular paycheck. Hang in there!
One more thing to consider - if you've worked in other states during your base period, you might be eligible for a combined wage claim. This means EDD would request wage information from other states to potentially increase your benefit amount or duration. Not applicable to everyone, but worth mentioning if you've worked outside California recently.
I haven't worked outside California, but this is good information to share. I really appreciate everyone's advice and suggestions. This community has been more helpful than all the official EDD information I've tried to wade through! I think my plan now is to: 1) Keep aggressively job hunting 2) Look into part-time work to extend my current benefits and build wages for a potential future claim 3) Research assistance programs I might qualify for after UI ends 4) Use that Claimyr service to speak with EDD about my specific situation. Thank you all so much!
Just wanted to add that if you're in tech, definitely look into the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) programs through your local workforce development board. They sometimes offer retraining funds for people transitioning between careers, especially if your skills need updating for the current market. I know someone who got funding for coding bootcamp refresher courses while their UI was running out. Also, don't forget about networking events and meetups - sometimes the "hidden job market" in tech is stronger than what you see posted online. LinkedIn Premium's free trial might be worth it too for the InMail credits to reach out directly to hiring managers. Hang in there!
This is really helpful info about WIOA programs! I hadn't heard of those before. I've been so focused on just applying to regular job postings that I haven't really explored retraining options. My coding skills are probably getting a bit stale after being out of work for a few months, so a bootcamp refresher sounds like it could be exactly what I need. Do you know how to find the local workforce development board? Is that something I can Google or do I need to go through EDD to find those resources?
Just wanted to add my recent experience to this thread! I was in almost the exact same situation - had an old EDD card from early 2021 that I thought might still work when I got approved for a new claim in late 2024. The good news: if your card hasn't expired, they'll absolutely use it! Mine worked perfectly and I saw my first payment within 24 hours of certifying, which was way faster than I remembered from 2021. The not-so-good news: like others mentioned, you'll probably need to reset your automatic transfer settings. Mine were completely gone after the long gap. But honestly, setting them back up in the Money Network app took maybe 5 minutes tops. One thing I wish someone had told me - even if your transfer settings need to be reset, you can still access your money immediately through ATMs or by using the card for purchases. I was stressed about rent too, but I just used the card directly at my bank's ATM to get cash. No fees and no waiting around for transfers to process. Also definitely call the number on your card first to make sure it's active - that tip from others here is gold. My card was valid but needed to be reactivated after sitting unused for so long. Quick 5-minute call saved me days of worry!
This is so helpful to read everyone's recent experiences! I'm feeling much more confident now that multiple people have confirmed their old cards worked. The tip about calling to reactivate is definitely something I'm going to do first thing. It's also reassuring to know that even if I need to reset transfer settings, I can still access the money right away through ATMs or purchases. Thanks for sharing such detailed info - this whole thread has been a lifesaver for easing my stress about the timing with bills coming up!
Just wanted to jump in here since I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago! My EDD card from 2021 was still good (expires 2027) and they definitely used the same one for my new claim. The Money Network system has gotten SO much better since 2021 - payments now show up within 1-2 days instead of the 3-5 days it used to take. My auto-transfer settings were still there and working, which surprised me since I'd heard mixed reports about that. One thing that might help with your rent timing - if you're really worried about access to funds, you can always do a quick balance transfer to a friend or family member through the Money Network app (if they also have a Money Network card) or use Zelle/Venmo once the money hits your card. That way you're not dependent on ACH transfers to your bank if timing is tight. Sounds like you're in good shape though if your card is still valid and you can log into the account! The whole process is much smoother now than it was during the pandemic chaos.
That's really encouraging to hear that your auto-transfer settings were still working after such a long gap! I was preparing myself to have to set everything up again based on other comments, so that gives me some hope mine might still be active too. The Zelle/Venmo backup plan is brilliant - I hadn't thought about using those as intermediary options if the direct transfer takes too long. Thanks for sharing that the whole system is more streamlined now, it definitely sounds like they've made some real improvements since the pandemic days!
Miguel Hernández
This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone who just got laid off last week and is about to file for unemployment, I had no idea about any of these potential pitfalls - quarterly reviews, employer contests, identity verification holds. @CosmicCaptain I'm so relieved you got everything sorted out before rent was due! The fact that your employer contested a clear mass layoff is infuriating but unfortunately seems pretty common based on everyone's experiences here. I'm definitely bookmarking the Claimyr recommendation and taking notes on all the documentation tips shared. It's honestly shameful that we need third-party services and community forums just to understand how our own benefits work, but I'm grateful for everyone who took the time to share their knowledge. This thread should be required reading for anyone filing in California - you've all created such a valuable resource that's going to save people so much stress and confusion. Thank you for proving that community support can help us navigate even the most broken government systems!
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Luca Conti
•@Miguel Hernández Welcome to the unemployment club that nobody wants to join! Your timing in finding this thread is actually perfect - getting all this knowledge upfront before you even file is so much better than discovering these issues when you re'already panicking about missing payments. Since you just got laid off, I d'definitely recommend documenting everything about your termination right now while it s'fresh - emails, company announcements, any communication about layoffs or budget cuts. Even if your employer seems reasonable now, you never know if they might contest later to save on their insurance rates like what happened to @CosmicCaptain. Also, when you do file, screenshot everything and keep records of all your certifications. This community has been such a lifesaver for navigating EDD s'chaos, so don t'hesitate to ask questions here if anything weird happens with your claim. Good luck with your filing, and hopefully you won t'need any of these emergency solutions we ve'all had to learn about!
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Caden Nguyen
This thread has been absolutely amazing to discover! I just joined this community after my own EDD nightmare started last week - my certifications suddenly disappeared and I've been panicking about making my car payment. Reading @CosmicCaptain's journey from complete panic to getting everything resolved with one Claimyr call is giving me so much hope right now. I had absolutely no idea about quarterly reviews, employer contests, or any of these certification blocks that can happen without warning. It's honestly criminal that EDD doesn't communicate ANY of this upfront - we're left to figure out their broken system through community forums while we're already stressed about being unemployed. I'm definitely trying the Claimyr service tomorrow since I've been calling EDD for 4 days straight with zero luck. The fact that we need third-party services just to access our own government benefits is beyond ridiculous, but I'm so grateful people like you all share these solutions. This thread should honestly be stickied at the top of this forum - it's the most comprehensive EDD resource I've found anywhere. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and creating such valuable community knowledge. You're literally helping people keep their lives together during impossible times!
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Ethan Taylor
•@Caden Nguyen I m'so sorry you re'dealing with this stress too! The disappearing certifications with zero explanation is such a nightmare, especially when you have bills due. Your situation sounds almost identical to what @CosmicCaptain went through - it s'scary how common this is becoming with EDD. Definitely try Claimyr tomorrow - based on everyone s'experiences here, it seems like the only reliable way to actually reach someone who can see what s'happening in the system. Make sure you have your SSN and any account info ready when you call. I m'keeping my fingers crossed that it s'just one of those quarterly review holds that resolves quickly once you get through to someone. This thread really has been incredible for learning about all these hidden EDD pitfalls - I had no idea the system was this broken until I started reading everyone s'stories. Please update us when you find out what s'causing your certification block. Hang in there, and remember this community has proven there are solutions even when EDD seems impossible!
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