One last bit of advice - if you've been scheduled for an appeal hearing, take time to carefully review the Judge's Handbook on the CUIAB website. It's available publicly and shows exactly how judges are instructed to handle appeals, including late appeals. This information can be incredibly valuable as you prepare your case. The judges actually have significant discretion in accepting late appeals when there's a reasonable explanation.

Don't panic - you're definitely not out of options yet! I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. The "good cause" standard for late appeals is actually pretty reasonable, especially when you're dealing with the stress of potentially owing back thousands of dollars. A few things that helped me: - Be very specific about WHY you missed the deadline in your explanation (overwhelmed by the situation, didn't fully understand the notice, etc.) - Mention that an EDD rep initially told you everything was fine - this shows you were trying to follow proper procedures - The fact that your employer changed their story from "restructuring" to "misconduct" is suspicious and works in your favor I'd also suggest calling EDD to speak with someone before submitting if possible, just to get their guidance on your specific situation. The representatives I spoke with were actually pretty helpful once I got through. You've got this! The system is designed to be confusing, and the judges understand that regular people don't navigate this stuff every day.

OP, what industry do you work in? Some industries (like restaurant work) are more prone to wage reporting errors.

I went through this exact same issue about 6 months ago! The key thing that worked for me was requesting a "wage detail report" directly from EDD - it shows exactly what employers reported vs what you actually earned. You can request it by calling the UI customer service line or through UI Online. Once I had that report, I could see exactly where the discrepancy was (turned out one of my employers had reported the wrong quarters). Then I followed Zara's advice about mailing documentation. The whole process took about 6 weeks but they did correct it. Don't give up - you've got this! 💪

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me during my military spouse claim - when you file online, there's sometimes a glitch where the "military relocation" option doesn't show up in the dropdown menu. If that happens, select "other" and then explain in the text box that you're quitting due to military spouse PCS relocation. I had to call EDD to get this corrected on my claim, but mentioning it upfront in the application helped speed things up. Also, if you're moving to a state with no income tax (like Texas or Florida), California may still be able to process your claim since you earned the wages here. Good luck with your move!

Just went through this exact situation when my husband got orders to Fort Hood last summer! You're absolutely fine to file immediately after your last day of work - the 3 week gap before his official detach date is totally normal and won't cause issues. EDD understands that PCS moves require advance planning and job transitions don't always line up perfectly with military dates. When I filed, they asked about the timing during my phone interview but it was approved without any problems once I explained it was all part of the same PCS move. Make sure you have those orders ready to upload - they'll definitely want to see them. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected!

Just wanted to add another resource that might help - the EDD Ombudsman office. They're supposed to help resolve disputes and can sometimes intervene when there are clear errors in how cases are handled. I used them last year when EDD was taking forever to process my appeal and they actually got someone to expedite my case. You can contact them through the EDD website or by calling 1-800-300-5616. They won't represent you at the hearing, but they can help clarify issues and sometimes resolve problems without needing a formal appeal if the mistake is obvious enough. Also, since you mentioned variable shifts - that's actually pretty common for these types of mix-ups to happen. When I worked retail with changing schedules, I had to keep a separate calendar just for tracking my EDD reporting to make sure I didn't confuse which week was which. Bringing that kind of documentation showing your normal process for tracking hours could really help demonstrate this was a genuine error. Good luck with your appeal! Sounds like you have a solid case since you can pinpoint exactly what went wrong.

I'm going through something similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I got hit with a false statement penalty for supposedly not reporting some gig work income, even though I'm pretty sure I did report it correctly. The whole situation is so stressful. @Sean O'Donnell - your update about using Claimyr to actually get through to EDD gives me hope! I've been trying to call for weeks with no luck. I'm definitely going to try that service tomorrow. For anyone else dealing with this, I also found out that you can request a "wage transcript" from EDD that shows exactly what income they have on file for you. Sometimes the discrepancies come from employers reporting things differently than what you expected. I requested mine last week and I'm waiting to see what it shows. The waiting and uncertainty is the worst part of all this. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and resources - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with EDD's confusing system!

I went through a similar backpay interview about 8 months ago for a 10-month delay. Here's what helped me prepare: 1. Write down a detailed timeline of your mental health struggles and how they specifically prevented you from filing - be very specific about symptoms (couldn't concentrate, overwhelming anxiety about paperwork, etc.) 2. Bring any medical records you have, even just therapy visit summaries or notes from your primary care doctor mentioning depression/anxiety 3. Practice explaining what changed that made you able to file now - this was a big question in my interview 4. If you have any texts, emails, or documentation from your employer about your termination or benefits, bring those too The interviewer in my case was actually pretty understanding when I explained how my depression made even simple tasks feel impossible. I got approved for 8 out of 10 months of backpay. The key is being honest and showing that your mental health genuinely prevented you from filing, not just that you "forgot" or "didn't feel like it." You've got this! The fact that you're preparing and asking for advice shows you're taking it seriously.

I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful situation. I went through a backpay interview last year for a 6-month delay due to mental health issues and was approved. Here are some key things that helped me: **Documentation is crucial** - Even if you only saw a therapist a few times, get whatever records you can. I also had my primary care doctor write a brief letter explaining how my depression affected my ability to handle administrative tasks during that period. **Be specific about how depression impacted you** - Don't just say "I was depressed." Explain exactly how it prevented filing: "I couldn't get out of bed for weeks at a time," "I was overwhelmed by any paperwork," "I couldn't focus long enough to complete the application," etc. **Prepare for the timeline questions** - They'll want to know what was happening month by month and what finally changed that allowed you to file. Have clear answers ready. **Bring everything** - Any medical records, therapy notes, texts/emails about your job loss, bank statements showing your financial situation, anything that supports your story. The interviewer was actually more understanding than I expected. Mental health is taken seriously as good cause, especially with some documentation. Even with 14 months, if you can show genuine inability to file due to depression, you have a real chance. You're doing the right thing by preparing thoroughly. Wishing you the best of luck!