IF YOU FILED FOR TRADITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (UI), NOT PUA, AND YOUR 2020-2021 BENEFIT YEAR HAS EXPIRED, YOU MUST FILE A NEW CLAIM TO CONTINUE RECEIVING BENEFITS. IF YOU RECEIVED AN EXTENSION, BUT YOUR BENEFIT YEAR HAS EXPIRED, YOU MUST FILE A NEW CLAIM.
Filing online is the quickest way to re-apply. EDD has told us that if your online application goes smoothly, you should be set within 2-3 weeks of re-applying.
If you are unable to file online, the next quickest way to call EDD. Our staff do not have access to the EDD system nor are we able process claims, but you may be able to reach an EDD rep who does when you call. Here are tips on how to call EDD:
- EDD phone numbers 1-833-978-2511 or 1-800-300-5616 – both numbers go to the same center
- Monday – Sunday between 8 am and 8 pm PST (10:15/10:30 am or closer to 6, 7 pm seem to be best).
- Press 1 during the 1st recording, then press 2, then press 4 to get through to an EDD rep
- Persistence is key when calling EDD. You may get a message that your call cannot be completed at this time. Hang up and try again. It may take some time and dialing to get connected to someone who is able to help you
- Some EDD reps cannot transfer you, so you may need to call back to ask for a rep who can do this
- There are 4 levels of EDD reps:
- Tier 1 – cannot help you change problems and have limited access to your account. Will usually offer to put you on a ‘call back’ list.
- Tier 2 – have access to your account and can make some changes but you should ask for an adjuster if you have a complicated claim problem
- Adjusters – have access to your account and can resolve complicated claim problems and if they cannot assist are able to email a supervisor or let you know what is going on with your account or what you should/can do to resolve
- Supervisors – have full access to your account and can resolve complicated claim issues but usually work behind the scenes on issues that Adjusters can’t resolve
- Please note that it is taking at least 3 weeks to process and pay when you file a new claim if your benefit year has expired and EDD staff cannot help accelerate this process. But if it has been over 3 weeks since you applied, and you are asking when your claim will be paid and/or your claim payments on that new claim are still pending a week or two after certifying, you can ask if the EDD rep answering the call is a Tier 2 rep and that person should be able to help.
- And if you have a complicated claim issue, and have multiple weeks pending or another issue, it is best to ask for an Adjuster when you call.
IF YOU HAVE FILED A NEW CLAIM BUT ARE MISSING PAYMENTS:
You can check the date your claim was initially filed on your UI Online homepage under Benefit Year on the right side of your Claim Summary. Your issue might be that there is a gap between when your old benefit year ended and when your new year begins.
Once you file your claim, you need to backdate your start date to the day after your benefit year ended. This is the only way to ensure you receive the missed payments between when your benefit year ended and when you started your new claim. For example, if my benefit year ended on 3/22/21 and I filed a new claim on 4/1/21, I would request to backdate my claim to 3/23/21.
To backdate your claim, go to https://askedd.edd.ca.gov/, click on the Category “Unemployment Insurance Benefits,” then click on the Subcategory “Claim Questions,” then select the Topic “Backdate the Effective Date of my Claim Due to COVID-19” and click “Continue” to fill out claim information and type “Backdate my claim to mm/dd/yyyy” in the space provided for the new claim to start immediately after the previous claim’s ending date.
IF YOU HAVE ATTEMPTED THE ABOVE STEPS AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN A RESPONSE AFTER TWO WEEKS OF CALLING EDD, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW.
If you do not see your ZIP Code in the list below or are otherwise unsure if Assemblymember Ting represents you, please visit http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov to find out who represents you where you live.
STEP ONE