EDD Tele-Cert^SM

En español

EDD Tele-Cert ^SM is a new telephone certification method that allows you to certify for your Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits on a bi-weekly basis over the phone by calling the Employment Development Department (EDD) Automated Self-Service number, 1-866-333-4606, and using the automated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system.

The EDD offers this new service to provide a more user friendly method of certifying for UI benefits that will assist in reducing common errors made on the paper Continued Claim form that can cause benefit payment delays. The IVR version of the form will not allow submission to EDD until all questions are completed.

The questions asked using EDD Tele-Cert ^SM are the same questions on the paper Continued Claim Form (DE 4581). The paper claim form will continue to be issued to you along with your UI benefit payment until all unemployment systems are fully automated, regardless of which certification method you use. However, if you choose to certify for your UI benefits using the EDD Tele-Cert ^SM method, do not also submit a form through the mail. Certifying by phone and submitting a paper Continued Claim form could delay your benefit payments.

For more information, view the video about the Options for Completing the Continued Claim Form.

Advantages Of EDD Tele-Cert^SM

• Convenient and eliminates mail time and postage costs.
• Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, you must wait until after the ending date of the benefit claim week(s) to certify (this is the date indicated on the front of the paper claim form sent to you).
• Allows you to verify or edit your answer(s) before submitting the certification.
• Accepts your certification submission as your electronic signature.
• Allows you to certify for multiple weeks with one phone call.

Accessing EDD Tele-Cert^SM

• Call EDD Tele-Cert^SM: The toll free self-service phone number for EDD Tele-Cert^SM is 1-866-333-4606. It is recommended that you call during non-business hours, after 5 p.m. and before 8 a.m., Monday through Friday, Pacific Time, or on Saturday and Sunday.
• First Time Users: The first time you use EDD Tele-Cert^SM, you will be asked to enter your Social Security Number (SSN) and establish a new Personal Identification Number (PIN). Your old PIN will not be transferred to the new system. On subsequent visits, you will use the same PIN you created during registration to access EDD Tele-Cert^SM.
• Navigating EDD Tele-Cert^SM: The EDD Tele-Cert^SM method will provide you with prompts to assist in navigating through the certification process. You will be asked to input your answers using the keypad on your telephone. The EDD Tele-Cert^SM does not use a voice recognition capability.
• Response Review: Your answers will be repeated back to you to ensure you answered each question correctly. You will be given the opportunity to change any incorrect answers. Your final entries will serve as an electronic signature.

You are responsible for the answers when you certify using EDD Tele-Cert^SM or on your paper Continued Claim form. If you give false information or do not report information that you should report, you may be subject to disqualification and penalties.

More information about the certification process is included in the handbook, A Guide to Benefits and Employment Services (DE1275A), that was sent to you after you filed your claim. It explains how to properly complete the Continued Claim form.

You will receive a confirmation number at the end of your call. It’s important to have a pen and paper ready to write down your confirmation number for your records as well as record the answers you gave using the IVR system.

Temporary Limitations

There are some temporary limitations on using the EDD Tele-Cert^SM method. Some claimants participating in the following UI Programs will not be able to certify using the EDD Tele-Cert^SM until all unemployment systems are fully automated:

• Apprenticeship Training
• California Training Benefits (CTB)
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
• Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) Extension
• Partials Program (including Fisher partials and PMA partials)
• State Special School Benefits (SSSB)
• Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA)
• Work Sharing Program (WS)

Submitting A Paper Continued Claim Form

In addition, if during any benefit weeks any of the following conditions apply to you, you must submit a paper form instead of using EDD Tele-Cert^SM:

• You changed your address or phone number.
• You served on jury duty.
• You performed work and/or earned wages during any week of the certifying period (this includes all reportable income such as pension, Workers Compensation, residuals, and commission).
• You are directly involved in a trade dispute and are on strike or locked out by your employer.

After You Certify For UI Benefits

Paper Continued Claim Form: Even if you use the EDD Tele-Cert^SM to certify for benefits, you will continue to receive a paper Continued Claim form along with your continuing benefit payments. You may certify for benefits using the paper form or EDD Tele-Cert^SM as long as one of the above temporary limitations or conditions do not apply to you.

DO NOT mail your paper claim form for any of the same week(s) you certify using the EDD Tele-Cert^SM since it may delay your payments. The system will use the first certification submitted to process your payments. Also, do not send any other correspondence to the address indicated for paper Continued Claim forms because that too could delay processing.

Errors: If you realize you made an error certifying for benefits using any of the available methods, contact EDD immediately through the EDD Web site at www.edd.ca.gov or call one of the available toll free phone numbers listed on the EDD Web site, to speak to a representative.

Processing Time: Allow 10 days for the processing of your EDD Tele-Cert^SM or paper form submission before contacting the EDD about the status of your benefit payment.

For information about certifying using EDD Web-Cert^SM, review the EDD Web-Cert^SM page.