California Identity Verification Process for Unemployment Benefits
California Identity Verification Process for Unemployment Benefit Payments
There are at least two ways to verify your identification for collecting California’s EDD unemployment benefits.
Please note that even though you may not be currently collecting payments due to an identification issue, you need to continue to certify for your unemployment each period to be eligible to collect benefits once your identification is validated.
Using the California EDD UI Online portal for Identification Verification
Use the Document Upload feature in UI Online to verify your identity it appears to be powered by DocuSign. If required to verify your identity, you will get a message asking you to:
- Visit your UI Online homepage and select Upload Identity Documents. You will only see this option if there has been an issue verifying your identity.
- You may also receive this request in the mail.
Gather Your Identification Documents
Before you drop all of your identification documents all over the state of California know that you need to have your ducks in a row. If your prior employer had your address wrong, your current address does not match your state identification like drivers license you may run into issues for verification. California EDD is not going to help you sort this out. You may need to contact your prior employer, DMV, Social Security Administration to update your address or name changes.
For California EDD to verify your identity, you must provide two documents:
- One photo identification document (front and back)
- One other identity document
Your photo identification must show your name, date of birth, and photograph. You can use any document from the following list, as long as it has not expired.
- State identification (ID) card (front and back)
- Driver license (front and back)
- US passport or passport card
- US military card (front and back)
- Military dependent’s ID ca card (front and back)
- Permanent Resident Card
- Certificate of Citizenship
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Employment Authorization Document
- Foreign passport
If you do not have two of the identification forms from above, you can also use:
- Official birth certificate (with official translation, if any)
- W-2 from last year
- A pay stub or payment statement that shows:
- An issue date within 12 months prior to the date your claim was filed
- Your first name (or initial) and last name
- At least the last four digits of your Social Security number or your employee identification number
- Your employer’s name
- The pay period dates or the date it was issued
- Any bill or financial statement showing your name and residence address
- Utility bill (electricity, gas, garbage, water, or sewer)
- Cable TV or internet bill
- Telephone bill
- Bank statement
- Property tax bill
- Mortgage statement
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- Lease or rental agreement showing your name and residence address
- Registration for a PO Box or private mailbox
- Social Security statement (all pages)
- Notice to Third Party of Social Security Number Assignments (SSA-7028)
- Report of Confidential Social Security Benefit Information (SSA-2458)
Submission Deadline for California EDD UI Online Portal
You have 10 calendar days from the Mail Date on the Request for Identity Verification (DE 1326C) mailed to you to respond with your proof of identity.
To request more time, you must call 1-866-401-2849 or mail a request to the address at the top of the Request for Identity Verification (DE 1326C) mailed to you. We must receive your request within 10 calendars days of the Mail Date on the paper form.
EDD fax number for identity verification process
As it is 2021 and most of you have not sent a fax ever in your lives, or have not faxed someone in years possibly decades it is important to note you will need to use the old school press 1, then the area code and phone number to dial the fax line. This is something that almost died with mobile phones.
Officially there is the California EDD default fax number to use which is +1 916-653-2734 which is for the EDD ID DEPT FAX.
However some California’s have had luck with shotgunning their identification documentation to these additional fax lines as well. We would tread carefully on the shot gun approach because you do not want too many people having your full information and you never know how much protection is on the other side of the fax machine. For all intensive purposes use the numbers below if you are out of other options.
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CUIAB – California Unemployment Appeals Board Fax:
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+1 916-263-6837, CUIAB-Sacramento (Administrative Law Judge -Jodi Remke- of Appellate Operations Office Fax #)
- +1 916-263-6764, CUIAB-Sacramento (Executive Director/Chief ALJ -Elena Gonzales- Field Operations Office Fax #)
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+1 916-263-6765, CUIAB-Sacramento Office of Appeals
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+1 916-319-1077, CUIAB-EDD
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+1 866-517-3830, EDD Fax Number
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+1 916-653-2734, EDD ID DEPT FAX
Reach out your state representatives for help clearing your identification.
This is not an “official way” to get your identification issue sorted out, but when the going gets tough contact your local assemblyman and senator http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.
If you received a message to use ID.me
Around late January 2021 California started to use a third party system from a company called ID.me system a for profit company help with identity verification. It appears to have been quietly put to bed around March 2021 after issues documented on social media showing wait times of 5 hours and more. Plus additional delays of communication between Id.me and California EDD that were in the weeks, not days. There is not a press release anywhere on this update and you now get greeted with this message on EDD’s site in a drop down box:
The deadline has passed to use ID.me to verify your identity. We will determine your eligibility for benefits based on the information available and mail you a Notice of Determination.
If you are disqualified from receiving benefits, you have the right to appeal the decision within 30 days of the mailing date on your Notice of Determination. Visit Unemployment Insurance Appeals for more information on the process.
So the unfortunate bad news is they link you to the California EDD unemployment insurance appeals process.
CALIFORNIA – Unemployment Insurance Appeals
You have the right to appeal the EDD’s decision to reduce or deny you benefits. You must submit your appeal in writing within 30 days of the mailing date on the Notice of Determination and/or Ruling (DE 1080CZ).
Download the Appeal Form (DE 1000M) (PDF) or use the copy included with each Notice of Determination that you receive. Mail your appeal to the return address shown on the decision notice.
If you cannot print a copy of the Appeal Form (DE 1000M), , you can write a letter to the EDD to notify the Department that you want to appeal the decision to reduce or deny you benefits.
If you choose to write a letter, include all of the following information:
- Full name.
- Address.
- Phone number.
- Social Security number.
- The name and mailing address of any representative.
- The reason for your appeal.
- A copy of the decision you are appealing or the date of the decision.
- Any request for language assistance or special accommodations.
After You File an Appeal
The Office of Appeals will notify you of the time and location of your hearing at least 10 days in advance. An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will conduct the hearing, and give employers and claimants a chance to present their evidence.
For more information on how to prepare for your appeals hearing, review Office of Appeals Hearing Information from the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board in the PDF below.
Note: If you live outside of California, your appeal will be conducted by phone.
While your appeal is pending, you must continue to certify for benefits. If you are found eligible, you can only be paid for periods which you have certified for, if you have met all other eligibility requirements.
The ALJ will issue a written decision to you and your employer. The decision will include information about filing a second level appeal.
Second Level Appeals
If you disagree with the ALJ’s decision, you may file a second level appeal with the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (Appeals Board) within 30 calendar days from the date of the ALJ’s decision.
Include the following information:
- Full name.
- Address.
- Phone number.
- Social Security number.
- The name and mailing address of any representative.
- The reason for your appeal.
- The reason for your appeal
- The appeal case number assigned to the ALJ’s decision
Mail the appeal to the return address on the ALJ’s decision notice. The Appeals Board will confirm receipt of the appeal and advise you of the procedural options available.
Generally, the Appeals Board does not consider new or additional evidence. However, individuals have 10 days from the date of the confirmation letter to ask to present oral or written arguments and new evidence. The acceptance of any additional evidence is at the Board’s discretion.
Civil Court
If you disagree with the decision issued by the Appeals Board, you can appeal to your county’s Superior Court by filing a Petition for Writ of Mandate within six months of the mailing date of the Board’s final decision. After such a Petition is filed with the Superior Court, CUIAB will have no information on your civil case, so you will need to contact the court with which you filed your Petition for further information.
More information at the The California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB) site.