Why has my claim been denied?
When filing a claim with the CA EDD, there is a possibility of your claim being fully or partially denied. Here is a non exhaustive list of the most common reasons Cocoon has seen a claim be denied:
The claim was filed late
Disability claims must be filed within 49 days of disability onset
Paid Family Leave claims must be filed within 41 days of the first day of leave
The claim has been deemed as having insufficient documentation
This might look like an incomplete medical certification on a disability claim or missing proof of relationship documentation to support family leave
The state has attempted to reach out to the claimant by phone or mail to request additional information, but have not received a response within the required time.
The employee does not meet the eligibility requirements for state paid benefits
The employee is not experiencing a wage loss during the claim dates
How do I submit an appeal?
If your claim is denied, you will receive a formal notice in the mail, in your EDD online portal, or both - either in the form of a "Notice of Determination" or a "Notice of Denied Benefits.” This notice will include information on how you can file an appeal to have the denial reversed. Please follow the instructions on your denial notice closely to ensure that there are no further delays with your claim being decisioned. As a note, appeals must be completed and submitted to the EDD within 30 days of the mailing date.
Submitting a paper appeal
If your denial is related to a Paid Family Leave claim or your disability claim was not filed online, you will need to submit your appeal via paper forms.
Once your claim has been processed and we notify you that you are not eligible for Disability Insurance (DI) or Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits, you will receive an Appeal Form (DE 1000A) with your Notice of Determination (DE 2518) for DI or a Notice of Determination (DE 2514) for PFL.
Complete the Appeal Form (DE 1000A) with a detailed explanation of why you think you are eligible.
Mail your appeal to the return address shown on the notice.
If the form is lost or misplaced, you can also send us a detailed letter. Be sure to include your:
We will evaluate your appeal. If we confirm your eligibility, payments will be made, if funds are still available on your claim.
If your eligibility is not confirmed and we are not able to issue you payments, your appeal will be forwarded to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board local Office of Appeals.
The Office of Appeals will mail you a notification with your hearing date, time, location, and their phone number. At the hearing, an impartial Administrative Law Judge will listen to both sides of the appeal and make a decision based on facts presented by you and by a State Disability Insurance representative. If you fail to appear, your appeal will be dismissed. |
Submitting an online appeal
If the denial was for a disability claim through the EDD’s State Disability Insurance department and your claim was filed online, you can submit your appeal via online forms, rather than sending in the provided paper forms.
When the EDD issues a denial for an STD claim, you should receive a notice in the inbox in your online EDD portal. To file an appeal, click into the denial notice and select “DE 1000A Appeal Form”.
Then select “I want to appeal a disqualification”.
From there, you’ll be able to submit your formal appeal. Here it is most helpful to include any information that can substantiate your claim and provide further insight around the circumstances leading to the EDD’s denial. The EDD has restricted character limit, so it's best to provide simple and direct explanation.
Can Cocoon submit my appeal?
Due to privacy and security concerns, the California EDD requires that the claimant works with the EDD directly to remediate any issues with the claim. Cocoon is happy to provide guidance where helpful, but we are unable to complete an appeal on your behalf.
EDD appeal fact sheet
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