How to Use the EDD Debit Card - YouTube

[woman] For many years, millions of Californians

have relied on the Employment Development Department, EDD,

to receive their critical unemployment

and disability benefits.

Up until now, customers have had to wait for checks

to arrive by mail.

But, not anymore.

The EDD has introduced the new EDD debit card,

a faster, more convenient and more secure way

of receiving those needed benefits.

The new VISA-branded cards

provided by our partner, Bank of America,

offers many benefits,

especially for those without bank accounts,

who used to have to pay check-cashing fees

to access their money.

Best of all, customers get options,

and can avoid any fees, simply with careful use of the card.

You can withdraw cash at any ATM

or bank or credit union that accepts VISA.

You can use the card for purchases

anywhere VISA cards are accepted.

And you can even choose to transfer

some or all of your benefits

to your own personal bank account

by direct deposit transfer.

What are some of the initial reactions from customers?

I don't have to wonder where the check is.

The money's there right away,

the very day it's authorized.

So I don't have to go to the bank, wait in line and...

...and wait to cash my check.

And I have enough stuff to worry about.

This makes it a lot easier.

The EDD debit card is issued

after you are determined to be eligible for unemployment,

state disability or paid family leave insurance benefits.

When you receive your card,

simply follow the directions that come with your new card

to activate the account.

But the verification was real easy,

took less than five minutes.

To activate the card, just call Bank of America

at 1-866-692-SUB|0 N .

Or you can activate the card account on-line

at www.bankofamerica.com /eddcard.

You'll be asked for the last four digits

of your Social Security number,

or in some cases, the last four digits of an ID number

or ECN, assigned to you by EDD.

You will need to select your four digit

personal identification number or PIN.

Your PIN is the access code to your account

for point-of-sale purchases and ATM transactions.

To help keep your card account secure,

you'll need to memorize this number

and not share it with anyone.

You should also sign the reverse side of your card

and read the materials that come with the card

for important information about your account

including how to avoid fees.

Now that you've activated your card,

you are free to use it in a number of ways.

To retrieve cash, you can either visit an ATM,

or any bank or credit union

where VISA cards are accepted.

And it just shows up on the balance.

I can look at it on my computer,

or I can take the card to an ATM and look at the balance.

And the money's there on the day they say it'll be there.

You get a free, unlimited number of cash withdrawals

at Bank of America ATM's, and B of A will not charge

for two withdrawals per each benefit deposit

made to your card at ATM's outside of their network.

While B of A may not charge a fee,

be aware that some other banks may charge a fee

at their ATM locations.

At the ATM, simply select "checking"

and enter the amount you wish to withdraw.

You can also check your balance

free of charge at the ATM

by selecting "checking" and "balance inquiry."

Another option is to withdraw

up to the full balance on your account

by first checking your account balance

and then walking into any bank or credit union

that accepts VISA cards.

I, uh... I like the fact that if something happens

I can go withdraw all the amount, every bit of it,

off this card with no questions.

I don't have to... there's no limit.

It's not like you go to the bank

and oh, you got 200 today,

and have to wait till tomorrow to take out the next.

Simply approach a teller, present your card,

and request the amount of money you want

from your available balance.

There will be no charge for the withdrawal.

But, please be aware

the teller cannot access your account balance.

You can also retrieve cash

by selecting the "cash back" feature

when making a purchase using your card.

I can use it anywhere.

I like how if I go to the grocery store

or the gas station or out to eat anywhere

with my family, I can use it,

and it's very accessible.

There are millions of locations that accept VISA debit cards.

You can even shop on-line,

or make utility and phone payments.

The card can be used like a credit card,

or debit card. For use as a credit card,

just swipe the card and sign the receipt.

For use as a debit card,

swipe your card and select "debit."

Then enter your PIN number.

If you want some cash back, select the amount

up to the maximum allowed by the merchant

and it'll be added to your purchase.

But you must keep track of your account balance.

If you do not have enough available in your account

to cover the full cost of your purchase,

your card will be rejected. While you will not be allowed

to go over your available balance,

you can request to pay a portion of your purchase with

the card and pay the remainder of the bill separately.

Just like with using any debit card,

some merchants may charge a fee.

Such fees are usually identified at the point of purchase.

You can choose to continue with the purchase,

and accept the fee, or discontinue the purchase

and go elsewhere where no fees are charged

for using a debit card.

Another option is to make a direct deposit transfer

by transferring some or all of your benefits

to your own checking or savings account.

Well, with a new baby, it was, um...

It was a good option for us to do direct deposit,

because it's hard to go to the bank.

You can do this the first time you receive benefits,

to continue throughout your claim,

or you can choose to make separate transfers

for each benefit period. It's really up to you.

Simply call or contact Bank of America on-line

and follow the instructions provided.

It was pretty easy. We were able to...

On the back of the card it has the website that you go to,

and then from there we just followed the steps

and figured out how to do the transfers.

So we do check it from time to time,

just to make sure that everything's going smoothly

and transferring over, but we also get

e-mails as well that say that the deposit has been made.

To set up the transfer,

you will need to know your bank routing number

located on your bank documents or checks.

In addition, you'll need to provide an e-mail address

when setting up a direct deposit transfer

in order for Bank of America to be able to notify you

as soon as benefits are deposited successfully

into your personal bank account.

These transfers are done electronically

through a federal system.

There can be a delay until the next business day

if the transfer needs to be made over a weekend

when banks are closed. You may choose to only have

a portion of your benefits

transferred to your personal banking account

and keep the remainder on your card,

so those funds are immediately available.

The new EDD debit card

is good for all EDD benefit programs for three years.

So be sure to keep your card,

and continue completing and submitting all claim forms

required through the remainder of your claim

in order to continue receiving your benefits.

For any questions regarding your unemployment

disability or paid family leave claim,

visit the EDD website

at www.edd.ca.gov

for a variety of resources

including frequently asked questions

and contact phone numbers for the benefit programs.

Thank you for calling Bank of America.

For any questions regarding your debit card,

or to check your card account balance,

please call Bank of America Customer Service

at 1-866-692-SUB|0 N ,

or contact the bank on-line

at www.bankofamerica.com /eddcard.

The new EDD debit card provides the convenience

and security of a card at a time of great challenge.

And just like the benefits,

it's there to make things just a little easier

when you need a helping hand