Just want to add another success story to hopefully give you more confidence! I went through almost the exact same thing in 2022 - hours cut from 40 to about 12 per week, employer claimed it was "temporary" but it went on for months. I represented myself at the appeal hearing and won. The key things that helped me: 1) I calculated the exact percentage my wages were reduced (it was about 70% reduction), 2) I brought evidence that I actively looked for other work while still employed there, and 3) I showed that I gave my employer reasonable time to restore my hours before quitting. The hearing itself was about 20 minutes over the phone. The judge was actually very understanding and seemed familiar with these types of cases. What really sealed it was when I referenced that EDD regulation about wage reductions being good cause - the judge even thanked me for citing the specific regulation number. Your case sounds even stronger than mine was since you have documentation of trying to resolve it with your manager. Don't let them intimidate you - these constructive discharge cases are very winnable when you have clear evidence of significant hour reductions!

Reading through this thread has been really eye-opening! I'm actually an employment law paralegal and see these constructive discharge cases fairly often. What strikes me about your situation @Ravi Patel is that you have several strong elements that often lead to successful appeals: 1. Clear documentation of the hour reduction (38 to 15-18 hours is about a 50-55% wage reduction - well above that 25% threshold) 2. Evidence you attempted to resolve it with management before quitting 3. The reduction appears to have been indefinite, not temporary One practical tip I'd add - when you write your appeal letter, structure it chronologically and be very specific about dates and dollar amounts. Instead of saying "my hours were cut drastically," say "my hours were reduced from 38 per week to approximately 16 per week, resulting in a 58% reduction in wages from $X to $Y per week." Also, if you have any evidence that other employees were NOT subject to the same hour reductions, that can strengthen your case significantly. It shows the reduction was targeted rather than a company-wide measure. The success stories in this thread are encouraging but realistic - these cases are very winnable with proper preparation and documentation. Best of luck!

I'm new to this community and have been dealing with this exact EDDCAN issue for the past three weeks! After reading through all these amazing suggestions, I finally feel like I have hope again. The askedd.edd.ca.gov site has been completely useless for me too - it just keeps asking for information I don't have or can't remember. I'm definitely going to try the technical support line at (833) 978-2511 that so many of you have had success with - it sounds way more promising than the main UI line that I've been trying to get through on for weeks with no luck. I'll also check my UI Online profile section under account details (had no idea to look there!) and dig through my old paperwork for any EDD letters I might have saved. This community has been absolutely incredible - in just this one thread I've learned more practical solutions than weeks of trying to navigate EDD's confusing website on my own. It's amazing how everyone has come together to help each other solve what should be such a basic task. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share what actually worked for them - having multiple proven methods to try gives me real confidence that I can finally get this nightmare resolved!

I'm new to this community and have been struggling with this EDDCAN issue for about 10 days now! After reading through all these incredibly detailed suggestions, I feel like I finally have a comprehensive roadmap to follow. The askedd.edd.ca.gov site has been a complete dead end for me too - it just keeps looping back to asking for information I don't have. I'm definitely going to start with the technical support line at (833) 978-2511 that so many of you have had success with - it's amazing that there's a separate tech support number that actually seems to work! While I'm waiting for that call to go through, I'll also log into my UI Online account and check the Profile section under account details, and dig through my old mail for any EDD correspondence I might have kept. It's honestly incredible how this community has collectively figured out so many creative solutions - checking bank statement descriptions, trying the mobile app, even using the "Forgot Password" recovery process. This thread has been more helpful than hours of trying to navigate EDD's maze-like website on my own. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their successful methods - having multiple proven approaches to try gives me real hope that I can finally solve this after over a week of frustration!

I'm going through the EXACT same thing right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! Had my eligibility interview on Tuesday, certified yesterday, and woke up this morning to that heart-stopping "disqualification" status. I was literally about to call in sick to work so I could spend all day calling EDD in a panic. But reading everyone's experiences here has completely changed my perspective - it's so obvious now that this is just EDD's terrible system using scary language while they process interview results. The fact that SO many people have the identical timeline (interview one day, certify a few days later, then BAM - "disqualification" status) really proves this is their broken standard process, not actual rejections. What really gives me hope is seeing how many people eventually got switched to "paid" after 5-8 days of this status. And like others mentioned, my interview notification also disappeared from my homepage after the call, which seems to be a good sign based on the patterns people have shared. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here - wait until Friday before calling, start gathering all my job search documentation today, and try to stop checking my UI Online account every 30 minutes (easier said than done!). It's honestly insane that EDD uses "disqualification" instead of something normal like "processing interview results" - they're literally giving people panic attacks for no reason. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and creating this incredibly supportive discussion. Knowing I'm not alone in this nightmare makes the waiting so much more manageable!

I'm going through this EXACT same situation right now and honestly, this thread is like finding a support group when you need it most! Had my eligibility interview on Monday, certified this weekend, and just logged in to see that absolutely terrifying "disqualification" status. My first instinct was to immediately start panicking and calling EDD non-stop, but reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a reality check. The consistency in all of our timelines is actually really reassuring - interview during the week, certify a few days later, then that scary placeholder status shows up while EDD's ancient system slowly processes everything. It's becoming so clear that "disqualification" is just their awful default status while they review interview results, not an actual rejection for most of us. What really gives me confidence is seeing how many people eventually got switched to "paid" after about a week of this status, especially when their interview notifications disappeared too (which happened to me as well). It seems like that's actually a good sign that they successfully processed the interview on their end. I'm definitely going to follow the collective wisdom here - wait until Thursday/Friday before calling, start documenting all my job search activities right now, and try to stop obsessively refreshing my UI Online account every hour. It's honestly criminal that EDD uses such panic-inducing language when they could easily say "interview results under review" instead of making everyone think they've been permanently cut off. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences and advice - this thread is genuinely keeping so many of us sane during this stressful waiting period. I'll definitely update you all on how things turn out by the end of the week!

I'm really sorry you're going through this Maria - I know exactly how frustrating and stressful it must be to discover you're missing that first week's payment when you're already dealing with job loss. The waiting week policy is unfortunately real and permanent (you never get paid for it), but like everyone else has said, EDD's communication about this is absolutely terrible. Since you mentioned your rent is due next week, here's something that might help immediately: if you have a good relationship with your landlord, consider asking if you can pay a partial amount now and the remainder when your next unemployment payment comes in. Many landlords will accept this if you're upfront about the situation and can show proof of your pending benefits. Also, don't forget to check if your county has any emergency utility assistance programs too - falling behind on one bill can create a domino effect, so it's worth getting ahead of that if you can. The good news is that once you're past this initial hiccup, the payments should come regularly every two weeks. Keep track of your certification dates and payment schedule so you can budget accordingly going forward. Hang in there - this system is broken in so many ways, but you'll get through it!

I'm really sorry this happened to you Maria - the waiting week policy is one of the most frustrating and poorly communicated aspects of the entire EDD system. You're absolutely right to feel blindsided by this! Unfortunately, as others have confirmed, you won't get paid for that first week at any point - it's essentially a permanent deductible. What makes this especially maddening is that EDD could easily add a prominent warning during the application process, but instead people discover it when they're already counting on that money for basic expenses like rent. It's almost like they deliberately hide this information because they know how upset people would be if they knew upfront. For your immediate rent situation, definitely reach out to your landlord today and explain what happened - most are understanding when you're proactive and can show proof of your unemployment claim. Also look into emergency rental assistance through your county's website - many programs can help bridge this exact gap. One small silver lining: once you get past this initial shock, your payments should come regularly every two weeks. Keep all your certification documentation organized and hang in there - this system is broken but you'll make it through!

Congrats on the game show win, Ella! What an amazing experience that must have been! I've been reading through all the great advice here and wanted to add one more perspective as someone who's dealt with EDD's reporting quirks. Since you mentioned this happened while you were taping the show but payment won't come until 2025, make sure you understand the difference between "earning" and "receiving" income in EDD's eyes. You technically "earned" this in 2024 when you won, but for EDD purposes, you only report when you "receive" it in 2025. This distinction has tripped up people I know who thought they had to report based on when they earned something rather than when they got paid. Also, just a heads up - if your game show episode hasn't aired yet, sometimes there are delays in prize payments even beyond what they initially tell contestants. My neighbor was on a game show and her payment ended up being about 6 weeks later than originally promised due to some production company paperwork issues. So don't stress if February comes and goes without the check - just keep tracking the actual receipt date for your EDD reporting. You're handling this so well by asking these questions upfront. EDD can be a maze to navigate, but you're clearly thinking through all the right angles. Best of luck with everything, and I hope you find a great new marketing position soon!

Congrats on the game show win, Ella! That's absolutely incredible! 🎊 I've been reading through all the fantastic advice everyone has shared, and I think you've got a really solid plan now. Just wanted to add one small thing that helped me when I was navigating EDD's confusing system - create a simple timeline document for yourself with all the key dates and actions. Something like: - December 2024: Game show taped, winnings earned but not received - January 2025: Call EDD to give heads up about incoming large payment - February 2025: Receive check and report as "Other Income" during certification - Tax season 2025: Receive 1099 form Having everything laid out chronologically really helped me stay organized and not miss any steps. Plus, if you ever need to explain the situation to an EDD rep, you'll have all the dates and details right at your fingertips. You're being so thoughtful about handling this correctly - EDD can be tricky but you're definitely on the right track. Here's hoping you land an amazing new marketing job before that check even arrives! Best of luck with everything! 🍀