This thread is such a perfect resource for anyone dealing with their first EDD payment! I went through this exact same confusion about 8 months ago and remember feeling so stressed about when my money would show up. The Money Network card system really is poorly designed - making you wait for funds before you can even set up bank transfers feels like they're intentionally making the process harder. But I love how this community came together to walk @Gianna Scott through everything step by step. The timeline that @Danielle Campbell shared is spot-on accurate, and those tips about keeping notes on your certification patterns and screenshotting your card info are brilliant. For anyone else reading this who's new to the process: yes, it's frustrating at first, but once you get that automatic transfer set up, you'll barely have to think about it anymore. The whole thing becomes routine after a few cycles. Welcome to the community - don't hesitate to ask questions because everyone here has dealt with EDD's quirks and is happy to help!

What an amazing thread to read! As someone who's been helping people navigate EDD issues for a while now, it's so refreshing to see this community come together to help a newcomer understand the Money Network card process. @Gianna Scott your experience is unfortunately very typical - the system really is designed in the most backwards way possible. I've seen so many people stress out about that initial payment delay, not realizing it's just how their flawed system works. The fact that you can't add bank info until funds are already on the card is probably the #1 complaint I hear about the Money Network setup. But I love seeing all the practical advice shared here - especially @Danielle Campbell's timeline breakdown and @Freya Christensen's text balance tip. These are the real-world details that make all the difference! For future folks reading this: bookmark this thread because it's basically a masterclass in EDD payment timing. And remember, once you get past that first payment hurdle and set up automatic transfers, the whole process becomes so much smoother. Welcome to the community - you've found a great group of people who understand the EDD struggle!

I work for a company that processes unemployment claims in another state, and this scenario is incredibly common across different state systems. What you're experiencing is essentially a template mismatch - EDD's automated system uses standard letter templates that weren't designed to handle the specific situation where someone reports "returned to work" but is still employed with that same employer. When you certified and reported returning to work on February 5th, you did everything correctly. The system properly suspended your benefits, but then triggered an automated workflow that sends a "last employer" inquiry letter. Unfortunately, the template assumes you're no longer with that employer, which creates this confusing situation. I'd recommend contacting EDD through UI Online first with a brief explanation. Something like: "I received a letter dated [date] regarding my 'last employer' [company name]. This employer is actually my current employer where I've been working since January 23, 2025, as reported during my February 5th certification. Please update records to reflect I am still employed there." Keep it factual and reference specific dates. This helps them locate your file quickly and make the necessary corrections. Most importantly, don't worry - you handled your certification properly and this is just a system quirk that gets resolved routinely.

I just went through this exact same situation about 3 weeks ago! Got that confusing "last employer" letter about my current job and panicked thinking I had messed up my certification somehow. Turns out it's just a really common glitch in EDD's system. When you report returning to work during certification (which you did correctly), their automated letter system gets confused and sends out a standard "last employer" inquiry even though you're still working there. I sent a message through UI Online explaining the situation and got a response back in about a week confirming everything was fine and my records were updated. The customer service rep even said this happens "all the time" and that I had certified properly. Don't stress about it - you did everything right! Just reach out to them through UI Online to get your records corrected so there's no confusion if you ever need to file again in the future. The peace of mind is definitely worth it.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who's been through this exact situation multiple times unfortunately! The "disqualified" work search issue is SO common, and @Alicia Stern I'm really glad you got it sorted out quickly. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're someone who tends to have browser issues or slow internet, consider doing your certification on a computer rather than your phone if possible. I've noticed the mobile version of UI Online seems even more prone to these form submission glitches. Also, try to certify earlier in the certification period (like Sunday morning) rather than waiting until the last minute when servers might be overloaded. And here's a tip that saved me once: if you ever get halfway through certification and the page freezes or you lose connection, DON'T immediately restart. Sometimes if you wait 10-15 minutes and then try to log back in, your partial submission is still there and you can complete it. But if you restart right away, you might lose everything and have to start over, which increases the chance of making mistakes. The system is definitely broken, but knowing these little quirks can help prevent issues before they happen. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this thread is going to help so many people!

This thread has become an incredible resource for anyone dealing with EDD certification issues! As someone who's helped friends and family navigate unemployment benefits, I can't stress enough how important all the advice shared here is. @Alicia Stern - so relieved you got this resolved! Your experience is unfortunately way too common. For anyone else reading this, I want to emphasize something that's been mentioned but bears repeating: NEVER wait if you see "disqualified" status after certification. The EDD system doesn't auto-correct these issues, and the longer you wait, the more complicated it becomes to fix. One additional tip I'd add: if you're certifying for the first time or after a break in benefits, consider doing a "practice run" by going through the certification process but NOT submitting it - just to familiarize yourself with all the screens and questions. You can always go back and do the real submission later. This helped my sister avoid issues when she first started certifying. Also, for those keeping work search spreadsheets (which is brilliant advice!), consider adding a column for "confirmation received" where you can note if you got any kind of acknowledgment from employers. It's not required, but it shows extra due diligence if EDD ever audits your work search activities. Thanks to everyone for turning what started as one person's stressful situation into a comprehensive guide for navigating EDD's broken system!

I'm having a similar issue where I can't access my UI Online account. It's been really frustrating trying to get through to EDD by phone. Has anyone tried the ID.me verification process? I heard that might be required now for account access, but I'm not sure if that's related to this specific error message. Would appreciate any guidance from others who've dealt with this!

I went through the exact same thing a few months ago! That error message usually means your account has been flagged for security reasons or identity verification. Here's what worked for me: First, check if you have any pending mail from EDD about identity verification - sometimes it gets delayed or goes to spam. If not, try calling the technical support line at (800) 300-5616 early in the morning (around 8:01 AM) for better chances of getting through. They can tell you exactly why your account is blocked and what steps you need to take. In my case, I had to complete the ID.me verification process online, which took about 3-4 business days to get approved. Don't give up - it's frustrating but definitely solvable!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! What a stressful situation over what was clearly an honest mistake. After reading through all the excellent advice here, I think you have a really strong case for unemployment benefits. One thing I wanted to add that might be helpful - when you file your claim, consider mentioning that the time clock interface was confusing or poorly designed if that's the case. Sometimes these systems have buttons that are too close together or aren't clearly labeled, which makes accidental selections more likely. This helps reinforce that it was a genuine user error, not intentional misconduct. Also, the timing of when you tried to report the mistake could be important. If you told your supervisor immediately (like within minutes or hours), make sure to emphasize that timeline during your interview. It shows you weren't trying to hide anything and discovered the error quickly. From everything I've read here from people with experience, including the former EDD case worker, it sounds like your situation is exactly the type that should be approved. The combination of your clean record, immediate self-reporting, and the fact that you were trying to take UNPAID time off makes this a pretty clear case of an honest mistake rather than misconduct. Best of luck with your claim - keep us updated on how it goes!

I'm really sorry you're going through this situation - it sounds incredibly frustrating to get fired over what was clearly an honest mistake, especially when you immediately tried to fix it! Based on all the excellent advice shared here, it sounds like you have a very strong case for unemployment benefits. The key factors working in your favor are really compelling: your 9-month clean employment record, the fact that you immediately self-reported the error, your good faith attempt to resolve it through Costco's appeal process, and most importantly - you were trying to take UNPAID time off, not steal time. One additional tip I'd suggest: when you have your EDD phone interview, consider bringing up how this termination was disproportionate to the "offense." Most employers would issue a verbal warning or write-up for a first-time accidental time clock error, especially one that was immediately self-reported. The fact that Costco went straight to termination for someone with your clean record actually supports your case that this was an overreaction, not justified discipline for misconduct. Also, make sure to keep detailed notes of your phone interview with EDD - write down the interviewer's name, date, time, and what questions they asked. If for some reason your claim gets delayed or there are issues later, having that documentation can be really helpful. You've gotten such great advice from this community, and it's clear everyone is rooting for you. Stay confident in your case - you deserve those benefits and this whole situation will be behind you soon!