I'm in almost the exact same situation as you Chad! Just got laid off from my warehouse job at the beginning of this month and my UI benefits are $352/week, which barely covers my rent and car payment. I've been really hesitant about applying for CalFresh because I was worried it might somehow mess up my unemployment certification. But after reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I'm convinced that I need to stop overthinking this and just apply. The consistent message from everyone who's actually been through both programs is that they're completely separate and designed to work together. The fact that CalFresh doesn't count as income for EDD purposes is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm planning to use the BenefitsCal website this weekend and get my EDD award letter ready like everyone suggested. It's such a relief to know that this is not only allowed but totally normal - I was honestly feeling kind of guilty about considering food assistance, but you're right that these are programs we've contributed to through our work. Thanks for asking this question and getting such an amazing discussion going. This thread has probably helped dozens of people in similar situations feel more confident about accessing the help they need. The warehouse industry has been brutal lately with all these layoffs, but at least we have these resources while we get back on our feet!

I just wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! I was laid off from my distribution center job about 6 weeks ago and have been on both UI ($334/week) and CalFresh ($182/month) for the past month with zero complications. The application process was honestly much smoother than I expected. I used the BenefitsCal website and it took about 25 minutes to complete. The phone interview was super quick - maybe 8 minutes of just confirming the information I'd already submitted online. Got my EBT card exactly 11 days after submitting the application. One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're worried about the phone interview, don't be! The caseworker was really friendly and explained that they see unemployment + CalFresh combinations all the time. She actually said it's one of the most common situations they process, especially with all the recent layoffs in manufacturing and logistics. The peace of mind from having grocery costs covered has been huge. Instead of calculating every dollar at the store, I can actually focus my energy on job applications and interviews. That's exactly what these programs are designed to do - give you breathing room to get back on your feet. To anyone still on the fence about applying: these are benefits you've earned through your work history. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty about using the safety net you've contributed to. The warehouse and logistics industries have been hit hard lately, but we'll get through this! 💪

I've been following this thread as someone who went through the CalJOBS appointment process about 6 months ago, and I wanted to add a few things that might help you and others preparing for these appointments. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that they may ask about any barriers to employment you're experiencing. This isn't meant to trip you up - they genuinely want to know if there are resources that could help. In my case, I mentioned that most healthcare admin jobs seemed to require experience with specific EMR systems I hadn't used, and my rep connected me with free training modules through CalJOBS partners. Also, for healthcare admin roles specifically, make sure you're familiar with the "Skills Match" feature in CalJOBS. It can identify positions where you meet 70-80% of requirements rather than just 100% matches. My rep showed me how many qualified candidates miss out on opportunities because they only apply to jobs where they meet every single requirement. Another tip: if you've done any volunteer work or informal caregiving during unemployment, mention it. These experiences often involve organizational and communication skills that are highly relevant to healthcare admin roles, and reps can help you articulate how to present them professionally. The appointment really is designed to help you succeed, not to catch you in violations. Go in with the mindset that you're meeting with a career counselor who has access to tools and resources you might not know about. Best of luck with your appointment Tuesday!

I had my CalJOBS appointment about two months ago and wanted to share some encouragement since I see you're feeling nervous! I was in a very similar position - healthcare admin background (worked in medical billing for 3 years) and had been unemployed for about 8 weeks when my appointment came up. The thing that helped me most was realizing that the reps genuinely want you to succeed in finding work. My appointment lasted about 45 minutes, and while she did review my job search activities, most of the time was spent showing me features I didn't know existed. She helped me set up job alerts for healthcare admin positions and showed me how to use the advanced filters to find remote and hybrid opportunities. One thing specific to healthcare that was really helpful - make sure you have your certifications and any continuing education listed clearly in your profile. Even if they're not required for every position, they help you stand out in the system's matching algorithm. Also, don't worry too much about having "perfect" documentation. I had been tracking my applications in a notebook and was stressed about not having everything perfectly logged in CalJOBS, but my rep was totally understanding and just helped me get everything entered properly during our session. The follow-up requirements really aren't that burdensome once you get into a routine. I log in about every 3 days to check for new matches and record any activities. It actually ended up being more helpful than I expected for staying organized with my search. You've got this! Healthcare admin professionals are really in demand right now, especially with all the changes in telehealth and patient management systems. Your experience is valuable, and the CalJOBS appointment is just another tool to help you showcase that to the right employers.

This thread has been absolutely incredible to follow from start to finish! As someone who just joined this community after getting my own EDD claim stuck in "Review Required" status (currently on day 10), reading through Lia's entire journey has been both reassuring and motivating. The fact that her issue turned out to be something as simple as a wage discrepancy with her final commission check really highlights how EDD's system creates unnecessary panic by providing zero transparency about what's actually causing delays. I'm particularly grateful for all the specific strategies everyone shared - the 8am calling technique, asking for tier 2 specialists, having wage documentation ready, and even the backup options like contacting assembly members. It's honestly sad that we need to become experts at gaming a broken system just to access benefits we've paid into, but this community support makes it feel less overwhelming. For anyone else currently dealing with "Review Required" limbo, this thread is proof that persistence really does work with EDD. Don't give up! I'm planning to try the 8am calling strategy tomorrow armed with all the tips from this discussion. Thank you everyone for turning what could have been just another frustration post into such a valuable learning resource!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone who's been dealing with my own EDD frustrations for the past few weeks, seeing Lia's journey from panic to resolution gives me so much hope. I'm currently stuck with a different issue (my claim shows "pending" but no payments have been issued for 3 weeks), and all the strategies shared here are giving me a much clearer roadmap for how to actually get help. The wage discrepancy issue with final commission checks seems to be such a common problem - it's ridiculous that EDD's system can't handle these routine employment situations without flagging everything for manual review. What's even worse is how they leave people completely in the dark about what's causing the delays. I'm definitely going to try the 8am calling strategy tomorrow, and I love the tip about asking specifically for tier 2 specialists who can actually see the case notes. It's sad that we have to become experts at navigating a broken bureaucratic system just to access benefits we've paid into, but this community support makes it feel so much less overwhelming. Thank you to everyone for sharing your hard-won knowledge - it's making a real difference for people like me who are struggling to figure out this maze!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm currently experiencing this exact same issue - received my first unemployment payment about 6 days ago and now there are zero certification weeks available. Before finding this discussion, I was completely in the dark about what could be causing this problem. Reading about employer contests and hidden verification flags has been such an eye-opener. It's honestly infuriating that EDD has all these backend systems that can silently block our certification weeks without any notification or transparency. How are we supposed to know what's wrong if they don't tell us these issues exist? Based on all the helpful advice shared here, I'm going to call EDD tomorrow morning and specifically ask them to check for: - Any employer contests or disputes on my claim - Hidden verification holds or stop payment flags - System notes that might explain the certification gap - Request to escalate to a tier 2 specialist if needed The success stories from @Theodore Nelson, @Demi Lagos, and others who got their issues resolved give me hope that this can be fixed relatively quickly once I get someone who knows what to look for behind the scenes. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this community has provided more useful information in one thread than I found in hours of searching EDD's official help resources. I'll make sure to update with my results after calling tomorrow!

This thread has been incredibly helpful - I'm dealing with the exact same situation! Got my first payment about a week ago and then complete radio silence with no certification weeks available. It's so frustrating because you think everything is working fine after that first payment, then suddenly you're left wondering if you did something wrong or if your benefits got cut off somehow. Reading about employer contests and hidden verification flags has been a total game-changer - I had absolutely no idea these backend issues existed! It's honestly ridiculous that EDD doesn't provide any transparency about what's happening behind the scenes when these holds get triggered. I've been checking my UI Online account obsessively multiple times a day hoping weeks would just appear, but clearly I need to actually call and get someone to investigate what's blocking my certification schedule. Based on all the success stories here, I'm feeling much more confident about what to ask for when I call tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and specific solutions - this community has been way more informative than EDD's entire help system! I'll definitely update this thread with what happens when I get through to them.

Just wanted to follow up on this thread - did you manage to get your account unlocked and certification completed? Were you able to get through to a representative? The technical support line I mentioned earlier should be your first option, but the assembly member suggestion is also excellent if you're still having issues.

Wow, what a rollercoaster! I'm so relieved to hear you got everything sorted out. I'm actually dealing with a similar lockout issue right now - my account got flagged after I moved and tried to update my address. Been stuck for 2 weeks unable to certify. I'm definitely going to try both the technical support line (1-833-978-2511) and the Claimyr service. Quick question though - when you called the tech support line, did they ask for any specific verification documents or just the usual SSN/personal info? I want to make sure I have everything ready before I call. This thread has been incredibly helpful!