I just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact panic situation about 6 months ago! The advice everyone's given here is spot on - definitely call Money Network at 1-866-692-9374 and ask for the expedited transfer. One small tip that helped me: when you call, if you get put on hold, don't hang up! I almost gave up after being on hold for 10 minutes but then someone picked up and was super helpful. The wait was totally worth it. Also, after you get this sorted out, I can't stress enough how much easier direct deposit makes everything. I switched over right after my rent crisis and it's been such a game changer - no more card hassles, no more transfer fees, money just shows up in my account automatically. You're being smart by asking for help here instead of just panicking alone. The unemployment process is stressful enough without having to deal with payment transfer issues on top of it. You've got a solid plan now thanks to everyone's advice - you're going to get through this! 💪

Hey! I totally understand your stress about getting this money transferred quickly for rent - I've been there! Here's the fastest solution for your 3-day timeline: **Call Money Network immediately at 1-866-692-9374** - they're available 24/7 and can help you set up everything over the phone. Ask specifically for an "expedited transfer" which costs around $15 but gets your money to your bank account within 24 hours (sometimes same day if you call early). **What you'll need ready:** - Your EDD Money Network card - Your bank routing and account numbers - About 15-20 minutes for the call The $15 fee is definitely worth it to avoid late rent fees, which are usually much higher! Their customer service is actually pretty helpful compared to EDD. **Pro tip:** Call your landlord today to give them a heads up that your payment might be 1-2 days late due to unemployment payment processing. Most landlords are understanding if you communicate upfront. **For the future:** Once you get through this crisis, log into your UI Online account and switch to direct deposit under "Payment Methods" - it takes 5 minutes and you'll never have to deal with card transfers again! You've got this! The Money Network folks will walk you through everything step by step. 💪

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! I've been lurking on this community for weeks trying to find real solutions to the EDD phone nightmare, and this is hands down the most helpful discussion I've seen. I'm dealing with the exact same issue - my claim started in December and I've been stuck in pending for about 10 days now. Reading about the quarterly review flag was a total revelation - I had zero idea this was even a thing! It's absolutely maddening that EDD doesn't send any notification about these automatic holds. I've been doing the classic mistake of calling the 800 number right at 8am every day and hanging up immediately when I hear that "maximum callers" message. After seeing all these success stories, I'm definitely going to try the 833-978-2511 number tomorrow around 10:30am and actually wait through the full message this time. I love the strategy of immediately mentioning the quarterly review flag by name - that seems so much smarter than trying to explain symptoms and hoping the rep figures it out. @Oliver Becker thank you for starting this thread and following up with your success! And huge thanks to everyone else who shared what actually worked. When the official system completely fails us, this community support is everything. Crossing my fingers that I can finally get through and join the success stories!

This thread is absolutely amazing! I just found it after being stuck in pending hell for 3 weeks and I'm so relieved to finally understand what's happening. My claim also started in December so I'm 99% sure I have that quarterly review flag too. I had NO clue this was even a thing - it's ridiculous that EDD doesn't tell us about these automatic holds! I've been wasting hours every day calling the main number at 8am and getting that same "maximum callers" hangup. Reading all these success stories gives me actual hope for the first time in weeks. Tomorrow I'm trying the 833-978-2511 number at 10:30am and waiting through the full message like everyone suggests. Also definitely using that script about mentioning the quarterly review flag by name right away - seems way more effective than explaining symptoms. Thank you all for sharing strategies that actually WORK instead of just complaining (though we all have good reason to complain lol). If this doesn't work I'm contacting my assembly member too. Will update if I get through! 🤞

Hey Cynthia! Congrats on getting to paid status - that's such an exciting milestone! 🎉 I went through this exact same situation about 2 months ago and totally understand the mix of relief and confusion you're feeling right now. Your Money Network card should arrive within 7-10 business days, but like everyone else has mentioned, it comes in the most generic white envelope from "Conduent" that seriously looks like junk mail. I actually set it aside for almost a week thinking it was another credit card offer! Since your mailing address is at your mom's place, definitely give her a detailed heads up about what to look for. The "waiting period served" is actually great news - it means you've successfully completed California's mandatory unpaid first week that every new claimant has to serve. It's totally normal state policy and you won't get paid for that week, but now you're eligible for actual payments starting with week 2. You didn't do anything wrong at all! Once your card arrives, my biggest recommendation is to activate it right away and immediately set up the Money Network app with notifications enabled. Even better - set up direct deposit through the app as soon as possible! It cuts future payment wait times from days down to next business day. Such a game changer for your peace of mind going forward. You're doing everything right and you're so close to having this all figured out! The hardest part is behind you now. 💪

Hey Cynthia! Congrats on reaching paid status - that's such a huge milestone! 🎉 I just went through this exact same experience about 6 weeks ago and can totally relate to that mix of excitement and anxiety you're feeling. Your Money Network card should arrive within 7-10 business days (mine took 8), but definitely heed everyone's advice about that Conduent envelope - it's SO plain and generic looking! I literally thought it was a credit card application and almost recycled it. Since your address is at your mom's, maybe ask her to text you photos of any envelope that could possibly contain a card over the next couple weeks, just to be extra safe. The "waiting period served" message is actually fantastic news! It means you've completed California's mandatory unpaid first week that ALL new claimants have to serve. Nobody gets paid for that first week - it's just how the system works - but now you're eligible for real payments starting with week 2. You're doing everything perfectly! When your card arrives, activate it immediately and download the Money Network app right away. Set up notifications and definitely get direct deposit configured ASAP through the app - it's a total game changer for future certifications. Instead of waiting days for the card to be loaded, direct deposit hits next business day! You're almost there - the hardest part is behind you now! 💪

Hey @Dmitri! I've been dealing with EDD for the past few months and can definitely confirm - NO Saturday hours whatsoever. It's frustrating when you're working and can't call during their M-F 8am-5pm window. One thing that helped me was calling from my car during my lunch break. I'd dial right at 8:01 AM, put it on speaker, and just let it ring/hold while I worked. Took about 6 tries over different days, but I eventually got through after being on hold for almost 3 hours. Also wanted to mention - if your claim has been pending for over a month like mine was, there's probably a specific flag that needs human intervention. In my case, it was an "eligibility review" that the automated system couldn't process. Once I got through to a rep, they cleared it in about 15 minutes and my payments went from pending to paid the next day. The system is definitely broken, but don't give up! Your benefits are there - it's just a matter of getting past the phone queue maze to claim them. All the tips people shared here about the 8:00:01 timing and button sequences are solid gold.

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Been trying to reach EDD for weeks about my pending claim but work makes it impossible to call during their hours. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about most of these strategies. The insider tip from @GamerGirl99 about calling at 8:00:01 and using the 1-2-1 button sequence is exactly the kind of specific technical info that could make all the difference. It's crazy that we need former employees to tell us how to actually navigate the system properly! I'm also going to check my UI Online inbox more thoroughly after seeing multiple people mention missed document requests. It would be so frustrating to find out I've been waiting weeks for nothing just because I overlooked some notification buried in there. Planning to take a personal day next week and try the early morning calling strategy. Will definitely report back on whether it works. This thread has been more useful than anything on the official EDD website - thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips!

Just went through this whole process myself and finally got my appeal approved last month! One thing that really helped me was creating a timeline of events leading up to my claim denial. I wrote down dates, what happened, who I spoke with, etc. It made it SO much easier to present my case clearly during the hearing. Also, if you're feeling overwhelmed, don't be afraid to ask for help - there are legal aid organizations that offer free assistance with EDD appeals. I used one and they helped me organize my evidence and even did a practice run of the hearing with me. The whole thing took about 3 months from start to finish, but it was worth it to get those back payments. Hang in there, you've got this! 🙏

I'm currently waiting for my appeal hearing to be scheduled and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I wanted to add one thing that my friend who works in social services told me - make sure to submit any new evidence or documentation as soon as possible, even if your hearing isn't scheduled yet. Apparently there's a window where they'll accept additional materials, but if you wait too long they might not consider it. Also, I've been using the EDD website to track my appeal status, and while it doesn't update super frequently, it does show when they've received your paperwork and what stage you're at in the process. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so reassuring to know I'm not going through this alone! 🤝