Update: I called EDD using that Claimyr service and got through to someone who explained everything. For anyone else who needs to know: You mark "No" for the days you're at jury duty when they ask if you were able and available for work. Then report the jury pay as income. They said as long as you're honest about it, there's no issue with your claim. Thanks everyone for the help!

Just wanted to add that if you're on a longer jury trial (like 2+ weeks), you might want to contact EDD directly to discuss your situation. I served on a 3-week trial last year and they were actually pretty accommodating - they adjusted my certification schedule so I didn't have to worry about missing deadlines while in trial. The key is being proactive and transparent with them about your jury service dates.

I'm a former EDD claims processor and wanted to add some insight from the inside perspective. Your situation is absolutely eligible for UI benefits - we see cases like this regularly and they're usually straightforward once you get to the eligibility interview. A few practical tips based on what I've seen work best: 1. When you file online, there should be a dropdown for "reduction in hours/wages" - select that rather than "laid off" or "quit." This will route your claim correctly from the start. 2. During your eligibility interview, lead with the key facts: employed since [date], last paid March 15th, still working full hours but receiving $0. The interviewer will understand immediately. 3. Don't worry too much about your employer contesting - with 7 weeks of non-payment, their case would be extremely weak. Most employers in this situation are too busy trying to keep their business afloat to fight UI claims. 4. Timeline-wise, with the eligibility interview you're probably looking at 3-4 weeks from filing to first payment, assuming no complications. The fact that you're still showing up to work actually strengthens your case significantly. It shows good faith on your part and makes it clear this isn't voluntary. File today if you haven't already - you've waited long enough!

I'm so glad you found this thread helpful! As someone who went through a very similar situation about 6 months ago, I can tell you that filing for UI benefits while still "employed" but not getting paid was absolutely the right decision. My employer kept promising payment was "just around the corner" for almost 2 months before I finally took action. Looking back, I wish I had filed sooner like you're planning to do. A couple of additional tips from my experience: - When you get to the eligibility interview, have a timeline ready of when you were last paid, how many weeks it's been, and what your employer has told you about when payment might come - Keep a simple log of your daily work activities during this period - it helps demonstrate you're still performing your job duties despite not being compensated - If possible, try to get any promises about payment in writing (text, email) rather than just verbal - this documentation can be really helpful The whole process took about 3.5 weeks for me from filing to first payment, which included the eligibility interview. The EDD representative was very understanding once I explained the situation. You're making the smart choice by protecting yourself financially while hoping your employer sorts things out. Best of luck with your claim!

This thread has been a lifesaver! I'm about 5 weeks into my EDD claim and have been doing the exact same weekend certification anxiety dance as everyone else here. I actually had a mini panic attack two weeks ago when I realized I forgot to certify on Saturday and didn't remember until Sunday afternoon. I was convinced I'd screwed up my whole payment schedule! Reading Leo's experience from start to finish - the initial worry, everyone's reassuring responses, and then the confirmation that payment came through normally - is exactly what I needed to see. It's crazy how much stress we put on ourselves as newcomers when EDD actually designed the system to be more forgiving than we think. The community knowledge here is pure gold - so much more helpful than trying to decode EDD's confusing website. Thanks for asking this question and following through with the results!

This entire discussion has been incredibly helpful! I just submitted my first EDD claim application yesterday and I'm already stressing about certification procedures. Reading through Leo's real-time experience - from the initial panic about certifying on Sunday instead of Saturday to getting paid on the normal schedule - is exactly the kind of practical information I needed. I had no idea there was a whole weekend window for certification! I was already planning to set Saturday morning alarms thinking I had to certify at a specific time. The detailed breakdown about the Saturday 12:01 AM through Sunday 11:59 PM timeframe is so much clearer than anything I found on the official EDD website. It's reassuring to see how supportive this community is for newcomers who are still learning how everything works. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I'm currently dealing with this exact same issue! Filed my claim about 2 weeks ago, got my first payment on my EDD card yesterday ($312), and just logged in today to see that "reopen your claim" button sitting there mocking me. I was literally about to click it thinking maybe I needed to do something to continue my benefits. Thank goodness I found this thread first! Reading everyone's experiences has been such a huge relief. I checked my claim status and it shows "Active" with my benefit year ending next March, and my certification date for this weekend is clearly displayed. It's honestly insane how EDD's system can create so much panic and confusion for people who are already stressed about their financial situation. Like, why would they show that button to someone who JUST got their first payment? The timing makes zero sense! But I'm so grateful for everyone who shared their stories here - you've definitely saved me from making a costly mistake. I'll be ignoring that button and just certifying normally this weekend!

I'm going through this EXACT same situation right now and this thread is a lifesaver! Filed my claim 3 weeks ago, got my first payment yesterday ($398), and when I checked my account today there's that stupid "reopen your claim" button just sitting there. I was literally seconds away from clicking it because I thought maybe it was something I needed to do. After reading everyone's experiences here, I checked my claim status and it shows "Active" with my next certification date clearly listed for Sunday. So I'm definitely going to follow everyone's advice and ignore that glitchy button completely. It's honestly incredible how many people have experienced this exact same timeline - get first payment, then immediately see the confusing reopen button the next day. This has to be one of the most common EDD system glitches out there. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, especially those who warned about what happens if you actually click it. You've saved me from potentially creating a huge mess with my benefits!

This thread is absolutely invaluable! I just started my appeal process last week after being disqualified for "voluntary quit" (even though I was laid off due to project completion) and I had no idea about this certification issue. Reading everyone's experiences here is both alarming and reassuring - alarming that EDD's system is so fundamentally broken that it contradicts their own policies, but reassuring to know there are concrete solutions. I'm definitely going to keep a close eye on my certification options and have the Claimyr info ready just in case. It's absolutely insane that we have to become experts in navigating around their technical failures just to access benefits we're entitled to. Thank you @334def0feab9 for sharing such a detailed resolution process and to everyone else for confirming this is a systemic issue. This community is honestly more helpful than any official EDD resource I've found. I'll make sure to update if I run into this problem too - the more documented cases we have, the better we can help future people facing the same nightmare!

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm currently in the middle of an appeal process myself (filed about 4 weeks ago for a disqualification related to availability issues) and just noticed yesterday that my certification options have completely disappeared from UI Online. I was starting to panic thinking I had somehow violated appeal procedures or missed a critical deadline. Reading through everyone's experiences here, especially @334def0feab9's detailed solution walkthrough, has been such a relief. It's absolutely mind-boggling that EDD's system creates technical barriers that directly contradict their own policies about continuing to certify during appeals. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service first since multiple people here have had success with it. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and creating such a comprehensive resource - this community provides better guidance than anything on EDD's official website. I'll make sure to update once I get this resolved to add another data point for anyone else facing this same frustrating issue!