This thread has been an absolute godsend! I'm currently waiting for my EDD interview scheduled for next week and have been stressed beyond belief. Nina, your detailed journey from panic to resolution is exactly what I needed to read. What really stands out to me is how you stayed organized with documentation and kept updating us throughout the process - that's incredibly helpful for those of us going through similar situations. I'm in a very similar boat - was laid off in February from a tech startup that had to downsize their entire product team, have been receiving benefits for about 5 weeks, and suddenly got hit with this interview notice. Reading how your employer initially reported the wrong separation reason but everything worked out once you provided proper documentation gives me hope that mine will too. Already reaching out to my former manager to confirm what was reported to EDD, and I've got all my layoff paperwork organized thanks to everyone's advice here. It's amazing how this community comes together to support each other through these stressful situations!

This thread is absolutely incredible and has been such a lifeline for so many people! Nina, I can't thank you enough for documenting your entire journey from start to finish - from the initial panic to the happy resolution. As someone who's completely new to the unemployment system and frankly terrified of dealing with government agencies, seeing your real experience laid out step by step is invaluable. What really strikes me is how common this situation seems to be based on all the responses here. It's reassuring to know that these interviews are often just routine verification rather than signs of serious problems. The fact that your employer initially reported the wrong separation reason but everything got sorted out quickly when you provided proper documentation is exactly the kind of real-world insight that you can't find in official guides. I'm bookmarking this entire thread because the advice here is gold - keep all documentation organized, don't panic about employer coding errors, prepare a clear timeline, and stay calm during the interview. This community really shows how much we can help each other through these stressful processes. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and totally understand your stress! The good news is that second-level appeals to CUIAB have a pretty low success rate for employers, especially when the ALJ made strong factual findings like yours did. The board is really just looking for legal errors in how the judge applied unemployment law, not re-evaluating whether they like the employer's story better. The phrase "inconsistent and unpersuasive" is actually really powerful language that shows the judge carefully evaluated credibility - that's exactly the kind of factual determination the board rarely overturns. My employer also appealed after I won my initial hearing (they claimed "misconduct" with zero documentation), and the board upheld my case after about 10 weeks. Definitely keep certifying every two weeks - that's what you're supposed to do during the appeal process. I was worried about overpayment too, but even in the unlikely event the decision gets reversed, you can request a hardship waiver. Most of these second appeals are honestly just employers trying to avoid higher UI tax rates rather than having real legal merit. You've already cleared the biggest hurdle by winning the first hearing with such strong language from the judge. The waiting is brutal, but try to stay focused on job searching and remember that the statistics are very much in your favor. You've got this!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this additional stress after already winning your first appeal! I went through something very similar about a year ago when my employer appealed to CUIAB after I won my initial hearing. The anxiety is absolutely brutal, but I want to share what I learned that might help ease your mind a bit. The CUIAB board has a much higher standard for overturning ALJ decisions - they're specifically looking for legal errors in how unemployment law was applied, not just disagreeing with the outcome. The fact that your judge used such strong language calling their evidence "inconsistent and unpersuasive" is actually a really good sign. That's the kind of credibility finding that carries serious weight with the board. In my case, the employer claimed I was terminated for "performance issues" but had zero documentation to back it up (sound familiar?). The board upheld the ALJ decision after about 11 weeks, basically saying the judge properly evaluated the evidence and applied the law correctly. Definitely keep certifying and collecting benefits during this process - that's exactly what you're supposed to do. I was terrified about potential overpayment too, but my case worker assured me that's the correct procedure. Even in the unlikely event something gets reversed, hardship waivers are available. Most of these second appeals are honestly just employers trying to avoid higher UI tax rates rather than having real legal grounds. You've already won the hardest battle - try to stay focused on your husband's job search and remember that the odds are very much in your favor. Hang in there!

This thread has become such an amazing resource! I'm dealing with a similar EDD wage issue right now and reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful. I've been stuck in the "insufficient wages" loop for two weeks despite working full-time as a nurse for the past 16 months. What really struck me from this discussion is how many different things can cause the same error message - base period confusion, name mismatches, employer reporting errors. I never would have thought to check if my employer had my name spelled differently in their payroll system! I go by "Alex" at work but my legal name is "Alexandria" on my Social Security card, so that could definitely be the issue. I'm going to try the Claimyr service this week based on all the positive feedback here, and I'll make sure to have all my documentation ready - pay stubs, ID, and anything that shows the name variation. The tip about asking specifically for a tier 2 rep for wage investigations is gold! Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and solutions. It's so reassuring to know that persistence pays off and that there are actual pathways to resolve these issues once you can reach the right person. This community support makes such a difference during what's already a stressful time!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm dealing with a similar wage verification issue right now - filed for UI about 10 days ago and got the "insufficient wages" message even though I've been working steadily at a tech startup for the past 14 months. Reading through everyone's experiences has made me realize there are so many potential causes I never would have considered. The name discrepancy issue seems to come up constantly in these comments! I actually use my middle name professionally but my first name is on all my official documents, so that could definitely be my problem. I'm also wondering about the base period calculation since I started my current job in January 2024 - those first few months were part-time while I was transitioning from my previous role. I've been trying the 8:01 AM calling strategy with no luck so far, but I'm definitely going to try Claimyr based on all the success stories here. The fact that so many people have gotten this resolved once they reached an actual human gives me hope! I'll make sure to have my pay stubs organized and ask specifically for a tier 2 rep for the wage investigation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community knowledge is invaluable when you're trying to navigate such a confusing system!

Just an additional tip: keep VERY careful records of exactly which days you work and how much you earn each day. If your contract spans across different certification weeks, you'll need to calculate exactly how much to report for each week. EDD goes by Sunday-Saturday weeks. For example, if you work Thursday, Friday, Saturday of one week ($2,600) and then Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of the next week ($2,600), you need to split up the $5,200 accordingly when you certify. I learned this the hard way and had to deal with an overpayment notice because I didn't calculate it correctly!

Just wanted to add - definitely take that contract! That's an amazing rate. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to save some of that contract income for taxes since it won't have the same withholdings as regular employment. Also, make sure you get a 1099 from the company at the end of the year for tax purposes. The unemployment system is actually designed to encourage people to take temporary work like this. It's a win-win - you get great pay for two weeks, and EDD doesn't have to pay you benefits during that time. Your claim will be there waiting for you when the contract ends. Good luck with the gig! Sounds like it could be a great networking opportunity too even if it's just two weeks.

I went through almost the identical situation about 8 months ago! Took a 7-week marketing contract while on unemployment and everything worked exactly as people described here. One thing I'd add is to double-check that your contract employer won't try to classify you as a regular employee for those 6 weeks - some companies get confused about temp vs contract work and that can create complications with EDD. Also, if you're in marketing like me, make sure the contract work doesn't have a non-compete clause that might affect your job search afterward. Overall though, taking that contract was one of the best decisions I made - it kept my skills sharp, gave me recent experience to talk about in interviews, and I was able to return to benefits seamlessly when it ended. The extra income during those weeks was also really helpful for my finances. You're making a smart move!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been a goldmine of information! I was just offered a 8-week contract in graphic design while on unemployment and was terrified about messing up my benefits. Reading everyone's experiences has given me so much confidence to accept the position. One question though - has anyone dealt with a contract that might require occasional work on weekends? I'm wondering how to handle the certification if my work schedule isn't strictly Monday-Friday. Do I still report earnings for the full week regardless of which specific days I worked, or does the day-of-week matter for reporting purposes? Thanks in advance - this community has been incredibly helpful!