I've been following this thread closely as I'm dealing with a very similar situation - my SDI claim has been pending for 6 weeks now after taking leave for a family member's cancer treatment. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the new medical certification form issue is affecting a lot of people. I just logged into SDI Online and found the same flag about medical certification problems that others mentioned. For anyone still struggling to get through by phone, I wanted to share that I had success yesterday using a combination of tips from this thread: I called the alternate number (1-800-300-5616) that @GalacticGladiator mentioned at exactly 11:15 AM on a Thursday, and got through after a 52-minute hold. The rep confirmed my doctor had used the old form and is sending the updated one directly to their office. One thing she mentioned that I hadn't seen discussed here - if your claim involves caring for a family member (rather than your own medical condition), make sure the medical certification specifically indicates that you're needed to provide care. Apparently many doctors just fill out the patient's medical information but don't explicitly state that family care is required, which can cause additional delays. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this community support made all the difference in understanding what was actually happening with my claim!

I'm dealing with a similar SDI claim situation and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been stuck in "pending" status for about 4 weeks now and had no idea about the new medical certification form requirements that changed in January. After reading through everyone's experiences, I just checked my SDI Online account and found the same medical certification flag that others mentioned. I'm planning to try the alternate number approach tomorrow (1-800-300-5616) around 11:30 AM like @GalacticGladiator suggested, since the 8:00 AM rush hasn't been working for me either. It's so frustrating that EDD doesn't proactively notify us about these form issues, but I'm grateful this community exists to help each other navigate these problems. One question for those who successfully got through - when you spoke with the EDD rep, were they able to tell you immediately what the specific issue was with your claim, or did you have to provide certain information first to get them to look into it? I want to make sure I'm prepared with everything they might need when I finally get connected. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences and tips here - this has been more helpful than any official EDD resource I've found!

Huge congratulations Isabella! 🎉 This is exactly the kind of outcome we love to see here. Your case really highlights how flawed EDD's initial determinations can be - startup funding running out is textbook "lack of work," not misconduct. I'm so glad you didn't give up and fought the decision. For anyone else reading this who's dealing with a similar situation, Isabella's case shows that appeals absolutely can and do work when you have a legitimate claim. The 15-day timeline also seems to be pretty standard right now. Fingers crossed your UI account updates quickly and you get all that backpay without having to make the dreaded EDD phone calls!

Amazing news Isabella! 🎉 This is such a perfect example of why the appeal process exists - EDD's initial determinations are often completely off base, especially when it comes to startup situations. A company running out of funding is literally the definition of a layoff due to lack of work, not misconduct. It's frustrating that you had to go through weeks of stress and uncertainty for something that should have been obvious from the start. The 15-day timeline matches what I've been seeing lately too. Now just keep your fingers crossed that the payment processing goes smoothly - sometimes that's the next hurdle! Make sure to keep certifying and don't hesitate to call if your account doesn't update within a week or so. Your case will definitely give hope to others dealing with similar startup layoff situations.

Good luck with your appeal! Just want to add that when you gather your documentation, make sure to include any written communication you had with your employer about the wage discrepancy. If you have emails or texts showing they acknowledged the error, that can really strengthen your case. Also, if you have your final pay stub from that job, compare it to what EDD shows they reported - sometimes the mistake is obvious when you see them side by side. The appeal process can take a while (like 2-3 months in my experience) but it's definitely worth it if you can prove the error wasn't your fault. You might even be able to get those penalty weeks removed retroactively.

Just want to jump in here as someone who went through a similar situation last year. I had 4 penalty weeks due to an employer wage reporting error and it was incredibly frustrating. The key thing I learned is that you absolutely need to appeal if the mistake wasn't yours - don't just accept the penalty weeks. I initially thought it wasn't worth the hassle, but after reading posts like this and getting advice from other community members, I decided to fight it. It took about 10 weeks total, but I eventually got the penalty weeks completely removed and received backpay for the weeks I had already served the penalty. The documentation is crucial - I gathered my pay stubs, tax forms, and even a letter from my former employer acknowledging their reporting error. Don't give up on the appeal process even if it seems daunting!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately dealing with disqualified weeks as well. After reading through all these helpful responses, I'm realizing how common this issue is and that there's actually hope for getting it resolved! I had several weeks disqualified after my August certification and like many others here, I had no clear explanation from EDD about why. The lack of transparency is incredibly frustrating when you're already stressed about finances. I'm planning to start calling first thing tomorrow using the strategies mentioned here - the 8am approach and those menu options people have shared. It's really encouraging to see so many success stories where people got their disqualified weeks reversed and received back pay. I'll make sure to keep detailed notes of any calls and continue certifying for new weeks while this gets sorted out. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and tips - this community support makes dealing with EDD's confusing system much less overwhelming!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with the same disqualification issue that brought me here. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both helpful and eye-opening - it's clear this problem is way more widespread than it should be! I had two weeks disqualified after my July certification and like many others here, I received absolutely no explanation from EDD about why. The system just shows "disqualified" with zero details, which is incredibly frustrating when you're already dealing with financial stress. Based on all the great advice shared here, I'm going to start calling tomorrow morning using the 8am strategy and those specific menu options people have mentioned. It's really encouraging to see so many success stories where people actually got their disqualified weeks reversed and received back pay - gives me hope that persistence will eventually pay off! I'll make sure to keep detailed notes of any calls, have all my certification information ready, and continue certifying for new weeks while this gets resolved. Thank you all for creating such a supportive community and sharing your strategies - it makes navigating EDD's confusing system feel much less overwhelming when you know you're not alone in this fight!

I'm in this exact situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! Just graduated last month and my campus job at the financial aid office ended because it was restricted to currently enrolled students. I was completely lost about whether I'd even qualify for EDD benefits, but reading through all these detailed experiences has given me so much clarity and confidence. My situation: worked there for 18 months, consistently 20 hours/week during school and full-time during winter/summer breaks. About 80% university-funded, 20% work-study. I have CA SDI deductions on every pay stub and my HR separation letter says "position discontinued due to completion of degree program." The success stories from @Emma Wilson, @Noah Lee, @Alejandro Castro and others are incredibly encouraging - it's clear that many students in our situation do qualify for benefits on the university-funded portions of their employment. The advice about framing it as "position ended" rather than "I quit because I graduated" seems absolutely critical based on everyone's experiences. I was initially hesitant because I thought student jobs automatically disqualified you, but the consistent message here is clear: apply anyway! The worst they can say is no, and there's real evidence from this community that approvals (and successful appeals) happen regularly for situations like ours. Planning to apply online tomorrow morning and will definitely keep detailed records of my job search activities. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread should be required reading for any graduating student with campus employment! I'll update with my results to hopefully help the next person in this situation.

I'm in almost the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just graduated two weeks ago and my campus job at the student research center ended because it was only for enrolled students. I've been so worried about covering expenses during my job search, but reading all these success stories has given me hope. My situation: worked there for 2.5 years, about 22 hours/week during school and full-time during breaks. It was 100% university-funded (no work-study component) and I have CA SDI deductions on all my pay stubs. My termination letter says "employment concluded upon completion of academic requirements" - which seems like the perfect language based on everyone's advice here. The consistent theme from all the successful cases - @Emma Wilson, @Noah Lee, @Alejandro Castro, and others - is really encouraging. It's clear that framing this as "position ended" rather than "I had to leave because I graduated" is crucial, and the fact that multiple people got benefits for their university-funded portions gives me confidence this isn't impossible. I'm planning to apply online tomorrow after reading all this advice. Even if I get initially denied, knowing that appeals can be successful makes it worth trying. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support makes navigating EDD so much less intimidating! I'll definitely update with my results to help other students in similar situations.