I just went through this same situation a few weeks ago! What worked for me was requesting an "Employment Development Department Benefit Year Summary" through the UI Online messaging system. It's different from the regular payment history and comes on official EDD letterhead with all your payment details in a more formal format. To get it: Log into UI Online → Contact EDD → Select "Unemployment Insurance Benefits" → Subject: "Request for Official Benefit Year Summary for Housing Application" → Explain you need official documentation for rental application. It took about 7 business days to receive it by mail, and my property management company accepted it immediately. The document looks very official and includes your claim details, weekly benefit amount, and complete payment history with dates and amounts. In the meantime, definitely try the combination approach others mentioned (Award Letter + printed payment history + bank statements) with a professional cover letter. But if they're being really strict about "official" documentation, the Benefit Year Summary is your best bet. Worth the wait if you can swing it timing-wise!

I'm dealing with this exact same frustration right now! Reading through all these responses is so helpful. It sounds like there are actually several different official documents EDD can provide - the Award Letter, Monetary Determination, Payment Activity Report, Benefit Year Summary, and DE 4581 form. For anyone else going through this, it seems like the key strategies are: 1. Request the official "Benefit Year Summary" through UI Online messaging (as Aisha Rahman described) 2. Use the combination approach: Award Letter + printed payment history + bank statements + cover letter 3. Get documents notarized if needed to add legitimacy 4. Escalate to the property manager instead of dealing with leasing agents 5. Try calling local EDD offices instead of the main number The fact that so many people have dealt with this shows how common the problem is, but also that there ARE solutions. I'm going to try requesting the Benefit Year Summary first since it sounds the most official, and if my timeline is too tight, I'll go with the combination package approach. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Final update: Got my issue resolved after 2.5 hour call. Worth it but I'm never doing this manual calling process again. Next time I'm using an automated service for sure.

For anyone new to this thread: EDD hours are 8am-5pm M-F, they don't answer 12-1:30pm for lunch, expect 20-100+ redial attempts just to get on hold, and 30-50% of calls drop even when you do get through. Plan accordingly.

I'm a current doctoral student who went through this exact situation last year. While everyone's right that regular EDD benefits won't work due to the "available for work" requirement conflicting with your employment prohibition, I want to share what actually saved me financially: **CalFresh with student exemptions** - You mentioned this briefly, but it's worth diving deeper. Even without work-study, you might qualify if you can document that your expected family contribution is zero or if you're caring for a dependent. The application process is tedious but can provide $200+ monthly for groceries. **University emergency funds move FAST** - I got $1,500 within 48 hours from USC's emergency assistance when I explained my situation clearly. Don't write a novel - just state facts: program prohibits employment, living costs exceed aid, need bridge funding until TA opportunities become available. **Research participant databases** - Sign up for every university research study database you can find. I averaged about $300/month participating in psychology, business, and social science studies. It's completely separate from employment and actually looks good academically. **Department "work" vs "employment"** - My program distinguishes between prohibited outside employment and internal academic support. I now help with departmental events, guest lecture preparation, and conference logistics for modest stipends that don't count as employment. The key is being strategic and persistent. Your financial aid office wants you to succeed - use that to your advantage. Good luck!

I'm a third-year doctoral student at UCLA who faced almost identical circumstances during my first year. The employment prohibition is standard, and unfortunately, EDD won't work - but there are definitely viable alternatives that can get you through this financial crunch. Here's what worked for me specifically: **Graduate Student Resource Center** - Most people don't know this exists, but UCLA (and USC) have dedicated resource centers for grad students with emergency funding, food assistance, and financial counseling. They're separate from general financial aid and often have faster turnaround times. **Professional development funding** - Many programs have discretionary funds for "professional development" that can cover conference attendance, research materials, or even living expenses if you frame it as supporting your academic progress. Ask your department administrator (not just your advisor) about these opportunities. **Teaching prep stipends** - Even though you can't TA until year 2, some departments pay small stipends for preparing teaching materials, attending pedagogy workshops, or observing classes. These are considered academic preparation, not employment. **Plasma donation** - As mentioned by another commenter, this isn't employment and can provide $400-600/month. CSL Plasma and Grifols have locations near most LA campuses. The financial stress during year one is incredibly tough, but remember that your program accepted you because they believe in your potential. Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself - squeaky wheels get the grease, especially when it comes to keeping students enrolled. You've got this!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience as someone who recently went through EDD's work search requirements after a layoff. Your mother-in-law is absolutely doing the right thing by documenting those "not accepting applications" visits! I was laid off from my retail job last fall and encountered the same frustrating situation - so many businesses had job postings online but weren't actually processing applications when I showed up in person. What I learned from talking to an EDD representative is that they specifically look for "good faith efforts" rather than successful applications. Here's what has worked well for me: I keep a detailed log with the date, business name, address, person I spoke with (even if just "front desk staff"), and their exact response. When someone says "we're not taking applications," I also note any additional information like "expecting to resume hiring in spring" or "applications currently on hold due to staffing changes." One thing that really helped my confidence was learning that EDD actually prefers seeing diverse job search activities. So mixing those in-person visits with online applications, checking company websites directly, and even reaching out to former colleagues all counts toward the weekly requirements. The manufacturing sector has been hit particularly hard lately, but your mother-in-law's 17 years of experience is valuable. Keep encouraging her to document everything - those conversations where businesses explain they're not hiring actually demonstrate she's actively engaging with the job market despite challenging conditions!

I'm new to this community but currently dealing with a very similar situation! I was laid off from my assembly line job in February after 9 years and have been running into the same "not accepting applications" responses everywhere. Reading through this entire thread has been so reassuring - I had no idea that documenting these conversations was not only okay but actually what EDD expects to see. What's really helped me is what some others mentioned about asking follow-up questions when businesses say they're not hiring. Instead of just walking away defeated, I now ask things like "When do you typically do your hiring?" or "What positions do you usually have available?" This has led to some really useful conversations and makes me feel like I'm gathering actual market intelligence rather than just collecting rejections. I've also started mixing my approach more - some days I focus on online applications, other days I do in-person visits, and I always try to include at least one networking activity per week (calling former coworkers, checking with my old supervisor about industry contacts, etc.). This variety has made my work search feel more productive even when individual employers aren't accepting applications. Your mother-in-law sounds like she's handling this exactly right! The fact that she's had no payment issues for 6 weeks is proof that EDD recognizes genuine effort. This job market is brutal right now but her persistence and detailed documentation are going to pay off. Keep encouraging her - we're all navigating this tough situation together!

This thread is absolutely incredible - I wish I had found it when I first filed my claim! I went through the exact same confusion about the waiting period timing. Filed on a Tuesday and couldn't understand why the previous Sunday was showing as my claim start date. I actually drove myself crazy for days thinking EDD had made an error with my application. The "weekly buckets" explanation is pure gold - it should honestly be the first thing EDD tells people when they file. Instead of all their confusing legal language about "benefit weeks" and "claim effective dates," they should just say "we use Sunday-Saturday buckets and you get sorted into whichever bucket covers the week you file." Would save everyone so much stress! One thing I learned that might help others: when you do your first certification (which will cover both your waiting week and your first payable week), don't be surprised if it feels overwhelming with all the questions. Take your time, answer honestly about any work or income during both weeks, and remember that even though the waiting week won't be paid, completing that certification is crucial for your overall claim timeline. The second certification is SO much easier once you've been through it once!

This thread has been absolutely life-saving! I just filed my claim this morning (Friday) and was already spiraling into anxiety when I logged into UI Online and saw this upcoming Sunday listed as my benefit year start date. I kept refreshing the page thinking there was a glitch or that I had somehow filed incorrectly. The "weekly buckets" explanation is brilliant - it finally makes sense why EDD uses these Sunday dates that seem to come out of nowhere. It's like they have these pre-made weekly containers running Sunday through Saturday, and no matter what day you actually file, you automatically get sorted into the current week's Sunday bucket. So my waiting period will start this Sunday even though I just filed today. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread because the official EDD explanations are absolutely useless compared to real people sharing their actual experiences. Thank you all for taking the time to break this down so clearly - you've saved me from what would have been days of stress and probably dozens of frustrated phone calls to EDD! Now I know to expect my first certification to cover both the waiting week and my first potentially payable week, and most importantly, not to skip certifying for that waiting week even though I won't get paid for it.