I'm dealing with almost the exact same timeline - had my eligibility interview 9 days ago for a layoff situation and still showing pending. The financial stress is real when you're waiting this long with no communication from EDD. Reading through these responses, it seems like there's such a huge variation in wait times even for similar cases. Some people get approved in 2 days, others wait 6+ weeks - there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. I've also been checking my UI Online account obsessively and calling EDD with no luck getting through. At least seeing that @Clarissa Flair just got approved after 13 days gives me some hope that mine might come through soon too.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago - had my eligibility interview for a layoff and waited what felt like forever for a decision. Mine took about 12 days after the interview, which was agonizing when you're watching your bank account dwindle. A few things that helped me get through the wait: 1) I called my former employer's HR directly and confirmed they had responded to EDD's request (turns out they were slow to reply), 2) I documented everything including the interview date and details in case I needed to reference it later, and 3) I reached out to local food banks and utility assistance programs as backup while waiting. The waiting is absolutely brutal, but most layoff cases do get approved eventually since they're pretty straightforward. Hang in there - I know it doesn't help with the immediate stress, but you're not alone in this frustrating process.

I've been in a similar boat and completely understand both your desperation and ethical concerns. After 4 weeks of trying to reach EDD about my pending disqualification, I finally broke down and used one of these services (ended up using EDD Caller after researching several options). Here's what I learned: - They do work, but they're essentially just sophisticated auto-dialers that keep calling until they get through the queue - Cost me $20 but saved probably 20+ hours of my time trying to redial constantly - Got connected to an actual EDD rep in about 45 minutes vs. weeks of failed attempts - The rep was able to see all my uploaded documents and resolve my issue in one call I felt conflicted about paying for what should be free government access, but when you're facing financial hardship and the system is this broken, sometimes pragmatism wins over principles. These services exist because EDD has failed to adequately staff their phone lines or improve their system. My advice: try the free methods others mentioned first (assembly member contact is surprisingly effective), but don't let ethics prevent you from getting help you desperately need. The system is broken - that's not your fault, and you shouldn't suffer because of it. Whatever you decide, make sure you're prepared with specific questions and all your documentation ready when you do get through!

I've been reading through this whole thread and wanted to add my perspective as someone who recently went through this exact situation. Like many of you, I was initially opposed to paying for what should be free government access, but after 5 weeks of failed attempts and facing eviction, I decided to try Claimyr. The service worked as advertised - got connected in about an hour when I'd been trying unsuccessfully for weeks. The representative was able to review my case and resolve my disqualification issue in a single call. Was it expensive? Yes, about $25. But it saved me from potential homelessness. Here's what I think we're all dancing around - the real ethical issue isn't people using these services when they're desperate. It's that California has allowed EDD to become so dysfunctional that a cottage industry has sprung up to provide basic access to government services. These companies exist because our state has failed us, not because we're doing anything wrong by trying to survive. That said, definitely exhaust free options first. The assembly member route mentioned here is legitimate and I wish I'd known about it sooner. But if you're facing immediate financial hardship and free methods aren't working quickly enough, don't let guilt stop you from getting help. The system is broken. You didn't break it. Your priority should be getting the benefits you're entitled to, not maintaining moral purity while you go homeless.

As someone who just went through this process successfully, I wanted to add some encouragement! I was in almost the exact same situation - 6 months of job searching, kept getting feedback about needing more technical skills, and was terrified EDD would cut me off if I enrolled in school. I just finished a 4-month web development bootcamp under CTB approval and it was honestly the best decision I made during my unemployment. Here's what really helped my application get approved quickly: 1. **Timing is everything** - I answered YES to the training question on my first day of classes (not before), and submitted the DE 3100 form within hours of receiving it. 2. **Make it about employability, not education** - In my DE 3100 form, I focused heavily on how this training directly addressed the skill gaps employers kept mentioning in rejection letters. I even included quotes from actual rejection emails I'd received. 3. **Evening schedule is your friend** - The fact that your program is evenings will definitely work in your favor. I emphasized that my schedule allowed me to accept full-time employment if offered. 4. **Prepare for the waiting game** - My payments were pending for about 3 weeks, which was stressful but totally worth it when they got approved. Data analytics is such a hot field right now - I've seen tons of CTB approvals for similar programs. The investment in yourself will pay off huge. I already have two final-round interviews lined up and I just graduated last week! Don't let fear of the approval process stop you from getting the skills you need. The temporary uncertainty is so much better than staying stuck in the same cycle of rejections. You've got this!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I've been unemployed for 5 months and keep getting the same feedback - either overqualified or missing specific technical certifications. I'm looking at a cloud computing certification program that's also evenings/weekends. Reading all these success stories with CTB approval is giving me the confidence to move forward. A few things I'm taking away that seem really important: 1. Wait until classes actually start to answer YES to the training question 2. Submit the DE 3100 form immediately when you get it 3. Be very specific about how the training addresses employer feedback 4. Emphasize that evening schedule allows for full-time work 5. Keep certifying even while payments are pending @Logan Stewart - your data analytics program sounds perfect for CTB approval based on everything I'm reading here. The evening format and high-demand field are exactly what they're looking for. I think you should definitely go for it! One question for the group - has anyone had experience with AWS or cloud computing certifications specifically? I'm wondering if those are viewed as favorably as data analytics or coding bootcamps for CTB approval. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for navigating these situations!

This is exactly why I've been putting off dealing with my pending claim for weeks! The thought of waiting hours just to potentially get disconnected because of some verification code I might not receive is so demoralizing. Reading through everyone's experiences here though, it sounds like the key is really making sure your contact info is 100% accurate in UI Online first. I'm going to bite the bullet, double-check all my account details tonight, and try the 8am strategy tomorrow. It's ridiculous that we have to strategize this much just to get basic assistance, but at least there seems to be a path forward. Thanks for sharing your success story - gives me hope that persistence actually pays off sometimes!

I'm dealing with the exact same verification code nightmare right now! Been trying to get through for my UI claim for over two weeks. What's really frustrating is that I never even knew about this new system until I finally got through the queue and then got automatically disconnected. No warning, no heads up in the UI Online portal - nothing. After reading through all these comments, I'm going to log into my account tonight and triple-check my contact info. Sounds like even a small typo can completely derail the process. The 8am calling strategy seems to be the consensus here, so I'll try that tomorrow. It's honestly mind-boggling that in 2025 we're still dealing with phone systems that feel like they're from the 1990s, but at least this thread gives me some hope that there's actually a way through this mess. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I went through something very similar with my catering company last year! The confusion around irregular W2 work is so real. What really helped me was creating a simple email template that I send to my supervisor every month asking about my employment status - something like "Hi [Name], just confirming I'm still considered an active employee during periods between assignments for my unemployment certification purposes." Having that monthly confirmation email saved me from a lot of anxiety during certification, and it also created a paper trail. My company responded that as long as I'm available and willing to accept assignments when offered, I remain an active employee regardless of gaps between work. One more tip - I also started taking screenshots of any scheduling apps or employee portals that show I'm still "active" in their system. These little pieces of documentation really add up and give you confidence when certifying!

I'm currently dealing with this exact situation with my freelance production work! Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly eye-opening. I think the biggest lesson here is that there's no one-size-fits-all answer since every employer handles irregular workers differently. What I'm taking away from this thread: 1. Contact your employer ASAP to understand their specific policies about employment status during work gaps 2. Document absolutely everything - emails, texts, screenshots of employee portals, pay stubs 3. Be consistent in how you report (don't flip-flop between employed/terminated unless your actual status changes) 4. When in doubt, err on the side of reporting as still employed rather than terminated, since that seems to cause fewer issues with EDD The stories about overpayment notices are definitely scary, but it sounds like most of those situations stemmed from mismatched expectations between what the worker thought their status was versus what the employer reported. Getting that clarity upfront seems to be the key to avoiding those headaches. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this has been way more helpful than trying to decipher EDD's website on my own!