Hi Ginny! Welcome to the community! 🙌 As a newcomer who's been battling EDD issues for weeks, I can't express how grateful I am to have someone with your expertise here. The endless busy signals and automated hangups have been absolutely soul-crushing, especially when you're already stressed about finances and just need basic help with your claim. I had no idea there were different tiers at EDD or that services like Claimyr existed to actually get through their broken phone system. I'm definitely going to watch your YouTube videos, especially that CEO interview - it sounds like exactly what I need to understand how this all works before making any decisions. The fact that you've helped thousands of people gives me real hope that there might actually be a way out of this nightmare. This community already feels like such a lifeline for getting practical advice from people who truly understand what we're going through. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and helping so many of us navigate this impossible system!

Hi Ginny! Thank you so much for joining this community and sharing your expertise with EDD issues. As someone who's been struggling to navigate the unemployment system for weeks, I really appreciate having access to someone who actually understands how it all works. I've been stuck in that frustrating cycle of busy signals and automated hangups when trying to call EDD - it's so demoralizing when you're already dealing with financial stress. I had no idea there were different tiers of representatives at EDD or that services like Claimyr existed to help get through their phone system. I'm definitely going to check out your YouTube channel, especially that detailed interview with the CEO - it sounds like exactly what I need to understand whether their service would be worth it for my situation. The fact that you've helped thousands of people successfully navigate EDD gives me real hope that there might actually be a solution to this maze. This community already feels like such a valuable resource for getting practical advice from people who've been through these challenges. Looking forward to learning from your content and hopefully getting my claim issues resolved!

I'm going through a similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add that my worker's comp attorney mentioned - if your injury was work-related (you mentioned it was a warehouse accident), you might also want to check if you're entitled to any additional benefits through workers' compensation. Sometimes there can be vocational rehabilitation benefits or temporary disability payments that could help bridge gaps. Also, regarding the job search requirement for UI - make sure you're looking for positions that actually accommodate your restrictions. The EDD wants to see genuine job search efforts, but they understand you can only apply for suitable work within your medical limitations. Keep detailed records of where you apply and any responses you get about accommodations. Has anyone dealt with the work search requirements while having medical restrictions? I'm trying to figure out how many applications per week they typically expect when your job options are more limited.

I'm dealing with a very similar transition right now - my SDI ends next month and my employer has been giving me the runaround about returning to work with restrictions. This thread has been incredibly informative! One thing I wanted to add that helped me prepare: I contacted a local disability rights organization for free advice about my employer's accommodation obligations. They helped me understand what constitutes "reasonable accommodations" versus "undue hardship" for my specific situation. Even if you end up needing to file for UI, having this knowledge can help you better advocate for yourself. Also, for the income gap concern - many credit unions and community organizations offer small emergency loans or hardship assistance programs specifically for people transitioning between benefit programs. It might be worth calling around to see what's available in your area while you're waiting for that first UI payment. The whole system feels overwhelming when you're already dealing with recovery from an injury, but you're asking all the right questions and planning ahead, which puts you in a much better position than a lot of people. Wishing you the best with your transition!

Based on everyone's experiences here, it's crystal clear that you need to report the retention bonus when you receive it. I went through a similar situation during tech layoffs in 2022 - got a $4,200 retention bonus and initially thought it might be treated differently than regular wages. Spoiler alert: it's not! A few things that really helped me: 1) Keep a screenshot or photo of your certification after you submit it showing the bonus amount - this saved me when EDD had a processing delay and couldn't initially find my reported income, 2) If your company uses a payroll service like ADP, they usually provide a detailed pay stub that breaks down the bonus separately from regular wages - keep this as backup documentation, 3) Don't panic if your claim shows "pending" for longer than usual after reporting a large bonus - EDD sometimes flags these for additional review but it typically resolves within 1-2 weeks. The good news is that retention bonuses are actually pretty common during layoffs, so EDD representatives are familiar with them. Just be honest, report it correctly as "bonus pay" for the week received, accept that you'll get zero benefits that week, and your claim should proceed normally afterward. You've got this!

I've been following this discussion closely as I'm in a very similar situation - company downsizing with a retention bonus offer. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm confident about reporting the bonus when I receive it, but I have one specific question: what happens if you receive the retention bonus in one state but then move to another state before filing for unemployment? My company is based in California and will pay the retention bonus here, but I'm planning to relocate to Oregon right after my last day of work and file for unemployment there. Do I still report the California retention bonus on my Oregon unemployment certification? Or does the fact that I earned it while working in California complicate things? I want to make sure I handle the cross-state aspect correctly since both states will have records of my employment/income. Has anyone dealt with receiving retention pay in one state but filing unemployment in a different state?

I'm also filing my first UI claim and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was stressed about this exact same question - whether to include sick leave in my wage calculations. After reading everyone's responses, it's clear that the rule is: include ALL compensation from your W-2, including sick leave that you actually USED during employment (like your 2-hour example). The key distinction everyone mentions about "used during employment" vs "paid out at termination" finally makes sense to me. I was overthinking it too, but it sounds like EDD wants the complete picture of your earnings. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it really helps to hear from people who've actually been through this process successfully!

I'm also filing my first UI claim and was so confused about this exact same thing! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like the consensus is crystal clear: include ALL compensation from your W-2, including any sick leave that you actually USED during employment. In your example, definitely report wages based on the full 40 hours (38 regular + 2 sick leave). The key distinction that everyone keeps emphasizing - "used during employment" vs "paid out at termination" - really helped me understand what counts. I was also overthinking this whole process, but seeing so many people successfully navigate it using this approach gives me confidence. Thanks to everyone for sharing their actual experiences rather than just guessing - this community support makes dealing with EDD so much less stressful for us first-timers!

As someone who just went through this process last month, I can tell you that the waiting is absolutely the worst part! I had my phone interview on February 12th and didn't get my determination until March 5th - so about 3 weeks total. What helped me stay sane was setting up a daily routine of checking my UI Online account at the same time each morning (around 9am) so I wasn't obsessively refreshing all day. The determination letter showed up in my inbox on a Wednesday morning with no warning, and my payments switched to paid that same afternoon. Hang in there - the system is slow but it does eventually work!

I just want to add that while you're waiting for your determination, it's also worth double-checking that all your documents were properly submitted during the interview process. Sometimes delays happen because they're waiting for additional verification or clarification on something that was discussed. If you took any notes during your phone interview about what documents they might need or any follow-up actions, now would be a good time to review those. Also, make sure your mailing address is current in your profile - I've heard of people missing important notices because their address wasn't updated after a recent move. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking, but based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like most people do get their decisions within that 2-3 week window.