Just want to add one more thing that helped me during my appeal - if you can, try to get statements from any coworkers who witnessed how returns were typically handled at your store. Even if they can't testify at the hearing, having written statements from people who saw that your actions were consistent with normal practice can be really powerful evidence. Also, when you're writing up your timeline of events, include any conversations you had with supervisors or managers about returns policy, especially if you ever asked for clarification and were told to handle things the way you did. This shows you were actively trying to follow proper procedure. The stress is real, but remember that EDD disqualifies a LOT of people initially - it doesn't mean your case is weak. They're required by law to investigate when employers claim misconduct, but that doesn't mean they've made the right decision. You clearly have strong evidence that this was either a misunderstanding or inconsistent enforcement of policy, not deliberate misconduct. Keep fighting!

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share that I went through something very similar about 8 months ago. The "disqualified week" status is terrifying when you're already stressed about money, but please don't panic! What really helped me was understanding that EDD's initial decision is often just based on what your employer reported, without hearing your side at all. They basically have to disqualify first and let you prove your case later - it's backwards but that's how the system works. My situation was almost identical - long-term employee (5 years), new manager came in and suddenly everything I'd been doing "correctly" was wrong. I was fired for supposedly mishandling customer complaints, but I had been following the exact same process my previous supervisor taught me. The appeal process was stressful but definitely worth it. I gathered every piece of evidence I could find, got statements from coworkers, and really focused on proving that my actions weren't deliberate misconduct - just following procedures as I understood them. Won my case and got full back pay for all the weeks I was disqualified. Based on what you've described about following authorization procedures and this happening after new management arrived, you have a really strong case. Don't let them intimidate you into giving up! File that appeal ASAP and keep certifying every two weeks. You've got this!

I've been reading through everyone's experiences and it's both heartbreaking and validating to see I'm not the only one going through this hell. I'm on day 12 of calling with zero success - not even making it to hold once. My benefits are suspended and I'm running out of savings. The tips about avoiding lunch hours and calling Wednesday afternoons are gold - wish EDD would just tell us this stuff upfront instead of making us figure it out through trial and error. Based on all the success stories here, I think I'm going to try Claimyr tomorrow. At this point, $20 is a bargain compared to the hours I've wasted and the stress this is causing. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - at least we can help each other navigate this broken system.

I'm experiencing the exact same issue! Been trying for over a week now with the same pattern - call at 8am, get the "too busy" message or sit on hold for hours just to get disconnected. It's incredibly frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops just to talk to someone about our own benefits. Reading through all these comments has been eye-opening though. The tip about avoiding lunch hours (12pm-1:30pm) and the fact that they stop taking calls after 4pm despite being "open" until 5pm is information that should be public knowledge. I'm seriously considering trying Claimyr after seeing so many success stories here - it seems like the only reliable way people are actually getting through. This whole situation is a perfect example of how broken the system is when we have to pay third-party services just to access basic government assistance.

I'm going through the exact same situation and this thread has been such a huge help! Had my eligibility interview 5 days ago, and my status also changed from "pending review" to "no weeks to certify" with my first two weeks stuck in "disqualified" status. What's been driving me crazy is that the EDD rep told me "7-10 business days" for a decision, but didn't explain what all these status changes would mean in the meantime. I was totally panicking thinking the disqualification was final! Reading everyone's experiences here - especially @Omar Zaki and @Ella Harper sharing that their disqualified weeks eventually flipped to "paid" retroactively - has given me so much hope. I had no idea this was such a common part of their review process. The hardest part is not knowing if I should be looking for work or planning my budget around potentially getting those benefits. The uncertainty is brutal when you're already stressed about finances. Thank you @LunarLegend for posting this question and everyone for sharing your stories. It's amazing how much better it feels knowing this confusing limbo period is normal and not just something wrong with my specific case!

I'm going through this EXACT same thing right now and finding this thread has been such a relief! Had my eligibility interview 4 days ago, and just like everyone else here, my status changed from "pending review" to "no weeks to certify" with my initial weeks showing as disqualified. I was absolutely convinced they had denied my claim without any notification - the anxiety has been through the roof! But reading all these experiences, especially from people like @Omar Zaki and @Ella Harper who went through the same thing and eventually got approved with retroactive pay, has given me so much hope. What really gets me is how EDD gives you zero explanation for what these status changes actually mean during their review process. Like @Yuki Tanaka said, a simple "your claim is under review, certification temporarily suspended" message would prevent so much panic! Instead we're all here trying to decode their mysterious system together. The waiting is absolutely brutal when you're depending on these benefits for rent and groceries. I keep refreshing my UI Online account hoping something will change, but I'm going to try to follow everyone's advice and wait the full two weeks before calling. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - knowing this confusing limbo is actually normal makes it so much more bearable. This community is amazing for helping newcomers understand EDD's frustrating process!

Just wanted to add another potential solution for anyone still struggling with this - if you're getting persistent "Service Unavailable" errors, try switching your DNS settings to Google's public DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare's (1.1.1.1). Sometimes ISP DNS servers have issues resolving EDD's servers properly, especially during high traffic periods. I had this exact same problem last month and changing my DNS fixed it immediately when nothing else worked. It's a simple change in your network settings and you can always switch back if it doesn't help. Worth trying before calling or using third-party services!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Been trying to access UI Online since yesterday and getting intermittent "Service Unavailable" errors. What's weird is that sometimes I can get to the login page but then it times out when I try to actually log in. I noticed it seems to work better on my phone's mobile data versus my home WiFi - not sure if that's just coincidence or if there's something about certain network connections that EDD's system doesn't like. Has anyone else noticed differences between mobile data vs WiFi when accessing the site? Really hoping this gets resolved soon because I'm supposed to certify this weekend.

Wow, this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just got married 3 weeks ago and have been putting off dealing with the EDD name change because I was so overwhelmed by the process. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me so much confidence that I can actually handle this. The DE 1101 form upload method sounds way more straightforward than I expected. I especially appreciate all the detailed tips about document scanning, filename conventions, and calling timing. One quick question for anyone who's been through this - did you need to provide any additional documentation besides the marriage certificate, like a copy of your new Social Security card or driver's license? I want to make sure I have everything ready before I submit. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing! 💕

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Just got married two weeks ago and have been dreading dealing with the EDD name change. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the DE 1101 form or the document upload option. I was planning to spend hours on hold trying to call them. Quick question for everyone who's successfully done this: should I wait until I get my updated bank cards with my new name before submitting the form, or is it okay to proceed while my bank account still has the old name on the cards but new name in the system? I'm worried about creating some kind of verification mismatch. Thanks so much for all the detailed advice everyone has shared - you've turned what seemed like an impossible bureaucratic nightmare into something actually manageable!