I'm jumping into this conversation a bit late, but wanted to share my recent experience since it might help others. I just completed my LVN program last year while on EDD benefits through CTB, and the whole process went pretty smoothly once I figured out the system. A few things that really helped me: 1. When you submit your CTB application, include a copy of your nursing program's curriculum showing total hours per week and clinical requirements. This helps EDD see exactly what your schedule looks like. 2. If you have any part-time work opportunities that fit around your class schedule, still apply for them and document those efforts. It shows you're genuinely available for suitable work. 3. Set up alerts on your UI Online account so you know immediately if EDD needs additional documentation. Response time is crucial. The biggest thing I learned is that communication with EDD is key. Don't wait if something changes with your program schedule - report it right away. I had to switch to a different clinical site mid-program and reported it immediately. No issues at all. Also, once you're in your program and approved for CTB, connect with your instructors about potential job opportunities. Many hospitals are recruiting nursing students before graduation, and having job prospects lined up actually looks good to EDD if they ever review your case. Nursing is such a rewarding career - stick with it through the EDD bureaucracy! The benefits will be worth it.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! As someone who was completely panicked about potentially losing my EDD benefits when nursing school starts, this conversation has been incredibly reassuring and informative. I had never even heard of the CTB program before posting this question, and now I feel like I have a solid roadmap for navigating the whole process. Special thanks to the EDD case worker who provided insider tips - that retroactive approval information was exactly what I needed to hear. I'm going to start by checking if my nursing program is on the ETPL list this week, then submit my CTB application as soon as I answer "yes" to school attendance on my next certification. I'll also reach out to my school's financial aid office to see if they can help with the paperwork. It's amazing how supportive this community is - knowing that so many people have successfully gotten through this process while pursuing healthcare careers gives me so much confidence. I'll definitely update this thread once I hear back about my CTB approval in case it helps future nursing students dealing with the same situation!

Just wanted to add - make sure you keep track of your job search efforts while your claim is pending! EDD requires you to apply for jobs and keep records even during the application process. Also, if you haven't already, try reaching out to your old managers/supervisors from before the ownership change - they might be willing to provide a reference or even a statement about how you were a good employee with consistent hours before the new owners took over. This could help if there's any dispute about your work history. The whole situation sucks but you definitely have a solid case for unemployment benefits!

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - you're definitely eligible! I went through something super similar when the family restaurant I worked at for 3 years got sold to a corporate chain. They basically forced out all the longtime employees by cutting our hours to nothing while bringing in their own management team. The ownership change actually worked in my favor during the EDD process because I had clear documentation showing consistent work history with the previous owners versus the sudden drop to zero hours with the new ones. Make sure when you file that you emphasize the drastic reduction in hours rather than making it sound like you quit or had availability issues. One tip - if you still have contact info for any coworkers who went through the same thing, it might help to mention that multiple employees experienced hour cuts after the ownership change. Shows it was a systematic thing, not performance-related. You've got this!

I tried certifying by phone last year and the system kept hanging up on me when I tried to enter my work search information. something about "too many attempts" but I was only trying to enter 3 job contacts! ended up having to go to the library to use their computers and certify online. phone system seems buggy sometimes.

That's frustrating about the phone system glitching on work search entries! I've had similar issues with automated systems timing out. For anyone else who might run into this - if the phone system keeps hanging up during work search reporting, try speaking your entries more slowly and clearly, and make sure you're in a quiet area with good cell reception. Sometimes background noise can confuse the voice recognition. Also, have all your job contact info written down beforehand so you're not pausing to think - the system might interpret long pauses as connection issues. If it keeps failing, the online system is definitely more reliable for complex entries like work search activities.

Congratulations on your new full-time position! You're absolutely right to be cautious about this. I went through something similar when I transitioned from part-time to full-time work while on UI. Here's what I learned: definitely attend that phone interview - it's likely related to your previous job change while you were still collecting benefits, and skipping it could create complications later. During the call, be upfront about your new full-time position and when it started. Then do one final certification where you report your return to full-time work (there's a specific question about employment status changes). After that, you can stop certifying. The whole process took me about 20 minutes on the phone and saved me from potential overpayment issues. EDD really appreciates when people proactively communicate changes rather than just disappearing from the system. You're handling this exactly the right way by asking first!

Congrats on the new nursing assistant job! You're doing the right thing by being proactive about this. I had a similar situation last fall - got a full-time position while having a pending EDD interview about a previous job change. Here's what worked for me: definitely take the interview (it's probably about your retail-to-warehouse transition), explain your current situation including your new full-time start date, then do one final certification reporting your return to full-time work. The interview was actually pretty straightforward - they just wanted to verify the job change details and make sure everything was legitimate. Once I explained I had found full-time work, they noted it in my file and the whole thing was resolved cleanly. Skipping it could definitely cause headaches later with potential overpayment issues. The peace of mind is worth the 15-20 minute phone call!

Update: I FINALLY got through this morning! For anyone with the same problem, I used the Claimyr service that someone suggested above, and they connected me with an EDD rep in about 25 minutes. The agent was able to see that my payment was pending because of an "eligibility review" flag that somehow got placed on my account. She removed it and said my payment should process within 48 hours. Fingers crossed, but at least I finally got an explanation! Worth every penny not to spend another week trying to get through.

I've been dealing with EDD phone hell for the past month trying to get my identity verification resolved. What worked for me was calling the 1-800-300-5616 number at exactly 8:00am on Tuesday mornings. I noticed they seem to have more staff available on Tuesdays compared to Mondays when everyone calls. Also, when you get to the menu, press 1-2-1 instead of the usual sequence - this sometimes gets you to a different queue that's less backed up. Had to call 47 times over two weeks but finally got through and resolved my issue. The key is being persistent and varying your call times slightly. Good luck!