I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago and can confirm everything everyone is saying here! The key thing that helped me was treating each week completely separately when certifying. Week 1: fully unemployed (YES to job search, NO to earnings). Week 2: working (YES to job search because working satisfies the requirement, YES to earnings with exact amount for days worked). For your salary question - absolutely report 3/5 of your weekly salary since you only worked 3 days that week. EDD's system calculated everything perfectly - I got full benefits for Week 1 and zero for Week 2 since my earnings exceeded my weekly benefit amount. The certification notices stopped automatically after a couple cycles of reporting full-time earnings. One tip: keep documentation of your start date and earnings just in case, but honestly the whole process was seamless when I reported everything accurately. Don't stress about it - you're doing everything right by being thorough and asking questions first!

I'm a newcomer to this community but had to chime in because I just went through this exact situation two months ago! The advice everyone is giving is absolutely correct. I was so stressed about certifying properly when I started a job in the middle of my bi-weekly period, but it turned out to be much more straightforward than I expected. Here's what worked for me: Week 1 (unemployed): YES to work search, NO to earnings. Week 2 (started job Wednesday): YES to work search (because working counts!), YES to earnings with exactly 3 days worth of my salary. EDD paid me full benefits for Week 1 and zero for Week 2 since my new salary exceeded my weekly benefit amount. The whole thing processed smoothly with no issues or follow-up questions. The key really is just being completely honest about each week individually and not overthinking the question wording. Victoria, you're handling this perfectly by asking first - that shows you want to do it right! The system is definitely designed to handle these mid-period transitions. Congrats on the new job and don't stress about the certification!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim two weeks ago, definitely selected direct deposit, but when I check my account it shows Money Network card. I called the regular EDD line three times and couldn't get through, but after reading all these comments I'm going to try that card services number tomorrow. It's such a relief to know this is normal and not some kind of error on my part. The stress of waiting for money when you have bills due is real! Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips - especially the Money Network app transfer option. I had no idea you could move the funds that quickly once the card arrives. Definitely going to set up those text alerts too!

Just went through this same exact situation last month! I was absolutely certain I had selected direct deposit during my application, but when I logged into my EDD account, there it was - Money Network card selected. I thought I was losing my mind! Turns out this is completely normal and happens to almost everyone. The first payment always goes to the card regardless of what you initially selected - it's part of their verification process. My card took exactly 9 business days to arrive after my payment was processed. Here's what I wish someone had told me: Once you get the card, don't panic about being stuck with it forever. You can immediately transfer the funds to your bank account using the Money Network mobile app - it literally takes like 2 minutes and the transfer shows up in your bank within 1-3 business days. Way faster than waiting to get direct deposit set up for future payments. Also, definitely call 1-866-692-9374 (the card services line, not the main EDD number) to check if you can get expedited shipping. They were actually helpful when I called, unlike the main EDD line. Since your rent is due next week, it's worth asking! The card comes in a plain white envelope that looks like junk mail, so check your mailbox carefully. You got this - the waiting is the worst part but it does work out!

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Been getting payments for about 5 weeks now after getting laid off from my food service job in February, but that "qualification review" status has been making me so anxious. I keep checking my account obsessively wondering if today's going to be the day they stop my payments or send me some scary letter. It's really comforting reading everyone's experiences here - sounds like this review process is way more normal than I realized. I haven't gotten any interview notices either, and like others mentioned, I'm hoping that means my employer isn't contesting anything. One thing that's been helpful for my peace of mind is setting up text alerts through UI Online so I get notified immediately if there are any changes to my account status or if they need something from me. At least that way I won't be constantly logging in to check! Thanks for posting this question - sometimes you just need to know you're not the only one dealing with EDD's confusing system!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Got laid off from my office job in late February and have been receiving payments for about 3 weeks, but that "qualification review" status on my UI Online homepage has been stressing me out so much. I keep wondering if I did something wrong or if they're going to suddenly decide I don't qualify. Reading through everyone's experiences here is honestly such a relief - it sounds like this is just a standard part of EDD's process that they don't really explain well to claimants. I haven't received any interview notices yet either, so I'm hoping that's a good sign. One question for those who went through this - did you notice any specific timeframe for when the status changed from "qualification review" to something else? I'm trying to figure out if there's a typical timeline or if it just varies case by case. Either way, I'm definitely going to keep up with my certifications and job search requirements while I wait it out!

I went through this exact same decision when I first got approved for unemployment benefits last year. Definitely go with online certification - it's SO much faster and more reliable than mail. I made the mistake of using paper forms for my first two certifications because I thought it would be "safer," but both times my payments were delayed by over a week. The mail system is just too slow and unpredictable, especially when you're already stressed about finances. Once I switched to online, I started getting my payments within 2-3 days consistently. The UI Online system will literally show you the status of your payment in real-time, so you're never left wondering what's happening. With paper forms, you're basically sending them into a black hole and hoping for the best. Pro tip: Log in early Sunday morning (like 6-7 AM) to avoid the rush when everyone else is trying to certify. The system can get sluggish later in the day. And always take a screenshot of your confirmation page - that's your proof that you certified on time if anything goes wrong. Trust me, with rent coming up in 2 weeks, you want every advantage you can get for faster processing. Online is the way to go!

I've been on unemployment for about 8 months now and have used both methods extensively. Online certification is hands down better for speed and reliability. Here's what I learned the hard way: Paper forms are a nightmare - I had two get lost in the mail completely, which meant calling EDD for HOURS to sort it out. One time a form arrived damaged and unreadable, so they rejected it and I had to start over. With online, you get instant confirmation and can even print a receipt for your records. The only downside to online is that sometimes the website goes down for maintenance (usually announced in advance) or gets overwhelmed during peak times. But even when that happens, you can usually try again in a few hours. With mail, if something goes wrong, you're looking at weeks to fix it. For your situation with rent due soon, definitely go online. I typically get my payment deposited by Tuesday when I certify Sunday morning. With paper, it was always 7-10 days minimum, sometimes longer if there were any issues. One tip nobody mentioned - if you ever need to change your direct deposit info or update your address, do it through the online system too. Paper change requests take forever to process!

As a newcomer to this community, I really appreciate how helpful everyone has been in explaining this confusing system! I'm currently 3 weeks into my unemployment claim and honestly had no idea that my benefits could run out before my benefit year ends. Like many others here, I was looking at that March 2026 end date thinking I was covered for the full year. Now I'm realizing I need to do the math - my balance is around $9,100 with a $350 weekly benefit, so I'm looking at about 26 weeks max if I collect every single week. That puts me at risk of running out in September, still 6 months before my benefit year expires. This thread has been a real wake-up call to get serious about job searching from day one rather than treating this as a year-long safety net. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and advice!

As someone who just filed for unemployment last week, this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly a bit scary! I had been looking at my benefit year end date of February 2026 thinking I had almost a full year of coverage, but now I realize I need to calculate my actual weeks based on my claim balance. My balance is $8,800 with a $338 weekly benefit amount, which puts me at about 26 weeks - meaning my benefits could run out in August, a full 6 months before my benefit year expires. I'm kicking myself for not understanding this distinction sooner. The EDD really should make this clearer on their portal - maybe show both dates: "Benefits available through: [calculated end date based on balance]" and "Benefit year expires: [actual benefit year end]". Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and making this confusing system a bit more understandable for newcomers like me!