Congratulations on the new job! This thread is incredibly thorough and helpful. I just wanted to add one small thing that might ease your mind - I've been through this process twice (unfortunately had two different jobs that didn't work out during my benefit year) and both times the transition was seamless. The first time I was super anxious about it like you are, but the second time I knew exactly what to expect. Just do that final certification with your work info reported accurately, then stop certifying. Your claim will show as inactive after a few weeks but everything remains in the system properly documented. One tip: when you calculate your earnings for that Monday, use your gross hourly rate (before taxes) times the hours worked. Don't try to estimate what your take-home will be - EDD wants the gross amount. You're handling this exactly right by asking questions upfront. Enjoy the new job and the peace of mind that comes with being back to work!

Congratulations on your new job! This is exactly the situation I was in a few months ago and I can definitely confirm what everyone else is saying - you just need to complete that final certification accurately and then stop certifying. There's no formal cancellation process. The most important thing is making sure you report that Monday work day correctly on your certification this Sunday. Calculate your earnings as hourly rate × 8 hours (or however many hours you worked) even though you haven't received a paycheck yet. Also make sure to answer "No" to being available for work on Monday since you were employed that day. After you submit that certification, you're done! Your claim will go inactive but stays open for the full benefit year just in case. I was worried I was missing some official step too, but it really is that simple. The EDD system is designed for people to return to work, so they make this part pretty straightforward. Don't stress about it - you're doing everything right by asking these questions upfront. Enjoy your new job and congratulations on making it through the job search process!

I went through something very similar when I was laid off from my marketing job in 2022. I enrolled in a single evening Excel certification course while collecting unemployment benefits. Like you, I was really nervous about how to handle the school question on my certification. I ended up calling EDD directly (took forever to get through) and they told me that since it was just one class that didn't interfere with my ability to work during normal business hours, I should still mark "yes" to the school question but that it likely wouldn't affect my benefits. They were right - I marked yes, never got called for an interview, and my payments continued without any interruption. The key things that worked in my favor were: 1) It was only one evening per week, 2) I could still accept full-time work during business hours, 3) I would have dropped the class immediately if I got a job offer that conflicted with it. Your programming class sounds very similar to my situation. Just be honest on your certification and you should be fine. The fact that you're taking it to improve your job prospects actually looks good to EDD. Good luck with both the class and your job search!

I'm in a very similar situation right now! Just got laid off from my customer service job and was thinking about taking a basic coding bootcamp prep course at the local library while job hunting. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been super helpful - it sounds like the consensus is definitely to be honest on the certification even if it might trigger an interview. One thing I'm curious about though - has anyone here taken classes that were completely free (like library workshops or free online courses) and if EDD treats those any differently? I'm wondering if they care more about formal enrollment vs. just attending free educational sessions. Either way, I'm planning to report it accurately, but just curious about others' experiences with informal learning while on unemployment. Thanks for starting this thread @CosmicVoyager - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that's hard to find on the official EDD website!

I'm really glad I found this thread! I'm in a similar situation - got laid off from my job three weeks ago with severance running through September, but my actual last work day was May 1st. Reading through everyone's experiences has been so helpful. I was also confused about whether to file now or wait until my severance ends, but it's clear from all your stories that filing immediately is the way to go. I've been putting it off because the whole process seemed overwhelming, but seeing how many of you successfully navigated this exact scenario gives me confidence. One question - for those who filed while on severance, did you have any issues with the initial eligibility determination, or did EDD pretty smoothly recognize that you were unemployed even though you were receiving severance payments? I'm worried they might initially deny my claim and I'll have to go through an appeals process. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing!

I'm in almost the exact same boat - got laid off from my marketing agency job two weeks ago with severance running through the end of August, but my last actual work day was May 15th. I've been hesitating to file because I wasn't sure about the timing, but after reading through all these responses, I'm convinced I need to get my claim started immediately. It's so helpful to see that this is actually a really common scenario and that EDD is used to handling it. I've been keeping detailed records of my job search already, but I'll make sure to be even more thorough going forward. One thing that's giving me confidence is seeing how many people here successfully navigated this process - it seems like the key is just being completely honest about your severance when you certify each week. I'm definitely going to file today using May 15th as my last work day. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been incredibly valuable for those of us dealing with the severance/unemployment timing confusion!

I'm sorry you're going through such a tough time finding work. Just wanted to add that while you're exploring all these options, don't forget to check if your local library or community college offers free job training programs or certifications. Many of them have partnerships with employers and can sometimes lead directly to job placement. Also, temp agencies might be worth trying - even short-term assignments could help you start building those qualifying wages everyone mentioned, plus give you recent work experience to put on your resume. Hang in there!

I went through a very similar situation about 8 months ago. After my benefit year ended with no new wages, I was devastated to get that $0 award letter. What helped me was getting connected with my local One-Stop Career Center (part of the America's Job Center network). They not only helped with job search strategies but also informed me about a program called WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) that provides training funds for eligible individuals who've been unemployed long-term. I was able to get certified in forklift operation and warehouse safety, which directly led to my current job. The whole process took about 6 weeks, and they even provided supportive services like gas cards for interviews. Definitely worth looking into - you can find your local center at careeronestop.org. Don't give up hope!

This entire thread should be pinned as a resource! I just joined this community after struggling with my own EDD issues, and seeing how everyone came together to help Clay avoid a major pitfall is incredible. The advice here is more practical and actionable than anything I've found on EDD's official website. The key takeaways about system glitches after weekend maintenance, the importance of waiting 24-48 hours before panicking, and knowing when to escalate to tier 2 specialists are exactly what people need to know. Clay, I'm so relieved your issue resolved itself - it gives me hope that not every EDD problem requires weeks of phone calls to fix. For anyone dealing with similar glitches, this thread proves that patience and community guidance can save you from making things infinitely worse. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise!

This thread has been such a lifesaver to read! I'm brand new to dealing with EDD (just filed my first claim last month) and honestly would have been in full panic mode if I saw that "reopen claim" message after already certifying and getting paid. The fact that it's a known system glitch that happens after weekend maintenance is something EDD should really warn people about on their website. Clay, I'm so glad you listened to everyone's advice and waited it out instead of reopening - reading about people who made that mistake and got stuck in pending for weeks is terrifying! The community knowledge here is incredible. I'm taking screenshots of all the key advice: wait 24-48 hours for system corrections, never reopen if you've certified recently, and call for tier 2 specialists if needed. This is going straight into my "EDD survival guide" folder. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - you're literally saving people from months of unnecessary stress and financial hardship!