As someone who went through a similar short-term furlough situation last year, I wanted to share a few additional tips that helped me navigate the process smoothly. First, when you certify for benefits, be very clear about your furlough status - answer "yes" when asked if you're able and available for work, but make sure to note in any comment sections that you have a definite return date. Second, if you have any side income or do any freelance work during the furlough (which some people do to make ends meet), make sure to report it accurately when certifying. Even small amounts need to be reported and can affect your weekly benefit amount. Finally, consider setting up direct deposit if you haven't already - it can speed up payment processing once your claim is approved. The fact that your company was proactive about suggesting you file is a good sign that they'll cooperate fully with EDD if contacted for verification. Wishing you a smooth process!

One more thing to consider - if your company offers any kind of supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB pay) during the furlough, make sure you understand how that might affect your EDD claim. Some employers provide partial pay during furloughs, and you'll need to report this when certifying. Also, since your furlough is only one month, you might want to think about whether it's worth the administrative hassle versus just using savings if you have them. However, if this is unpaid time off due to no fault of your own, you've earned those unemployment benefits through your past work, so there's no shame in claiming them! The system exists for exactly these situations. Just make sure to stop certifying immediately when you return to work on April 10th, even if your claim is still active.

This is such an important thread for exempt employees to read! I'm a software engineering manager and had no idea that this kind of confusion was so widespread. Reading through everyone's experiences really drives home how critical it is to verify benefits information independently. What strikes me most is how consistent this misinformation seems to be across different companies - it makes me wonder if there are outdated training materials or misconceptions being passed down through HR circles. The fact that so many people have had to essentially educate their own HR departments is both frustrating and concerning. I'm definitely going to review my own company's benefits documentation and maybe even proactively ask our HR team about SDI eligibility just to make sure they have the right information. Better to catch any confusion before it becomes an issue when someone actually needs these benefits. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and especially to those who provided the specific legal code references - this thread is going to be incredibly helpful for so many people!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly enlightening! I'm an exempt HR coordinator myself (yes, the irony isn't lost on me) and I'm honestly embarrassed by how many HR departments seem to be spreading this misinformation. In my experience, a lot of this confusion stems from outdated training materials and the fact that employment law is constantly evolving. Many HR professionals learned the basics years ago and haven't kept up with current regulations or clarifications. What really bothers me is that this isn't just an innocent mistake - when employees are denied benefits they've been paying into through payroll deductions, it can have serious financial consequences during already stressful times. I'm going to use this thread as a case study to review our own department's benefits training and make sure we're giving accurate information. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's a good reminder that even HR professionals need to continuously educate themselves and verify information rather than relying on assumptions or outdated knowledge. For anyone dealing with similar situations: always ask to see the specific policy or regulation that supposedly disqualifies you. If HR can't provide it, that's a red flag that they might be operating on incorrect assumptions.

This entire thread is a masterclass in how NOT to design a government benefits system! @Sophia Nguyen I'm so sorry you had to go through all that stress - having your certification button greyed out with zero explanation when rent is due sounds absolutely terrifying. The fact that EDD can silently flag accounts for "quarterly reviews" triggered by honestly reporting part-time work (which they literally mandate you do!) without sending so much as an email notification is beyond incompetent - it's almost cruel. It's 2025 and we're still dealing with a system that seems designed to exhaust people into giving up on benefits they've rightfully earned. Huge thanks to @Ava Kim for sharing the Claimyr solution - that's definitely going in my emergency toolkit. This whole situation really highlights the urgent need for EDD to implement basic transparency measures like automatic notifications when accounts are flagged. No one should have to become a detective just to access their own unemployment benefits!

This thread is such a lifesaver! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - my certify button has been greyed out for 3 days and I was starting to panic. @Sophia Nguyen thank you for sharing your whole experience and the resolution! It's absolutely ridiculous that EDD can put silent holds on accounts for quarterly reviews without any notification whatsoever. The fact that honestly reporting part-time income (which they literally require you to do!) triggers these automatic flags is just mind-blowing. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service that @Ava Kim recommended - spending days trying to get through their phone lines when you have bills due is pure torture. This whole situation really shows how desperately EDD's communication system needs an overhaul. It's 2025 and they still can't send a basic email saying "your account is under review"? Bookmarking this entire thread - it should be pinned as essential reading for anyone dealing with California unemployment!

I went through this same situation just two months ago and want to echo what everyone is saying - definitely wait until January 16th to file your new claim. I know the waiting period without income is terrifying, but I learned the hard way that EDD's system is very strict about benefit year end dates. One thing that really helped me during the gap was reaching out to local community resources early. Many cities have emergency assistance programs for people between jobs, and some churches or community centers offer temporary help with groceries or utilities. I also signed up for local food banks before I actually needed them, which saved me a lot of stress later. Also, when you do file on the 16th, take screenshots of every page of your application before you submit it. If there are any technical issues or if EDD asks you to clarify something later, having those screenshots can save you a lot of time trying to remember what you entered. The processing took about 3 weeks for me, but once it was approved, everything went smoothly. Just remember to certify for benefits as soon as your new claim becomes active, even if payments are still showing as pending. Good luck - you'll get through this!

I went through this exact same situation last summer and can confirm what everyone is saying - you absolutely must wait until after your benefit year ends to file. I tried calling EDD beforehand to ask about filing early and they specifically told me NOT to do it because it would cause system errors. What really helped me was creating a "gap survival plan" about a month before my BYE date. I applied for CalFresh, contacted my landlord to explain the situation (they were understanding about a potential late rent payment), and even picked up a few small gig jobs to have some income during the waiting period. The processing took exactly 18 days for me, which felt like forever but was actually pretty typical. One tip that saved me time - when I filed my new claim on the day after my BYE date, I had all my employer information organized in a spreadsheet with exact dates and wages. This made filling out the application much faster and I think helped avoid any delays from missing or incorrect information. Also, don't panic if your new weekly benefit amount is different from your old claim - they recalculate based on your most recent base period wages. Just focus on getting through the application process correctly and the payments will start flowing again once it's approved.

To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

Thanks for sharing your experience with Claimyr! It's really encouraging to hear a success story. I've been struggling to get through to EDD for weeks now about my pending payments. Your detailed breakdown of the process is super helpful - especially knowing that even when the call dropped after 3.5 hours, the callback feature worked quickly. Did you have to pay anything for the service, or were you able to use just the free callback option? I'm in a similar situation with PEUC extension issues and this gives me hope that there's actually a way to get this resolved!