Hey Malik! I'm new to this community but your post really resonated with me because I'm actually in the exact same boat right now - started my unemployment claim a few days ago and have been second-guessing myself ever since. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea about the "dormant but active" option that several people mentioned. It sounds like the perfect middle ground for people like us who want to keep our options open without the commitment of weekly certifications. The guilt factor is hitting me hard too. Even though logically I know we've been paying into this system through every paycheck, I still feel weird about actually using it. But seeing so many people share similar feelings really helps normalize this experience. I'm definitely going to look into that workforce center counselor suggestion - it sounds like they have insights that EDD doesn't always share upfront. And if I do end up calling, I'll try that 8am strategy everyone keeps mentioning. Thanks for starting this thread - it's been so reassuring to see how supportive and knowledgeable this community is. Sometimes just knowing you're not alone in feeling uncertain about this stuff makes all the difference. Whatever you decide, it sounds like you've got some great options and people here who genuinely want to help! 🙏

Hey Malik! I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when I was in almost your exact situation a couple months ago. You absolutely CAN cancel your unemployment claim, but here's the thing - the process and consequences really depend on where you are in the application. If you haven't done any weekly certifications yet, it's usually just a phone call to EDD requesting withdrawal. But if you've already received any payments, you'll need to repay them. What really helped me was learning about the "middle option" that several people here mentioned - you can actually stop doing weekly certifications without fully canceling your claim. This keeps it "dormant" so you could reactivate it later if needed without starting the whole process over. Game changer! The 8am calling strategy is legit - I got through on my second try that way. But honestly, before you make any decision, really think about WHY you want to cancel. If it's guilt (which I totally felt too), remember we've been paying unemployment insurance premiums through every paycheck. This is literally what it's designed for. If it's because you found work - awesome! But if there's any uncertainty, keeping that safety net might be worth it. Either way, document everything and get confirmation numbers if you do call EDD. This community has been amazing for navigating these tricky situations. Whatever you decide, you've got support here! 🙏

I just wanted to share my recent experience to add to all the helpful information here! I was laid off from my logistics job about 3 weeks ago and was really nervous about applying for CalFresh while on unemployment. After reading through this amazing thread, I decided to go for it. I applied through BenefitsCal last weekend and just had my phone interview yesterday - it was literally 6 minutes and super straightforward. The caseworker confirmed that they process UI + CalFresh applications constantly and there's absolutely nothing to worry about. She said with my $341/week unemployment and $1380 rent, I should qualify for around $160-180/month in benefits. The relief I felt walking out of the grocery store yesterday knowing I didn't have to stress about every item I put in my cart was incredible. Even though I'm still waiting for my EBT card to arrive, just knowing it's approved has allowed me to focus so much better on job applications. To anyone still hesitating - please don't! These programs exist specifically for situations like ours. The application really is as easy as everyone described, and the peace of mind is worth so much more than the small amount of time it takes to apply. This thread convinced me to stop overthinking and just do it, and I'm so grateful I did!

This thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences! I was laid off from my retail job at a big box store about 10 days ago and have been really anxious about how I'm going to make it on just $289/week in UI benefits. My rent alone is $1250/month, so the math just doesn't work. Reading through all these success stories has given me the confidence I needed to apply for CalFresh. I was honestly terrified that somehow using food assistance would mess up my unemployment certification, but it's so clear from everyone's experiences that these programs are completely separate and designed to work together. I love how supportive this community is - seeing so many people in similar situations (especially fellow retail/warehouse workers) sharing practical advice and timelines has made this feel so much less overwhelming. I'm planning to gather my EDD award letter tonight and start the BenefitsCal application this weekend. The point about being able to focus on job searching instead of stressing about grocery money really resonates with me. I've been spending way too much mental energy trying to figure out how to stretch every dollar when I should be putting that focus toward finding my next opportunity. Thanks again to everyone who took the time to share their experiences. This thread has probably helped dozens of people feel more confident about accessing the help they need during these tough times! 🙏

glad it workd out! EDD can be a pain but sometimes they do things right lol

That's awesome that it's showing as processing! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - make sure to keep screenshots of that payment processing status in case there are any issues later. I've learned the hard way with EDD that documentation is everything. Also, the prorated amount should be roughly your daily benefit rate multiplied by 5 days (since it's covering Mon-Fri that week). Hope it hits your account smoothly!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! Just got my overpayment notice yesterday for $3,900 with fraud designation because I incorrectly reported my earnings from freelance graphic design work. The problem was that clients would pay me at totally random times - sometimes immediately after finishing a project, sometimes 30-60 days later - and I got confused about which certification period to report the income in. Reading all your experiences has really helped calm my panic about this ruining my career. I had no idea there was such a clear difference between administrative fraud and criminal fraud. I was literally up all night googling "will EDD fraud show on background check" and spiraling about never being able to get another job. I'm definitely going to appeal using the specific language everyone mentioned about "unintentional error" and "no intent to defraud." Has anyone dealt with freelance/contractor work specifically? The irregular payment schedules from clients seem to make these reporting errors really common, but I'm hoping EDD understands how genuinely confusing it can be when you're trying to match project payments to specific work weeks. Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and advice - knowing I'm not alone in this mess has been incredibly comforting!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now and finding this thread has been such a huge relief! I got my overpayment notice three days ago for $5,100 with fraud designation because I messed up reporting my earnings from working at a catering company. The problem was that some events would span multiple days (like weekend weddings) and I got paid different amounts for setup vs service vs cleanup, all at different times. I honestly tried my best to report everything correctly but clearly got confused about which earnings belonged to which certification week. I've been absolutely terrified that this would show up on background checks and ruin my chances of getting a job in hospitality management, but reading everyone's explanations about administrative vs criminal fraud has been incredibly reassuring. I had no idea there was such an important distinction! I'm definitely going to appeal using all the great advice here, especially the specific language about "unintentional error" and "no intent to defraud." Has anyone dealt with event-based work like catering where a single job might span multiple reporting periods? The irregular nature of event work seems to make these reporting mistakes really common since you never know exactly when you'll get paid for each part of the job. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences - it's made me feel so much less alone and panicked about this whole situation!

I'm 58 and just went through this exact situation 3 months ago! Got laid off from my property management job while receiving a pension from my previous career in education. I was absolutely convinced that EDD would either deny my claim completely or reduce my benefits significantly, but I was completely wrong. Since your pension is from your previous healthcare job and you were laid off from a different employer, you should definitely be eligible for full unemployment benefits without any reduction. The rule is crystal clear once you understand it: only pensions from the SAME employer that laid you off will impact your UI benefits. My advice is to file your claim ASAP and be completely upfront about your pension when they ask about other income. I reported my teacher's pension on every bi-weekly certification and never had a single issue. My weekly benefit amount was calculated based solely on my property management wages, not reduced by my pension at all. The hardest part was actually getting through to EDD on the phone when I had questions, but once I did, the representative was really helpful in confirming that my situation was straightforward. Don't let the conflicting online information paralyze you - just be honest and follow the process. You've got valuable experience and this is just a bridge to your next opportunity!

I'm 64 and was in a very similar situation last year - laid off from my administrative job at a medical office while receiving a pension from my 22-year career in public service. I was absolutely terrified about how the pension would affect my unemployment benefits, but after going through the entire process, I can confidently say you'll be fine! Since your pension is from your previous healthcare employer (completely different from where you were just laid off), EDD shouldn't reduce your weekly benefits at all. I reported my public service pension on every single certification and received my full calculated unemployment amount without any deductions. The most important advice I can give you is to file your claim immediately - don't wait while trying to figure out every detail. When you file, there will be specific questions about pension income, and you should answer them honestly. The EDD system is actually pretty good at sorting out these different employer situations once you provide accurate information. I also kept a simple file folder with all my pension statements, layoff paperwork, and notes from any EDD conversations just in case they needed verification (they never did, but it gave me peace of mind). Holly, I know how scary this feels at our age, but based on your situation description, you should be able to receive both your pension and full unemployment benefits. Don't let the stress overwhelm you - you've got 8 years of valuable healthcare administration experience that will serve you well in your job search!