Has anyone else noticed that the EDD website is always "under maintenance" when you actually need to use it? It's like they're trolling us at this point. 🙄

I went through something similar last month! For the SDI payment delay, you can submit the employer payment info through your EDD portal - look for "Submit Documents" or "Additional Information" section. Upload a letter from your employer stating what they're paying during your leave (if anything) or a paystub showing the amounts. For the PFL/SDI overlap, I had to call and speak to someone directly to get the dates adjusted. Pro tip: try calling the PFL line specifically (1-877-238-4373) rather than the general SDI line - I had better luck getting through. When you do get connected, ask them to "amend the claim dates" to remove the overlap. The whole process is frustrating but you'll get there! Document everything and keep copies of what you submit. Good luck! 🤞

As someone who just went through this process a few weeks ago, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - definitely include ALL compensation that shows up on your W-2, including sick leave you actually used during employment. In your example, you'd report wages based on the full 40 hours (38 regular + 2 sick). I was also nervous about getting it wrong, but the EDD rep I eventually spoke to made it clear: if you were paid for it and it appears on your tax documents, include it. The only exception is unused leave that gets paid out as a lump sum when you leave - that's considered a termination payment, not wages. Since you used the sick leave during normal work weeks, it definitely counts as wages. Better to be comprehensive than to accidentally trigger any red flags down the line!

I'm also filing my first UI claim and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was stressed about this exact same question - whether to include sick leave in my wage calculations. After reading everyone's responses, it's clear that the rule is: include ALL compensation from your W-2, including sick leave that you actually USED during employment (like your 2-hour example). The key distinction everyone mentions about "used during employment" vs "paid out at termination" finally makes sense to me. I was overthinking it too, but it sounds like EDD wants the complete picture of your earnings. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it really helps to hear from people who've actually been through this process successfully!

I've been following this discussion and wanted to add something that might be helpful for future situations like this. After dealing with several unusual income reporting scenarios myself, I've learned that EDD actually has a really useful resource that not many people know about - their "DE 4581 Handbook for Unemployment Insurance Claimants" which you can find on their website. It has specific examples of how to report different types of income, including retroactive pay situations. For your $70 retroactive adjustment, you're absolutely doing the right thing by reporting it transparently. One small addition to the great advice already given: when you write your explanation in the comments, consider including the specific pay period the retroactive adjustment covers (if you know it). For example: "Retroactive wage adjustment from [Company Name] for pay period [dates] in 2023 - $70 gross." This extra detail can help prevent any follow-up questions from EDD. Also, just a heads up - sometimes these retroactive adjustments can take a few weeks to show up properly in EDD's system calculations, so don't be surprised if your benefit calculation looks a bit off initially. It usually corrects itself, but it's worth keeping an eye on. You've got this!

I just wanted to chime in with my own experience since I went through something very similar last year. I received about $95 in retroactive pay from a previous employer for overtime hours that were miscalculated back in 2022. What I did was exactly what everyone here is recommending - I reported it as wages for the week I received the payment and included a clear explanation in the comments section. I wrote something like "Retroactive overtime adjustment from [Company Name] - $95 gross for miscalculated hours from 2022." The whole process went smoothly and my benefits were only affected for that one certification period. EDD never questioned it or asked for additional information, which I think shows that being upfront and transparent really is the best approach. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is to make sure you report the GROSS amount (before any taxes or deductions), not the net amount you actually received. EDD wants to know the full wage amount for their calculations. You're definitely handling this the right way by asking questions and being proactive about reporting it correctly!

Just went through this exact situation last month! Here's what worked for me - before calling, I made a simple checklist with my specific issue at the top, then listed all my account details, dates, and any error messages I was seeing. When I finally got through (took 3 days of trying), having everything organized made the call so much smoother. The rep was actually really helpful once I could clearly explain that my certification from 2 weeks ago was showing as "not paid" even though I'd submitted it on time. She was able to see exactly what was happening and fixed it during the call. My biggest tip: if you're not sure what your specific issue is yet, spend some time in your online account first and write down exactly what you're seeing vs. what you expected to see. That way when you do get through, you can say "I certified for benefits on [date] for the week ending [date], but it's showing as [status] instead of paid, and I haven't received any correspondence explaining why." So much better than just saying "my payments aren't working" - trust me on this one!

This thread is so helpful! I'm in a similar boat where I know I need to call EDD but wasn't sure how to prepare. Reading everyone's experiences really shows how important it is to be specific and organized before making that call. One thing I'm wondering - has anyone dealt with issues related to work search requirements? I'm getting conflicting information online about whether I need to be actively searching for work right now or if that requirement is still waived. When I do get through to EDD, I want to make sure I ask about this clearly since it affects whether I'm certifying correctly. Also, @Zainab Ahmed your tip about getting a reference number is something I never would have thought of but makes total sense. Definitely writing that down along with all the other great advice in this thread. It's reassuring to see that people are actually getting their issues resolved when they come prepared!

I'm going through almost the exact same thing right now! Got a $12,800 settlement from a car accident last year and I've been so stressed about how it might affect my UI benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - especially the advice about calling EDD BEFORE depositing the check. I'm definitely going to follow the steps everyone outlined: call for a tier 2 rep, have all my settlement docs ready, emphasize it's for medical/pain&suffering only, and get everything properly documented in my file. The tip about asking my lawyer for a breakdown letter is genius too. It's so reassuring to hear from people who actually went through this and kept their full benefits. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences instead of just speculation - it's exactly what I needed to feel confident about handling this properly!

I just went through this exact situation 3 months ago with a $14k settlement from a rear-end collision. Here's my step-by-step experience that might help: 1. Called EDD BEFORE depositing the check (this was crucial) 2. Asked specifically for a tier 2 representative who handles income determinations 3. Had my settlement agreement and lawyer's breakdown ready 4. Clearly stated it was for "personal injury - medical expenses and pain/suffering only, no lost wages" 5. The rep put detailed notes in my file and gave me a confirmation number When I certified that week, I reported it as "other income" with the note "PERSONAL INJURY SETTLEMENT - CONFIRMED WITH REP [confirmation number]" Result: Zero reduction in my weekly benefits. The rep explained that CA specifically excludes personal injury settlements from UI income calculations because they're compensatory damages, not earnings. The key is being proactive and getting proper documentation. Don't stress too much - if it's truly for medical/injury damages (which yours sounds like it is), you should be fine. Just make sure to call them first and get everything properly noted in your file!