This thread is absolutely golden! I'm in a very similar situation - got laid off from my restaurant job last month and just got approved for unemployment. I've been accepted to community college for the spring and was totally stressing about the financial aid reporting requirements. Reading through everyone's experiences has been so reassuring, especially hearing from people like Paolo and Keisha who went through the exact same thing. The consensus seems clear that Pell Grants and student loans don't count as reportable income, but I love all the practical advice about documentation and staying consistent. I'm definitely going to implement several of the strategies mentioned here: - Create that visual chart of what to report vs not report - Set up a dedicated folder for all unemployment and school docs - Keep a weekly journal of what I certify - Get documentation from my school's financial aid office - Look into my local workforce development resources One thing I wanted to add - my community college has a "Students with Disabilities" office that also helps with navigating benefits while in school. Even if you don't have a disability, they sometimes have resources about maintaining various types of assistance programs while pursuing education. Might be worth checking if your school has similar support services. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and advice. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes all the difference when dealing with these confusing systems!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually starting community college next month while on unemployment and was having the same concerns about financial aid reporting. After reading through all these responses, I feel so much more confident about the process. What really stands out to me is how many different resources people have mentioned - the financial aid office, workforce development centers, One-Stop workshops, and even the Students with Disabilities office. It's clear that building a support network is just as important as understanding the reporting rules. I'm definitely going to follow the documentation strategies everyone has shared. The idea of creating a weekly certification journal and keeping screenshots of EDD policy language is brilliant. After seeing what happened with Diego's girlfriend and her $11,400 overpayment, I want to be absolutely meticulous about record-keeping. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone had experience with reporting changes in enrollment status mid-semester? Like if you had to drop a class or reduce your course load, do you need to notify EDD about that change? I want to be prepared in case my initial course schedule doesn't work out perfectly. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences. This community is such a lifesaver for navigating these complex systems that the official resources explain so poorly!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else who might face this issue - I had the exact same "Reopen Claim" problem appear out of nowhere last month while on partial unemployment. Like Fatima, I was panicking thinking I'd messed something up. The key thing I learned is that when you do get through to EDD (which can take forever, I know), make sure to ask them to check your "claim status flags" in their system. Sometimes there are multiple flags that get triggered, and they need to clear ALL of them, not just the reopen status. The first rep I spoke to only cleared one flag, and I had to call back again when the problem persisted. Also, if anyone is still struggling to get through by phone, I've had better luck using the "Ask EDD" contact form on their website for non-urgent issues like this. It takes 3-5 business days to get a response, but sometimes they can fix these system glitches without needing a phone call. Worth trying if you're not in immediate need of payments. Glad you got it resolved, Fatima! This whole system is so unnecessarily stressful.

I'm going through this exact same issue right now! Woke up this morning to the "Reopen Claim" message and was completely confused since I've been consistently certifying every two weeks while working part-time at a retail store. Reading through everyone's experiences here is such a relief - I was worried I had somehow messed up my claim. Based on what everyone shared, I'm going to try calling EDD first thing tomorrow morning at 8am sharp. If that doesn't work, I'll try the "Ask EDD" contact form that Amara mentioned since I can probably wait a few days for a response. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions. It's so frustrating that EDD's system creates these problems for people who are doing everything correctly, but at least now I know I'm not alone and there are ways to fix it!

Just wanted to add my experience - I activated my Money Network card about 6 weeks ago and the phone activation was definitely the way to go. Like others mentioned, they asked for last 4 of SSN, full birthdate, and I created a PIN on the spot. The whole thing took maybe 3-4 minutes max. One tip though - make sure you're in a quiet place when you call because the automated system can be sensitive and if it can't understand you clearly it will make you repeat everything. Also, write down your PIN somewhere safe immediately after creating it - I almost forgot mine the first time I went to use the card at an ATM! The card worked perfectly right after activation and I've had zero issues with it since.

I just went through the Money Network card activation process last week and it was pretty straightforward! I called the number on the back of the card and they asked for my last 4 SSN digits, full birthdate, and the card number/expiration date. Then I created a 4-digit PIN right on the call. The whole thing took about 3 minutes. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet - they also asked me to verify the zip code associated with my EDD account, so make sure you know what address you have on file with them. The automated system was pretty clear and easy to follow. I was able to use my card at an ATM the same day to check my balance and everything worked perfectly. Definitely stick with calling rather than using the website - I tried the online activation first and it kept timing out like others mentioned. The phone method is much more reliable!

Update us if the second payment comes through! Based on what you've shared, I'm still thinking it's most likely just a processing delay for your first certification. The EDD system treats the first certification differently from subsequent ones.

This is such a common issue with EDD! I went through the exact same thing when I first started claiming. The split payments on first certifications seem to be their standard operating procedure, even though they never explain it anywhere. Really glad to see your update that the second payment came through - I was about to suggest waiting it out since so many people here confirmed it's normal. For future reference, I've noticed EDD tends to process the more recent week first, then the earlier week follows within 1-3 business days. Super confusing system but at least now you know what to expect!

anyone else feel like we need to organize a protest or something? this is getting ridiculous

I've been battling this E314 error for about 3 weeks now and it's honestly driving me crazy. What's really frustrating is that I can see my claim status sometimes, but then when I try to certify or update any info, BAM - E314 error again. It's like the system is teasing me! 😠 Has anyone had any luck getting through to an actual human who could explain what this error code even means? The automated phone system just keeps saying "we're experiencing high call volumes" and then hangs up on me.