I went through the exact same situation in February - got cut from 40 to 22 hours. The EDD website was confusing but I finally figured it out. One tip: after you apply, there's a mandatory one-week waiting period before benefits start. So you won't get paid for the first week you certify for - that threw me off when I first saw my claim summary. Also check out the Work Sharing program if your company has multiple employees in the same boat: https://edd.ca.gov/en/Unemployment/Work_Sharing_Program/

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I was in a similar situation last fall when my hours got cut from 35 to 18 per week. The partial UI definitely helped, but I'd also suggest looking into local food banks and utility assistance programs while you're waiting for your claim to process. In my area, 211 (dial 2-1-1) connected me to emergency rent assistance that helped bridge the gap during that first month. Also, if you have any skills like tutoring, pet sitting, or handyman work, consider picking up some gig work - just make sure to report those earnings accurately when you certify. The combination of partial UI plus a few extra gig hours helped me stay afloat until I found a better full-time position. Hang in there - this situation is temporary even though it feels overwhelming right now!

I'm so sorry you're going through this Money Network disaster! I just joined this community after dealing with a very similar situation last month. My card was declining everywhere for almost 2 weeks and I was on the verge of losing my apartment. A few additional tips that worked for me: 1. Try calling Money Network and asking for a "transaction history review" - sometimes they can see failed attempts that reveal what's actually causing the declines (in my case it was a weird geographic restriction even though I was in California) 2. If you have a CVS or Walgreens nearby, try getting cash back with a small purchase. Their systems sometimes work when regular ATMs don't. 3. Check if your local library or community center has financial assistance resources - some have emergency funds specifically for people dealing with benefits payment issues. The virtual card suggestion from everyone here is brilliant - that's what kept me going while waiting for resolution. And definitely pursue that direct deposit option! I switched over as soon as I could and it's been smooth sailing since. When you call EDD Monday, come prepared with exact dates, amounts, and error messages. I found that being very specific about the technical details helped the reps take me more seriously. And don't let them brush you off - you've done everything right and this is 100% a system failure on their end. You're going to get through this! This community has your back and there are real solutions, even if the system makes it unnecessarily difficult. Keep us posted! 🙏

I'm so sorry you're going through this Money Network nightmare! I just joined this community after seeing all the helpful advice here. I went through something very similar about 6 weeks ago and it was absolutely maddening. A few things that eventually worked for me that I haven't seen mentioned yet: 1. Try using your card at Target - their payment system seemed to process Money Network cards even when other major retailers couldn't. I was able to get cash back there when everywhere else failed. 2. Call Money Network and ask them to check for "daily spending limits" that might have been automatically set. Mine had somehow been set to $0 without any notification, which explained why everything was declining. 3. If you have any local credit unions, call them directly and ask if they can process a cash advance over the phone with your Money Network card info. Some smaller institutions have more flexibility with these situations. The direct deposit option everyone's talking about is definitely the way to go - I switched as soon as I found out about it and haven't had a single issue since. When you call EDD on Monday, be persistent about getting transferred to someone who can actually help. I had to ask to speak to a supervisor twice before getting someone who could process the emergency payment request. Document everything and don't let them make you feel like this is your fault - it's clearly a widespread system failure. You've got this! This community has been so helpful for navigating these ridiculous situations. 💪

@Liv Park - glad you figured out where your payment went! Just wanted to add that when you re-enroll for direct deposit, make sure to wait until you see "Direct Deposit" confirmed in your UI Online payment history before assuming future payments will go to your bank. Sometimes there's a delay between when you enroll and when it actually takes effect. Also, keep that debit card active until you're 100% sure direct deposit is working - I learned this the hard way when I was switching between payment methods last year.

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar a few months ago! When I switched from the debit card to direct deposit, my first payment also got sent to the old card even though I had enrolled in direct deposit. It turned out that EDD requires one full processing cycle after you enroll before direct deposit actually kicks in. So if you enrolled right before or after your last certification, that payment might still default to the debit card. The key thing I learned is to always check the payment method shown in UI Online for each individual payment, not just assume it's using your preferred method. Also, if you do find your payment on the debit card, you can transfer it to your bank account through the Money Network website or ATM - just watch out for transfer fees!

One more crucial step: Once you've reported the fraud, monitor your credit reports closely for at least a year. The person who stole your identity for EDD fraud may try to use your information for other types of fraud as well. You're entitled to free weekly credit reports through April 2025 at www.annualcreditreport.com from all three major credit bureaus. Set calendar reminders to check them regularly.

Update: I tried several of the suggestions here this morning. After trying to call EDD directly and getting nowhere, I used Claimyr and actually got through to a real person within 30 minutes! The agent transferred me to their fraud department where I reported everything. They're sending me the Form 2362E to complete, and I also filed the FTC report and froze my credit at all three bureaus. Still need to file the police report tomorrow. Thank you everyone for your help - I feel like I'm finally making progress!

I've been lurking and reading through all these responses as someone who's currently in week 3 of a very similar situation. The comprehensive advice here is honestly better than anything I've found from official EDD resources or employment lawyers I've consulted with. What strikes me most is how methodical and strategic this process needs to be. I initially thought I could just quit and explain my situation to EDD, but it's clear that without proper documentation and following the exact procedural steps, you're setting yourself up for denial. I'm starting to implement the advice from this thread: - Began detailed incident logging with @NeonNova's voice memo technique - Scheduled a doctor's appointment to document work-related anxiety following @Ravi's advice about medical causation - Started gathering positive performance reviews as @StarGazer101 suggested to counter employer pushback - Planning my formal HR complaint with specific remedies and timeline per @Malik's professional guidance One thing I want to add: I called the EDD technical support transfer trick that @Fatima mentioned and it actually worked! After three weeks of the "too many callers" message, I got through to speak with someone about the general process for hostile work environment claims. They confirmed much of what's been shared here about the importance of documentation and attempting internal resolution first. For anyone else following this thread, the collective wisdom here has been life-changing. Thank you @Liam for starting this conversation and everyone who's shared their experiences. It's given me a roadmap for what felt like an impossible situation.

This thread has been absolutely incredible to follow - the depth of practical advice and real experiences shared here is honestly mind-blowing. I'm currently in a similar situation where my manager's verbal abuse and manipulation has escalated to the point where I'm having physical symptoms just thinking about work. What really stands out to me is how this has evolved from one person's question into a comprehensive guide for navigating EDD claims for hostile work environments. The combination of professional insights from @Malik and @Ravi, along with personal success stories and specific tactical advice, has created something more valuable than any official resource I've found. I'm particularly grateful for the emphasis on documentation strategy - I've started using the voice memo technique immediately after incidents, and I'm working on getting medical documentation that specifically links my symptoms to workplace stress. The warning about employer counter-claims was eye-opening; I never would have thought to gather positive performance reviews as defensive evidence. One thing I want to add for anyone else reading this: don't underestimate how much courage it takes to start this process. Reading everyone's experiences has helped me realize that what I'm experiencing isn't normal or something I just have to endure. Sometimes you need that external validation to recognize that the situation truly is intolerable. Thank you to everyone who's shared their knowledge and experiences here. This thread should honestly be required reading for anyone dealing with workplace abuse. The fact that so many people have successfully gotten benefits after following these steps gives me hope that there is a path forward, even when it feels impossible.