I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! Just accepted a contract position yesterday but won't start until early May. This thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was worried I might be doing something wrong by continuing to certify. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the key principle is really straightforward: you certify based on your actual work status during those specific weeks, not future commitments. Since you weren't working during 4/10-4/23, you should definitely certify for those weeks. One thing that helped ease my anxiety about this was realizing how common this transition must be - people accept jobs while on unemployment all the time, and EDD's system is designed to handle it. The fact that multiple people here have gotten consistent guidance from EDD reps confirms that continuing to certify until you actually start working is the correct approach. For the earnings reporting when you do start, I'm planning to keep a simple spreadsheet tracking dates worked and earnings (even before getting paid) so certification is easier. The advice about clarifying with your employer how they calculate partial week pay is brilliant - I'm definitely going to ask about that upfront. Congrats on landing the contract role after 3 months! It sounds like you're being super thoughtful about doing everything correctly, which is exactly the right approach. 🎉

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in a nearly identical situation - just accepted a contract position yesterday but won't start until the first week of May. I was getting really anxious about whether I should continue certifying, but reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful. What really stood out to me is how consistent the guidance has been from multiple EDD reps that people have spoken with: you continue certifying until you actually START working, not when you accept the job. The distinction between "accepting work" and "performing work" makes so much sense when you think about it that way. I'm definitely going to implement some of the practical tips shared here - keeping detailed records from day one, taking screenshots of certifications, and clarifying with my new employer how they handle partial week payments. The advice about asking whether it's 1099 vs W-2 contract work is something I hadn't even considered but could really affect how I report earnings. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences navigating this transition. It's so much more valuable hearing from people who've actually been through this process rather than trying to interpret the official EDD guidelines alone. You've all made what felt like a confusing situation much clearer! Congrats on the new contract role - sounds like you're approaching everything exactly the right way! 🎉

I just wanted to add that you should consider requesting an IRS PIN for future tax filings. It's an extra layer of protection that prevents anyone from filing taxes using your husband's SSN without the special PIN. It's free and gives you peace of mind knowing that even if someone has his SSN, they can't file fraudulent tax returns in his name.

I went through something very similar last year with my wife's SDI claim. We discovered fraudulent wage reports from employers she'd never worked for right after filing for disability benefits. I was terrified it would mess up her legitimate claim, but here's what actually happened: We reported it immediately to EDD's fraud department and were very clear that we had a pending SDI claim that was legitimate. The fraud investigator was actually really helpful and made notes in the system to keep the two issues separate. Her SDI payments weren't delayed at all - they processed normally while the fraud investigation happened in the background. The key is being upfront about both issues when you call. Don't try to hide the pending SDI claim or wait to report the fraud. EDD deals with this more often than you'd think, and they have processes in place to handle both simultaneously. One thing that really helped us was getting everything in writing. After each phone call, I'd send a follow-up email through their online portal summarizing what was discussed and asking for confirmation. This created a paper trail that proved we were being proactive about reporting the fraud. The whole fraud investigation took about 2 months to fully resolve, but it didn't impact her disability benefits at all. Good luck!

This thread has been such an amazing resource! I'm currently on week 3 of 5 penalty weeks and was starting to feel really discouraged, but reading Connor's success story and everyone's detailed explanations has given me so much hope. The fact that "waiting period served" actually means you're DONE with everything rather than facing another delay is mind-blowing - EDD's messaging is so backwards! I had been dreading that message thinking it meant more waiting, but now I understand it's actually the best news possible. Only 2 more weeks to go and I'll be watching for that magical status. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this community knowledge is way more valuable than anything on EDD's confusing website! Connor, congratulations on finally getting paid after such a long journey!

This entire thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm just starting my unemployment journey and had no idea about penalty weeks from old claims or how confusing EDD's messaging system could be. Connor, congratulations on finally getting your payments - your persistence through months of certifying without pay really shows the importance of staying consistent with the process even when it feels hopeless. The explanation that "waiting period served" actually means you're DONE with both penalty weeks AND the standard one-week waiting period is such valuable information that I never would have understood from EDD's official resources. It's crazy how many people are going through similar situations right now! I'm definitely bookmarking this thread in case I run into any issues with my claim. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and creating such a supportive knowledge base for navigating EDD's maze of confusing processes.

Just wanted to follow up - did you ever get through to the SDI office? Were you able to find out what's happening with your claim? I'm curious because I'll need to deal with an IME review later this year too.

I'm dealing with a similar IME situation right now and this thread has been so helpful! One thing I learned from my case worker is that you can actually request a status update on your IME report through the SDI online portal - there's a "Contact Us" section where you can send a secure message asking specifically about IME report processing times. This way you have a written record of your inquiry and they're supposed to respond within 5 business days. It's been more reliable for me than trying to get through on the phone lines. Also, if your payments do get interrupted while waiting for the report, make sure to keep certifying for benefits if you're still within your benefit period - the payments should be retroactive once everything gets sorted out.

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Got fired from my warehouse job 2 weeks ago for attendance points - most of mine were also car-related (transmission went out, then had to rely on unreliable rideshares). My manager told me the same thing about not being eligible, but after reading all these responses I'm realizing that's just standard HR intimidation tactics. What's really encouraging is seeing how many people with similar transportation-related attendance issues got approved by EDD. The pattern seems clear - if you were making good faith efforts to communicate with your supervisor and the absences were due to circumstances beyond your control (not just choosing not to show up), you have a legitimate shot at benefits. I'm applying tomorrow and taking everyone's advice about gathering those text messages I sent my supervisor each time my car broke down. It's frustrating that employers use scare tactics when people are already stressed about losing their job, but it's clear that EDD makes their own determination based on the actual facts, not what HR claims. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this thread has been incredibly helpful for people in our situation!

I just want to echo what everyone else is saying here - DO NOT let HR discourage you from applying! I went through the exact same thing 8 months ago when I got fired from my logistics job for attendance issues. Most of my absences were due to childcare emergencies and my old car constantly breaking down. My HR person was so convincing when she told me I wouldn't qualify that I almost didn't apply. Thank goodness my neighbor who used to work for EDD told me that employers say this to literally everyone to keep their unemployment insurance rates low. I applied anyway and got approved! During my phone interview, the EDD rep explained that they see transportation-related terminations all the time and that vehicle breakdowns are generally not considered "willful misconduct" if you made reasonable efforts to notify your employer and get to work. The fact that you have 2.5 years of good employment history and those text messages showing you communicated with your supervisor each time will definitely work in your favor. EDD really does look at the full picture, not just what your former employer claims. Apply immediately - you literally have nothing to lose and potentially weeks of financial support to gain while you job search. Don't let their scare tactics work!