Welcome to the community @Zainab Omar! You're absolutely right to be proactive about this stuff. One thing I learned the hard way is to also enable text notifications if EDD offers them - sometimes those get through when emails don't. Also, if you haven't already, I'd recommend creating a dedicated folder in your email just for EDD correspondence so nothing gets lost. The RESEA appointments usually start getting scheduled after you've been on benefits for a few weeks, so you should get some advance notice. But definitely keep an eye out for any notifications from them. This thread has been super helpful for all of us learning how to navigate the system!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I missed my RESEA appointment last week because I was dealing with a family emergency and completely spaced on checking my notifications. My benefits got suspended and I've been panicking about how to fix it. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me hope that I can get this resolved. I'm definitely going to try calling EDD first thing tomorrow morning to see if they can reschedule like they did for @Andre Laurent, and if that doesn't work I'll file the appeal. It's so frustrating that these notifications can end up in spam or get missed so easily, but at least now I know there are options. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and advice!

Huge congratulations Isabella! 🎉 This is exactly the kind of outcome we love to see here. Your case really highlights how flawed EDD's initial determinations can be - startup funding running out is textbook "lack of work," not misconduct. I'm so glad you didn't give up and fought the decision. For anyone else reading this who's dealing with a similar situation, Isabella's case shows that appeals absolutely can and do work when you have a legitimate claim. The 15-day timeline also seems to be pretty standard right now. Fingers crossed your UI account updates quickly and you get all that backpay without having to make the dreaded EDD phone calls!

Amazing news Isabella! 🎉 This is such a perfect example of why the appeal process exists - EDD's initial determinations are often completely off base, especially when it comes to startup situations. A company running out of funding is literally the definition of a layoff due to lack of work, not misconduct. It's frustrating that you had to go through weeks of stress and uncertainty for something that should have been obvious from the start. The 15-day timeline matches what I've been seeing lately too. Now just keep your fingers crossed that the payment processing goes smoothly - sometimes that's the next hurdle! Make sure to keep certifying and don't hesitate to call if your account doesn't update within a week or so. Your case will definitely give hope to others dealing with similar startup layoff situations.

I've been following this thread closely as I'm dealing with a very similar situation - my SDI claim has been pending for 6 weeks now after taking leave for a family member's cancer treatment. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the new medical certification form issue is affecting a lot of people. I just logged into SDI Online and found the same flag about medical certification problems that others mentioned. For anyone still struggling to get through by phone, I wanted to share that I had success yesterday using a combination of tips from this thread: I called the alternate number (1-800-300-5616) that @GalacticGladiator mentioned at exactly 11:15 AM on a Thursday, and got through after a 52-minute hold. The rep confirmed my doctor had used the old form and is sending the updated one directly to their office. One thing she mentioned that I hadn't seen discussed here - if your claim involves caring for a family member (rather than your own medical condition), make sure the medical certification specifically indicates that you're needed to provide care. Apparently many doctors just fill out the patient's medical information but don't explicitly state that family care is required, which can cause additional delays. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this community support made all the difference in understanding what was actually happening with my claim!

I'm dealing with a similar SDI claim situation and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been stuck in "pending" status for about 4 weeks now and had no idea about the new medical certification form requirements that changed in January. After reading through everyone's experiences, I just checked my SDI Online account and found the same medical certification flag that others mentioned. I'm planning to try the alternate number approach tomorrow (1-800-300-5616) around 11:30 AM like @GalacticGladiator suggested, since the 8:00 AM rush hasn't been working for me either. It's so frustrating that EDD doesn't proactively notify us about these form issues, but I'm grateful this community exists to help each other navigate these problems. One question for those who successfully got through - when you spoke with the EDD rep, were they able to tell you immediately what the specific issue was with your claim, or did you have to provide certain information first to get them to look into it? I want to make sure I'm prepared with everything they might need when I finally get connected. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences and tips here - this has been more helpful than any official EDD resource I've found!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now after losing my job at a local restaurant two weeks ago. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I was honestly terrified that I might mess up my benefits by not understanding the reporting requirements correctly. Everyone's explanations about EBT being "assistance" rather than "income" finally made it click for me. I was overthinking this so much and worried I'd accidentally commit fraud or something. It's such a relief to know that when EDD asks about income during biweekly certification, they only want to know about actual money earned from work - not food assistance benefits. I've been approved for both unemployment and CalFresh, and I was losing sleep over whether I was supposed to report the food benefits to EDD. But reading all these real experiences from people who've successfully navigated both programs has really put my mind at ease. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge - this community is amazing for helping people understand these confusing government programs during an already stressful time. Now I can focus on what really matters: finding a new job!

I went through this exact same worry when I lost my job at a local electronics store about 7 months ago! The anxiety about potentially messing up your benefits is totally real, but everyone here has given you perfect advice. You absolutely do NOT need to report EBT/CalFresh benefits when certifying for unemployment. I was just as stressed about this and even called the EDD help line (after waiting forever) to confirm. The rep told me that food assistance is not considered income for unemployment purposes - it's assistance, which is completely different. When you're doing your biweekly certifications, EDD only wants to know about actual earnings from work (part-time jobs, gig work, freelancing, etc.) or other income sources that would reduce your unemployment benefits. EBT doesn't fall into that category at all. I collected both benefits for months without any issues. Just make sure you report your unemployment income TO CalFresh when you apply/recertify for food benefits (since that does count as household income for EBT purposes), but not the other way around. You're being smart by asking these questions upfront - shows you want to do everything correctly. But you can definitely relax on this particular issue and focus your energy on the job search instead!

Just wanted to add another option that worked for me - you can also get a cashier's check or money order from many grocery stores and pharmacies using your Money Network card. Places like Kroger, Safeway, and CVS usually offer this service. There's typically a small fee ($1-3) but you can get a cashier's check for your full rent amount without dealing with daily withdrawal limits or waiting for bank transfers. I did this last month when I needed to pay $1,800 for rent and my landlord only accepts checks. Just go to the customer service counter, tell them you want a money order, and they'll run your Money Network card like a regular debit purchase. The money order is as good as cash to most landlords and you get it immediately. Also wanted to second what others said about credit unions - they're usually much more helpful with cash advances than big banks. My local credit union has never charged me a fee for cash advances and the staff actually knows how to process them quickly.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Just got my Money Network card and was so confused about the $300 ATM limit. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the cash advance option at bank tellers or that you could get money orders at grocery stores with the card. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen mentioned - has anyone tried using the card for large purchases and then returning the item for cash? Like buying something expensive at a store that gives cash refunds instead of store credit? Probably not the most practical solution but just curious if anyone's tried that workaround. Also, for anyone still struggling with this - I called Money Network customer service directly (the number on the back of your card) and they actually walked me through all the withdrawal options. The rep confirmed that bank teller cash advances are legit and there's no fee from their side. Took about 10 minutes on hold but way easier than trying to reach EDD directly. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - you've saved me a lot of frustration!