As someone who just went through this process a few weeks ago, I wanted to add my voice to all the reassuring responses here. I received the exact same notice after being laid off from my office job, and like you, I was completely confused and stressed about what it meant. The key things that helped me were: 1. **Keep certifying religiously** - I continued my regular certification schedule and received conditional payments the entire time 2. **Document everything** - I created a detailed timeline of my layoff, including emails from HR, my final pay stub, and even screenshots of the company announcement about layoffs 3. **Be prepared for the work search questions** - They asked me for specific details about at least 5 different job applications, including company names, dates, and how I applied My interview was scheduled exactly 3 weeks after I received the notice, and like others mentioned, it was much more straightforward than I anticipated. The interviewer was actually quite professional and understanding. They mainly wanted to verify that my separation was indeed a layoff (not a quit or termination) and that I was genuinely looking for work. One thing that might help with your immediate rent concern - I was able to get a letter from EDD confirming my pending claim status, which I showed to my landlord. It bought me some extra time while waiting for the review to complete. All my conditional payments were converted to regular payments within 24 hours of passing the interview. You're going to be okay! The system is designed to be confusing, but most of these reviews are just routine verification. Hang in there!

Hey Wesley! I just went through this exact same situation about two months ago, and I totally understand your panic - especially with rent coming due. The good news is that "conditional payment" actually means you'll likely continue receiving payments while they do their review, rather than having them stopped completely. Here's what worked for me: I called EDD right at 8:00 AM sharp and explained my urgent financial situation (rent due, bills piling up). They were actually pretty understanding and moved my interview up by about 10 days. The key is being persistent but polite when explaining the hardship. Since you mentioned the restaurant closed suddenly and your employer is hard to reach, definitely check your UI Online account under "Claim History" to see how they reported your separation. If it shows anything other than "layoff" or "lack of work," that could be exactly why you're under review. I had a similar issue where my employer initially reported my separation incorrectly. For your interview prep, gather any evidence of the restaurant closure you can find - closure signs, local news articles, even social media posts from the business. Also, organize your job search records by date with specific company names and application methods. They asked me detailed questions about at least 6-7 of my applications. The waiting is absolutely the worst part, but try not to stress too much. My interview took about 20 minutes, and all my conditional payments were released within 48 hours afterward. You've got this!

This entire thread has been absolutely incredible to follow - what started as a devastating denial has turned into one of the most comprehensive guides to fighting wrongful unemployment decisions I've ever seen! @Zoe, your methodical approach to gathering evidence is truly inspiring. As someone who's dealt with EDD appeals before (successfully, thankfully), I can tell you that most people don't come nearly as prepared as you have. The fact that you found that job posting for the exact same role at lower pay just 14 days after your separation is honestly the kind of smoking gun evidence that appeal judges dream of seeing. What really stands out to me is how you've documented not just the separation itself, but the entire context around it - the CEO's cost-cutting email, your recent positive performance review, the severance payment, witness testimony about hiring someone cheaper, and now the job posting. Each piece individually would be helpful, but together they paint an absolutely undeniable picture of a layoff disguised as termination. Your employer's representative is going to have an impossible time defending their misconduct claim when faced with documentation proving they immediately hired someone to do your exact job for less money. That's literally the definition of a cost-cutting layoff, not performance-related termination. Thursday's hearing should be a formality at this point. After 30+ years of contributing to the system, you absolutely deserve these benefits, and you've built the kind of bulletproof case that will make it impossible for them to deny you. This thread is going to be such a valuable resource for other workers facing similar situations. You've shown exactly how to fight back against employers who try to cheat the system. Best of luck on Thursday - can't wait to celebrate your victory with everyone here!

I've been following this entire thread and I'm honestly blown away by how thoroughly you've prepared for your appeal! As someone who works as a paralegal and has seen plenty of employment cases, I have to say your evidence collection is absolutely textbook perfect. That job posting you discovered is literally a smoking gun - I've never seen such clear-cut proof that an employer was lying about termination reasons. The fact that they posted your exact position for $8K less just 14 days after letting you go completely destroys any credible claim of misconduct. Combined with your severance payment, recent positive performance review, and witness testimony about cost-saving measures, their story is going to fall apart instantly. What really impresses me is how you've stayed organized and systematic throughout this stressful process. Most people get overwhelmed and don't gather nearly enough documentation, but you've built the kind of comprehensive case that makes appeals slam dunks. The administrative judge is going to see right through your employer's attempt to avoid their unemployment tax obligations. One tiny suggestion for Thursday: when presenting your evidence, start with that job posting and let it speak for itself. Something simple like "Your Honor, 14 days after my alleged termination for misconduct, my employer posted this identical position at $8,000 less in salary." Then present your other evidence to support the layoff narrative. Keep it factual and let the documentation do the talking. After 30+ years of paying into this system, you absolutely deserve these benefits and you're going to get them. This thread has become an incredible resource for anyone facing similar situations - you've shown exactly how to fight back against these dishonest tactics. Best of luck on Thursday, and thank you for sharing your journey with all of us!

I'm on day 5 waiting for my EDD debit card and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! When I first saw my payment status change to "paid" but no card appeared after a couple days, I immediately started catastrophizing that I'd somehow messed up my address or that the card got lost in the mail. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief - it's clear that 10-14 days is completely standard, even though it feels like an eternity when you're depending on those funds. I just signed up for USPS Informed Delivery after seeing it recommended by practically everyone here - wish I had known about that service sooner! The tip about watching for a plain envelope is so helpful too since I definitely would have mistaken it for junk mail and potentially tossed it. The waiting anxiety is so real when you have bills coming up, but seeing all these successful timelines from other community members gives me confidence that my card will show up soon. I'm planning to be patient and wait until around day 14 before calling Money Network if needed, and I'll absolutely be setting up direct deposit the moment I activate the card to avoid this stress for future payments. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and keeping newcomers like me calm during this nerve-wracking waiting period!

I'm on day 3 waiting for my EDD debit card and this thread has been a godsend! I was already starting to stress about whether something went wrong when I didn't see the card after my payment status changed to "paid" yesterday. Reading everyone's experiences showing that 10-14 days is totally normal has really calmed my nerves - I was about to start calling EDD thinking there was an issue with my address or something. Just signed up for USPS Informed Delivery after seeing literally everyone recommend it here, and I'm definitely keeping an eye out for that plain envelope so I don't accidentally toss it with junk mail. The waiting anxiety is real when you have bills coming up, but seeing all these successful delivery stories gives me hope that mine will show up within the normal timeframe. Planning to be patient and wait until around day 14 before calling Money Network if needed. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines - this community is keeping me sane during what would otherwise be a very stressful waiting period!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the EDD identity verification process is absolutely broken and you're definitely not alone. I went through something similar last year where they questioned my identity despite having filed with them multiple times before. A few things that might help while you're waiting on the assembly member response: 1) Keep calling that appeals number (800-300-5616) that Brady mentioned - sometimes you can catch them during less busy hours (try early morning around 8 AM) 2) Document every single interaction like Miguel suggested - dates, names, reference numbers, what was said. This becomes crucial evidence if you need to escalate further 3) If your husband does land that job today (fingers crossed!), definitely don't abandon the appeal. You're entitled to those back benefits for the weeks he was unemployed and eligible The fact that they're questioning citizenship for someone born in Michigan is just mind-boggling. The whole system seems designed to exhaust people into giving up. Stay strong and keep fighting - from what I've seen in this community, persistence eventually pays off, especially with the assembly member's help. Rooting for you both!

I'm going through this exact same identity verification nightmare right now! EDD flagged my account three weeks ago claiming they couldn't verify my identity, even though I was born in California and have been filing with them on and off for years. It's like they just randomly flag accounts now and then put the burden on us to prove we exist. What's really frustrating is how each department gives you different information. The regular customer service reps say one thing, the eligibility interviewers say another, and then appeals is in its own separate world. No one seems to communicate with each other! I've also submitted the DE 1000M form and I'm waiting to hear from my assembly member's office. Reading through these comments gives me some hope that there are actually ways to get through this bureaucratic maze. The suggestion about the One-Stop Career Centers having EDD liaisons is something I hadn't heard before - definitely going to look into that. Hope your husband's job interview went well today! Even if he gets the position, definitely keep pushing on the appeal for those back benefits. They owe you that money for all the weeks you've been waiting around for them to do their job. This whole system is such a mess but it sounds like you're taking all the right steps to fight it.

I've been working part-time at a small restaurant (about 12-15 hours/week) while collecting unemployment for the past 2 months, and I can confirm that the EDD rep gave you accurate information! You absolutely can continue working at your coffee shop and still receive partial benefits. Here's what I wish I had known from the beginning: Set up a tracking system RIGHT NOW before you even do your first certification. I use a simple Google Sheet where I log my hours worked and gross pay for each day. When certification time comes, I just total up each week - it takes literally 2 minutes and eliminates all the stress. The partial benefit calculation works really well. My weekly benefit amount is $340, and when I earn about $195 at the restaurant, I still get around $193 in unemployment benefits. That's $388 total income versus just $340 from unemployment alone - so keeping the part-time job is definitely worth it! Key things that have kept me out of trouble: - Always report GROSS earnings (before taxes) for the week you actually WORKED (not when paid) - Keep every single pay stub as backup documentation - Don't worry about hour variations - some weeks I work 8 hours, others 20 hours, just report accurately - The certification process asks for both hours AND earnings, so track both Your coffee shop job is actually helping you in multiple ways - extra income, staying connected to work, and it counts toward your work search activities. Just be meticulous with record-keeping and completely honest with your reporting. You've got this!

I've been working part-time at a local gym (about 14 hours/week) while collecting unemployment for the past 3 months, and I'm so glad you asked this question because I was just as confused when I started! The EDD rep was absolutely correct - you can definitely work part-time and still receive partial benefits. Here's what's been working perfectly for me: I created a simple Notes app entry on my phone called "Work Tracking" where I jot down my hours and gross pay every single day I work. It takes like 30 seconds each day, but when certification time comes around every two weeks, I just open the note and have all my numbers ready to go. The math really does work in your favor. My weekly benefit is $305, and when I earn around $175 at the gym, I still get about $174 in unemployment benefits. So that's $349 total versus just $305 from unemployment alone - definitely worth the extra effort! The most important things I learned: - Report earnings for the week you actually WORKED (this tripped me up initially!) - Always use gross pay before any deductions - Don't stress about varying hours - I've had weeks with 8 hours and weeks with 22 hours, just be accurate - Keep all your pay stubs just in case Your first certification will feel intimidating, but it's actually really straightforward. You'll check yes that you worked, enter your hours and gross earnings for each week, and EDD automatically does all the calculations for you. You're making a smart choice keeping that coffee shop job - it shows you're actively working and actually helps with your job search requirements too. Just stay organized and be completely honest with your reporting. You've totally got this!