This whole thread is incredibly helpful for anyone going through the appeal process! Dylan, congrats on getting to the "paid" status - that's a huge milestone. Based on what everyone's shared here, it seems like 10-20 days is the typical range, with some horror stories going longer. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also check if your bank has any daily deposit limits that might affect receiving a large lump sum like $7,800. Some banks will hold or flag unusually large deposits for verification, which could add another day or two to the process. You might want to give your bank a heads up that you're expecting a large government deposit so they don't put an automatic hold on it. Also, for anyone else reading this who's waiting on their appeal decision - make sure you keep certifying for benefits even while your case is pending! I made that mistake and it delayed everything because I had to go back and retroactively certify for weeks I missed. Really hoping that deposit hits your account soon Dylan! Keep us posted on the final timeline.

Dylan, this is such an encouraging update! Really happy to see your status changed to "paid" after 12 days - that gives me hope for my own situation. I won my appeal about 8 days ago and have been obsessively checking my account every day. It's reassuring to know that the system does eventually update even if it takes a couple weeks. The advice everyone's given here about calling your bank is spot on. I had a friend who got their large unemployment backpay held for 3 days because the bank flagged it as suspicious. Definitely worth a quick call to avoid that headache. Thanks for keeping everyone updated throughout your process - it really helps those of us going through the same thing to have realistic expectations. Hoping that deposit hits your account today!

Update: I called EDD using that Claimyr service and got through to someone who explained everything. For anyone else who needs to know: You mark "No" for the days you're at jury duty when they ask if you were able and available for work. Then report the jury pay as income. They said as long as you're honest about it, there's no issue with your claim. Thanks everyone for the help!

Just wanted to add that if you're on a longer jury trial (like 2+ weeks), you might want to contact EDD directly to discuss your situation. I served on a 3-week trial last year and they were actually pretty accommodating - they adjusted my certification schedule so I didn't have to worry about missing deadlines while in trial. The key is being proactive and transparent with them about your jury service dates.

I'm dealing with the same "review required" status right now - it's so frustrating! From what I've been reading in other posts here, it seems like it could be several different things causing it. Some people had identity verification issues, others had wage/income discrepancies, and some had employer disputes to resolve. The tricky part is that the system doesn't tell you exactly what type of review is needed. I've been trying to call EDD for over a week but keep getting the busy signal. Has anyone had luck with any of the phone tricks people have been sharing? I'm getting desperate at this point - bills don't wait for EDD reviews to complete! @Alex Reeder - when did your status first change to "review required"? Mine's been like that for about 10 days now with no updates.

I went through this exact same thing about 3 months ago! My claim got stuck on "review required" for almost 6 weeks and I was going crazy trying to figure out what was wrong. Turns out it was a simple address verification issue - apparently when I moved last year, there was a mismatch between what I put on my claim and what was in their system from my previous employer. The key is really getting through to a Tier 2 specialist who can actually see what's flagged for review. The regular reps can't access those details. I finally got through using the phone method where you call right at 8:01 AM and keep hitting redial - took me about 45 minutes of constant calling but it worked. Once I got the right person, they fixed it in literally 5 minutes and all my pending payments were released within 24 hours. So don't lose hope - it's usually something much simpler than it seems! The hardest part is just reaching someone who can actually help. @Alex Reeder have you tried checking if there are any document requests in your UI Online account? Sometimes they'll ask for additional verification there even if the main status just says "review required.

one thing no one mentioned yet - if ur withholding taxes now but get worried about money later u can always change it! u can switch back and forth between withholding and not withholding anytime when u certify. so maybe keep it for now and see how ur finances go?

As someone new to unemployment benefits, I really appreciate all the detailed information everyone has shared here! I'm in a similar situation - just started my claim and was unsure about the tax withholding option. From what I'm gathering, it sounds like keeping the withholding is generally the safer choice, especially if you have dependents. The peace of mind of not potentially owing a large tax bill later seems worth it, even if it means giving the government an "interest-free loan" as someone mentioned. @Logan Chiang - your situation sounds very similar to mine (single parent, kids in daycare while job searching). The tip about keeping detailed records of job search activities for the Child and Dependent Care Credit is really helpful. I hadn't thought about that documentation aspect. Thanks to everyone for making this complex topic easier to understand for those of us navigating unemployment benefits for the first time!

Just want to add that you should also check if your employer offers any payroll advance or bonus programs that might help with the immediate tax situation. Some companies will give you a small advance on future earnings if you explain you need to catch up on taxes from unemployment. Also, if you're really worried about penalties, remember that as long as you pay at least what you owed last year (or 90% of this year's liability), you won't get hit with underpayment penalties. The IRS and California are pretty reasonable about this stuff if you're making a good faith effort to catch up!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're planning to stay at this new job for a while, you might want to consider slightly over-withholding for the rest of the year rather than trying to hit the exact amount. This way you'll get a refund instead of owing, which can be nice for peace of mind. You can always adjust your withholding back down next year once you're caught up. Also, don't forget that unemployment benefits might have pushed you into a different tax bracket temporarily, so the effective tax rate on those benefits might be higher than your regular income tax rate. Good luck with everything and congrats again on the new job!