This is unfortunately super common with EDD right now - you're definitely not alone! I had the exact same thing happen to me in January. They were supposed to call between 11am-1pm and didn't call until 6:45pm that evening. I was a nervous wreck all day thinking they'd marked me as a no-show. The interviewer who finally called apologized and said they were dealing with major staffing shortages and technical issues. My advice: keep your phone on you tonight and tomorrow, make sure you can accept calls from private/blocked numbers, and try calling that direct interview number on your letter first thing tomorrow morning. Even if they don't call today, it doesn't automatically disqualify you - just document that you were available during your scheduled time. Hang in there!

Don't panic - this exact scenario happened to me twice last year! EDD is notorious for running hours (sometimes even a full day) behind on these phone interviews. The first time, I was scheduled for 10am-12pm and they called at 8:30pm that same day. The second time, they called the next morning around 11am with no advance notice. Keep your phone on and charged, make sure your voicemail isn't full, and definitely accept calls from blocked/private numbers since that's how they show up. I know the stress is overwhelming when you need those benefits, but based on my experience and what I've seen others go through, they will eventually call you. Just document everything - times you tried calling them, screenshots of your attempts, etc. This will protect you if they try to claim you were unavailable. Stay strong!

I'm in the exact same boat and this thread has been a godsend! Got the "question concerning eligibility" notification yesterday and have been spiraling ever since. Based on everyone's advice, I'm going to try calling at 8:03 AM tomorrow with the 1-2-1 sequence and the 3-second wait before redialing. I've also been documenting all my job search activities tonight just in case that's what they're questioning. One thing I wanted to add - I noticed in my UI Online account under "Inbox" there's a message that just says "Eligibility Interview" with today's date, but no details about what specifically they want to discuss. Has anyone else seen this type of message? I'm wondering if it means they're going to schedule a phone interview or if I need to call them to set it up. Either way, I'm going to keep trying to get through by phone while also watching for that letter in the mail. This whole system is so stressful but reading everyone's success stories gives me hope that it'll work out. Thanks for sharing all these strategies - I'll report back if I manage to get through!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just want to add one more strategy that worked for me last time I had to get through to EDD - try calling on a Wednesday around 8:05 AM. I know everyone's focusing on the exact 8:00-8:04 window, but I've noticed Wednesday mornings tend to have slightly lower call volumes than Monday/Tuesday. Also, if you're using an iPhone, there's a feature in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Call Audio Routing where you can set calls to automatically go to speaker. This saves you from having to fumble with the speakerphone button when you're rapidly redialing, which helps you get through the prompts faster. The anxiety is absolutely brutal when you see that notification, but based on everyone's experiences here, it really does seem like most of these turn out to be routine verification issues. Keep certifying, keep calling, and don't give up! You've got this.

Just wanted to add that if you're really tight on timing with bills, you might want to ask your landlord or utility companies if they can give you a few extra days. Many are understanding about EDD delays, especially since this Money Network card transition has been causing confusion for a lot of people. I had to do this last year and most were pretty reasonable about it. Also, once you do get the card, you can use it like a debit card at ATMs or stores if you need cash immediately while waiting for bank transfers to process.

One thing that really helped me when I was waiting for my Money Network card was setting up text alerts for my EDD payments. You can do this through your UI Online account - go to "Contact Information" and enable SMS notifications. This way you'll get a text as soon as each payment is processed, which can help you track the timeline. Also, if you have any friends or family who could spot you for rent this week, the Money Network card does allow you to withdraw cash from ATMs once it arrives and is activated, so you could pay them back immediately. The ATM withdrawal limit is usually $1,000 per day, though some ATMs might have lower limits. Hang in there - I know the waiting is stressful but you'll get through this!

Thanks everyone for all the great advice! I'm going to: 1. Research UX programs on the EDD approved list first 2. Complete the DE 8736 form for CTB approval BEFORE enrolling 3. Gather documentation showing UX design is in demand in my area 4. Try to time the approval close to when my regular benefits end Really appreciate all the insights - this community is amazing. Will update once I hear back from EDD about my application!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this recently. I was in a similar situation - graphic designer who got laid off and wanted to transition to UX. One thing that really helped my CTB application was creating a "career transition plan" document that showed how UX design directly builds on my existing graphic design skills. I included salary comparisons, job growth projections for UX vs traditional graphic design, and even found specific job postings that mentioned "graphic design background preferred" for UX roles. The EDD rep during my determination interview was impressed that I had a clear career progression strategy rather than just picking a random program. She said it strengthened my case that this was genuine workforce development, not just extending benefits. Also - start collecting those job demand statistics NOW. I used Bureau of Labor Statistics data, LinkedIn job insights, and local job board searches to show UX demand in my metro area. Having concrete numbers ready made the interview go much smoother. Your timing sounds good with 10 weeks left - that should give you enough buffer to get approved and start the program before your regular benefits expire. Best of luck!

I'm currently in the RESEA program and experiencing this exact same confusion! My counselor also told me I don't need to document work search activities in UI Online because I'm already submitting them through the RESEA portal. But like everyone else here, I was getting really anxious seeing all the conflicting information online. Reading through this thread has been such a relief - especially learning about the March 2025 policy change that CosmicCadet mentioned. That finally explains why we're getting different guidance than people who went through RESEA earlier this year or last year! I'm definitely going to follow the advice here and email my counselor for written clarification about the specific requirements under the new policy. As a newcomer to unemployment benefits, I really appreciate all the practical tips about keeping your own documentation and saving everything in multiple places. The stress of potentially making a mistake when you need these benefits is so real. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this community has been incredibly helpful for understanding what's actually going on with the current RESEA requirements!

I'm also going through the RESEA program right now and had the exact same confusion! My counselor told me during our first appointment that I don't need to enter work search activities in UI Online since I'm already documenting everything through the RESEA system. But then I started panicking after reading conflicting information online about work search requirements. This thread has been incredibly helpful - especially learning about the March 2025 policy change that explains why we're getting different guidance than people who went through RESEA earlier. It makes so much sense now! I'm definitely going to follow everyone's advice and email my counselor for written clarification about the specific requirements under the new policy. As a single parent myself, I completely understand the stress of not wanting to make any mistakes with your claim. The practical advice here about keeping your own detailed records and getting everything in writing is so valuable. I'm going to start my own tracking spreadsheet like Amara suggested and save all documentation in multiple places. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this community has been such a lifesaver for navigating this confusing situation! It's really comforting to know so many of us are dealing with the same RESEA questions right now.