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Congratulations on the new job! I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago. Definitely certify for your last eligible week and report that you found work during the certification process. There's a specific section where you can indicate your employment start date and employer information. The key thing is to be completely honest about when you start working - if you start mid-week, report those earnings too even if you haven't received your first paycheck yet. I made the mistake of not reporting my part-week earnings and had to deal with a confusing notice later. Better to over-communicate with EDD than under-communicate! Good luck with the marketing job - sounds exciting!
Thank you so much Oliver! This is exactly the kind of detailed advice I was hoping for. I really appreciate you sharing your experience with the part-week earnings - that's something I hadn't even thought about. My start date is Monday so I should be fine for a full week, but it's good to know for future reference. Everyone here has been so helpful, I feel much more confident about handling this correctly now. Thanks again!
Congrats on landing the marketing job! Just went through this myself a few months back. Everyone's giving great advice here - definitely certify for your final week and report the employment during that certification. The system will walk you through it with specific questions about your start date and new employer. One thing I'd add is to keep screenshots of your final certification showing you reported finding work, just in case you need proof later. Also, if you haven't already, consider setting up direct deposit for any final payments to avoid delays. The transition from unemployment to employment can feel weird after being on benefits, but you're doing everything right by asking these questions first. Best of luck with the new role!
Thanks so much for all the detailed advice! The screenshot tip is really smart - I never would have thought to document that final certification. I'm definitely feeling more confident about this whole process now. It's reassuring to hear from so many people who've been through the exact same situation. Really appreciate this community - you all have been incredibly helpful! 🙏
I want to clarify something important: When you get your settlement, you'll need documentation showing exactly how it's allocated. Make sure your lawyer provides a breakdown letter that clearly shows what portion is for back wages versus other damages. When you certify for the week you receive the payment, answer "Yes" to the question about receiving income, and select "Other" as the type of income. In the details section, explain it's a legal settlement. Then immediately contact EDD with your documentation. The key is being transparent and proactive. As long as you report it properly and provide documentation, you should avoid penalties even if there's an overpayment that needs to be addressed.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you keep detailed records of everything! Save copies of your settlement agreement, any correspondence with EDD about it, and document all phone calls (date, time, rep name if possible). If there are any issues later, having a paper trail will help resolve them much faster. I learned this the hard way when EDD mixed up my case details and I had to prove what was actually discussed in previous calls. Also, don't stress too much about this - wrongful termination settlements are pretty common and EDD deals with them regularly. As long as you're upfront about it and provide the proper documentation, they'll work with you to sort it out correctly.
This is such great advice about keeping records! I'm definitely going to start a file with everything related to this settlement and my EDD claim. It's reassuring to hear that these situations are common and that EDD has processes in place to handle them. I was getting really anxious about the whole thing, but everyone's responses here have been so helpful. Thank you!
For anyone who might be reading this thread in the future, I wanted to share a quick tip that helped me when I was in a similar situation. If you're having trouble finding the "File a Claim" option on the main EDD website, sometimes it helps to clear your browser's cache and cookies first. I was getting redirected to weird pages and the navigation wasn't showing up properly until I did this. Also, if you're on mobile, the desktop version of the site tends to work better for filing new claims - the mobile version can be pretty buggy. Just switch to "Desktop Site" in your mobile browser settings before starting the application process. Hope this helps someone avoid the headaches I went through!
Thanks for the mobile browser tip! I actually ran into the same issue when I tried filing on my phone initially. The mobile version of the EDD site definitely seems like an afterthought - buttons don't always work properly and some pages don't load correctly. Switching to desktop view made a huge difference. It's 2025 and they still can't get mobile optimization right, which is pretty disappointing considering how many people rely on their phones for everything. But at least there's a workaround! Appreciate you sharing that cache clearing tip too - that's always good troubleshooting advice for any government website issues.
Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same frustration a few months ago! The UI Online dashboard is SO misleading - it really does feel like there should be a "File New Claim" button right there on the main page. I spent literally hours clicking through every menu thinking I was missing something obvious. The fact that you have to go to a completely different part of the EDD website to start a new claim is just terrible user experience design. I'm glad you found the solution through this thread! One additional tip - after you file your new claim, it usually takes about 2-3 weeks to get your first certification notice, so don't panic if you don't hear anything immediately. The waiting is the worst part but it's normal processing time.
Totally agree about the terrible UX design! I'm new here but going through the same thing right now. It's so frustrating that they make you hunt around different parts of their website when it should all be integrated. Thanks for mentioning the 2-3 week timeline - that's actually really helpful to know so I don't start panicking if I don't hear back right away. Did you have to do anything special during that waiting period, or just wait for them to contact you about certification?
I just want to add that if you're dealing with a large apartment complex or management company, sometimes escalating to their corporate office can help. I had a similar issue where the local leasing office was being super rigid about documentation requirements, but when I called their corporate headquarters and explained that California's EDD system doesn't work like traditional paystubs, they sent down instructions to accept the UI Online payment history plus Money Network statements. Also, don't forget that many apartments will accept a guarantor or co-signer if you're having documentation issues. Sometimes it's faster to add a family member as a guarantor than to wait weeks for EDD to process verification requests. Just another backup option if you're running out of time on your application!
That's such a good point about escalating to corporate! I never would have thought to go above the local leasing office, but you're absolutely right that they might have more flexibility with documentation requirements. The guarantor option is also really smart as a backup plan. I'm actually in a pretty tight timeline situation myself right now trying to get proof for my rental application, so having multiple strategies is really reassuring. Thanks for the practical advice - sometimes the solution isn't just getting better documents but working with the system in different ways!
Hey everyone! I just wanted to jump in with another option that worked for me recently. If you have access to a printer, try going to UI Online and looking for the "Benefit Payment Details" section (it might be under a different menu depending on when you're reading this). Sometimes there's a "Print Summary" or "Generate Report" button that creates a more official-looking document than just screenshotting the payment history page. Also, I've had success explaining to landlords that EDD switched to the Money Network card system specifically to make payments faster and more secure, so there literally aren't traditional paper stubs anymore. Most reasonable property managers understand when you explain it's a modernized government system, not just some random payment method. If you're still stuck, try reaching out to your local state assembly member's office - they sometimes have staff who can help expedite EDD requests for constituents dealing with housing issues. It's a long shot but I've heard success stories! Good luck with your apartment application!
This is really great advice! I've been following this thread since I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now. The "Benefit Payment Details" section tip is especially helpful - I hadn't thought to look for a print/generate report option beyond the basic payment history. And you're so right about explaining the Money Network system to landlords - I think sometimes they just don't understand that it's actually the official state system, not some sketchy prepaid card situation. The assembly member office idea is interesting too - I never knew they could help with EDD issues but it makes sense since it's a state agency. Thanks for adding even more options to this already super helpful thread!
Giovanni Moretti
I had a similar situation last month. Won my appeal but my money got stuck in the system. I waited two weeks and nothing happened, so I called them. Turns out they needed me to verify my identity AGAIN even though I'd already done it through ID.me. Such a headache. But after I called and sorted it out, the money was in my account within 48 hours. I wasted days trying to call the regular number without getting through. The trick is calling right when they open at 8am, but even then it's a mess. My sister told me about this service called Claimyr that got her through to an EDD agent without the endless waiting and busy signals. It worked for me too - check out their demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. The website is claimyr.com. Way better than spending all day hitting redial!
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Jamal Carter
•ID.me verification issues are THE WORST! I had to verify three separate times last year because their system kept "losing" my verification. Each time it added weeks to my payment timeline. So frustrating.
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Andre Dubois
•That's my biggest fear - that there's some hidden step or verification they need that will delay everything. I might try calling them proactively just to make sure everything is in order rather than waiting and finding out there's an issue. If I can't get through on the regular line, I'll check out that Claimyr service. Thanks for the tip!
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Paolo Conti
Congrats on winning your appeal! I just went through this exact same situation a few weeks ago. After my appeal was approved, it took about 6 business days for the money to hit my account. The key thing is to make sure you don't have any outstanding certifications or verification requirements that could hold things up. A couple things that helped me: First, I logged into UI Online every day to check if there were any new messages or required actions. Second, I made sure my direct deposit info was still valid (banks sometimes change routing numbers). And third, when the payments did come through, they were split by certification period like others mentioned - so don't worry if you see multiple smaller deposits instead of one big lump sum. The waiting is nerve-wracking after such a long appeal process, but you're almost there! Keep checking your account daily and the status should change from "appeal pending" to "paid" before the money actually appears in your bank.
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Zainab Abdulrahman
•This is really reassuring, thank you! I've been checking my UI Online account obsessively since getting the appeal decision. It's good to know that 6 business days is pretty typical. I'm definitely going to keep monitoring for any new messages or required actions - after going through the appeal process, I don't want anything to slip through the cracks now that I'm so close to finally getting paid. The multiple deposits thing makes sense too, I was wondering about that. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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