One more tip about the prescription situation - if you know the exact medication you need, use GoodRx.com to check prices without insurance. Sometimes it's surprisingly affordable (like $4-15 for generic meds) at certain pharmacies. You could potentially pay out of pocket for a month's supply while waiting for Medi-Cal approval if you can scrape together the money. Just need to find a community clinic doctor who can write the prescription first.

Just wanted to mention that in California, we have a law that pharmacies can provide emergency refills of certain medications (including many blood pressure meds) without a new prescription in urgent situations. It's usually a 3-5 day supply to bridge gaps in care. Explain your situation to the pharmacist where you last filled your prescription - they may be able to help with a small emergency supply while you get to a clinic appointment. Also, when you do get your Medi-Cal approved, remember it can be retroactive for up to 3 months from your application date, so keep all medical receipts during this period as you might get reimbursed.

My interview took 3 weeks to happen but they backdated my payments to when I first applied so I got a big lump sum after approval! Just keep certifying every week!

What everyone is missing here is that IHSS is complicated because technically the client is your employer, but the county pays you. I had a similar issue and had to get my county IHSS office involved to confirm that what happened was essentially a termination. Make sure to tell the interviewer to contact the county IHSS program for confirmation if they have any questions. And do NOT say you quit - you didn't! The client prevented you from working your scheduled hours and then made an inappropriate demand.

Have you checked your email? Sometimes EDD sends payment confirmations to whatever email you had registered. Worth searching your inbox for 'EDD' or 'payment' from that time period.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get this resolved? For others who might have this same issue in the future, another option is to visit an in-person EDD office with your ID. They can verify your identity in person and help reset your online access without needing the payment information.

btw when u do the interview make sure ur in a quiet place with good reception! My call dropped TWICE during my interview and the lady was super annoyed having to call back. Also have ur work separation info ready (last day, if u were fired/laid off/quit, managers name, etc

After your interview, you should see a decision in your UI Online account within 2-3 business days. If approved, payments typically process within 24-48 hours after the decision. If your claim is denied, you'll receive a Notice of Determination explaining why and how to appeal. About 60% of eligibility interviews result in immediate approval, especially for clear-cut layoff situations.

Just to share my experience from last month - I had a similar issue but I remembered my security questions. If you set those up originally, they can sometimes be used as another verification method. When I called, the rep was able to verify me using my security questions and helped reset everything. Just another angle to try if you think you might remember those answers.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to regain access to your account? Which method ended up working for you?

I had unauthorized charges last summer. Here's what worked for me: 1. First, I called Money Network multiple times until I got a helpful representative. Keep trying! 2. I filed the fraud claim but also sent a certified letter documenting the unauthorized charges (keeping proof of delivery). 3. I reported the issue to both the CFPB and my state's attorney general consumer division. 4. I contacted my local EDD office directly (not just the general number). The CFPB complaint was what finally got them to resolve it. I received full reimbursement after about 3 weeks. The key is being persistent and escalating through multiple channels simultaneously. And yes, switching to direct deposit is essential - I did that immediately after this ordeal.

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for the advice! I called Money Network again this morning and specifically asked for the fraud department using the phone tree someone suggested. Got a much more helpful rep who processed an expedited claim AND issued a provisional credit that should appear in 2-3 business days! Also filed a CFPB complaint as backup. I'm switching to direct deposit as soon as this is resolved. Will update again when everything is finalized.

One last important tip: if your loan-out is an S-Corp, the interviewer will likely ask about your reasonable compensation determination. Make sure you can explain how you determined your salary was reasonable for your industry and role. This is critical because if they decide your salary was artificially low to avoid payroll taxes, it could create issues. Have industry salary data ready if possible. Also, be prepared to discuss how much of your income was W2 salary versus distribution income, as only the W2 portion contributes to your UI benefit calculation.

Thank you all so much for the helpful advice! I'm feeling much more prepared now. I've gathered all my company docs, DE 9 and DE 9C forms, and emails about my client's bankruptcy. I'll make sure to be very clear that I'm not actively seeking clients through my loan-out right now and that I'm looking for W2 employment. I'll also have my salary determination documentation ready just in case. I'm going to try using that Claimyr service to talk to someone at EDD before my interview so I can get any specific questions answered. Will update after my interview next week!

make sure u got ur first n last day right on the application! i messed that up and had 2 start all over

Just wanted to follow up - how is your claim going? Were you able to get it processed? Federal employee claims usually take 3-4 weeks to process even when everything goes smoothly because of the extra verification steps required.

Quick update on timeframes based on what I've heard from others recently: - Regular timeline: 7-10 business days - Current actual average: 10-14 business days - If you need it faster: You can request expedited shipping for $10 (2-3 business days) - Replacement cards: Usually 7-10 business days, but can be expedited for a fee If you're in a genuine financial emergency situation, mention this when you call Money Network. In some cases, they have provided emergency expedited shipping at no cost, though this isn't guaranteed.

UPDATE: Finally got my card today! Exactly 15 business days after my first payment was issued. For anyone else in this situation - hang in there! Calling Money Network directly was definitely more helpful than trying to reach EDD. They confirmed it had been mailed and gave me the exact date. Thanks everyone for your advice!

Thank you! Yes, I've been certifying every two weeks even during the disqualification. I'll give it a few days and then call if nothing updates automatically.

congrats!! told ya you'd win! startup funding issues are totally not misconduct. glad the judge saw it that way!