I'm dealing with this exact situation right now too! My partner's construction job cut his hours to zero for the past three weeks due to delayed permits, and I was so confused about whether to include his previous landscaping job from last summer. After reading all these responses, I'm definitely going to include ALL employment from the past 18 months like everyone is saying. One thing I learned from calling EDD (after being on hold for 2 hours!) is that they actually prefer when you include more employment history rather than less, because it gives them a complete picture for calculating benefits. The rep told me that missing employer information is one of the top reasons claims get delayed for additional review. Also, make sure your husband's employer sends the correct separation reason to EDD - apparently "lack of work" and "temporary layoff" are treated differently in their system, so it's worth double-checking with HR or his supervisor. Thanks for posting this question - it's helping so many of us navigate the same confusing process!

I went through this exact same situation with my wife about 6 months ago when her retail hours got cut to basically nothing. You're absolutely doing the right thing by including ALL employers from the past 18 months - it's not optional, it's required! The way EDD explained it to us is that they look at your entire "base period" (last 4 out of 5 completed quarters) to find your highest earning quarter, then use that to calculate weekly benefits. So including his previous employer will likely help, not hurt, his benefit amount. Just make sure you have accurate wage info - we used old pay stubs and W-2s to get the exact quarterly earnings. Also, since his current employer told him to file, get that in writing if possible (text or email works). When EDD contacts employers to verify the claim, having documentation that it was employer-initiated really helps avoid any "voluntary quit" complications. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks for us from application to first payment. Hang in there - you're handling this the right way!

This thread is such a lifesaver! I'm in week 3 of waiting for my card and was starting to panic. Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel less alone in this mess. The tip about calling Money Network directly instead of EDD is gold - I had no idea that was even an option. I'm definitely going to call them tomorrow to check if there's an address issue like so many others experienced. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to access our own benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing real solutions. Keeping my fingers crossed that my card shows up soon!

Just wanted to add another data point - I received my Money Network card last week after exactly 16 business days (about 3.5 weeks). I'm in the Bay Area and had no address issues, so it seems like the shipping times are just genuinely longer than what they advertise. One thing that helped me track progress was creating a USPS Informed Delivery account - it shows you scanned images of mail that's coming to your address. That way you can see if the plain white envelope from Indianapolis is on its way before it actually arrives. It's free and you can sign up on the USPS website. Also, for anyone still waiting - I know it's frustrating but try not to stress too much. The money is there in your account, it's just the physical card delivery that's slow. Once you get it and activate it, you'll have access to all your pending payments immediately.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - I went through the exact same nightmare about 4 months ago! Money Network suddenly locked my card claiming there was "suspicious activity" and I had $2,800 stuck on it. The customer service reps kept giving me different stories and timelines. Here's what actually happened in my case: The check from Money Network took 22 business days to arrive (despite them promising 7-10 days multiple times). I called EDD's payment services line at 1-866-401-2849 and it took me 6 attempts over 3 days to get through, but once I did, they were incredibly helpful. The EDD payment services rep switched me to direct deposit during that same call and put a hold on my account so no new payments would go to the defunct Money Network card. She also gave me a confirmation number and sent an email confirming the change. I know it feels hopeless when you're stuck in that loop, but you WILL get your money - it just takes way longer than it should. Keep calling that EDD payment services number early in the morning (around 7:30am worked best for me) and don't give up. Once you're on direct deposit, all these headaches disappear. Hang in there!

I'm going through this EXACT same situation right now! My Money Network card was deactivated yesterday and I have about $1,950 stuck on it. The rep told me there was an "email override" and that they'd send a check, but based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like I should expect 3+ weeks, not the 7-10 days they promised. Reading through all these comments has been both stressful and reassuring - stressful because it seems like this is happening to tons of people, but reassuring because everyone eventually got their money back. I'm definitely going to call EDD's payment services at 1-866-401-2849 first thing tomorrow morning around 7:30am to switch to direct deposit and request a payment hold. One question - has anyone had issues with Money Network claiming they "can't find" your account when you call to check on the check status? The rep I spoke with yesterday seemed confused about basic details of my account and I'm worried they're going to mess up sending the check too. Should I call them back to confirm my mailing address is correct? Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and timelines - it's such a relief to know there's actually a way out of this mess!

@originalPoster The guidance document is on the EDD website under "Information for School Employees" - it's not very prominently displayed. If you search "EDD Reasonable Assurance" it should come up. One more thing - when you do reach a representative, ask them to check if your previous benefit year is causing any issues. Sometimes there's a glitch where the system thinks you're still in your previous benefit year even though it's been years.

I finally got my issue fixed! For anyone else with similar problems: 1. Called at 8:12am exactly (right after the initial rush) 2. Explained I was laid off from teaching position (permanent separation) 3. Rep transferred me to claims specialist who manually verified my wages 4. Had to submit layoff documentation by fax (yes, fax in 2025 🙄) 5. Took about 10 days for everything to process The key was getting to the right department - regular reps can't override the system for education employees.

Just wanted to add another helpful tip for anyone still struggling with this - I work in a restaurant where my hours can be really irregular (like 3 hours 17 minutes one day, 6 hours 8 minutes another). What I do is keep the calculator app open on my phone and immediately convert my hours right when I clock out each shift. So if I worked 3 hours 17 minutes, I do 17 ÷ 60 = 0.28, so that's 3.28 hours total. I write it down in my notes app as "3:17 = 3.28" so I have both formats for reference. This way when certification time comes around, I already have all my hours pre-converted and don't have to stress about doing math when I'm trying to submit my certification. Plus if I ever get audited or questioned, I have a clear record of how I calculated everything. The immediate conversion really takes the pressure off!

This thread is incredibly thorough! As someone who just started part-time work while on EDD, I was making the exact same mistake as the original poster - thinking 4:30 meant 4.30 hours. The divide-by-60 rule is a game changer. I love all the different approaches people have shared - from keeping cheat sheets to using apps like Toggl. I think I'm going to combine a few of these strategies: use the basic conversion formula (minutes ÷ 60), keep that handy reference list of common conversions in my phone, and convert my hours immediately after each shift like @Julia Hall suggested. One thing that's really reassuring from reading all these responses is that as long as you're consistent and honest, small rounding differences aren't going to get you in trouble with EDD. I was so worried about being perfectly precise, but it sounds like the most important thing is just picking a method and sticking with it. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate the EDD system!