I went through this exact situation 2 months ago! My interview was scheduled for a Tuesday 1-3pm window and I sat by my phone the whole time - nothing. I was absolutely panicking because I thought I'd lose my benefits. Here's what actually happened: They called me 9 days later (the following Thursday) and the rep explained they're massively behind on interviews due to staffing shortages. She said the letters get sent out automatically but the actual interview scheduling system can't keep up with demand. The good news is they won't penalize you for THEIR missed call. When they finally called, the rep could see in their notes that the interview was scheduled and that I hadn't been reached. She actually apologized for the delay! My advice: Don't stress too much, keep certifying as normal, and document everything like others said. If you don't hear anything by next Friday, then definitely try to contact them. But honestly, they'll probably call you within the next week or two.

I'm going through this EXACT same situation right now! Got a letter for an interview scheduled for yesterday 2-4pm, sat by my phone the entire time with it fully charged and volume all the way up - nobody called. Just like you, when I checked my UI Online account there's absolutely no record of any interview being scheduled. It's like the letter and the online system are completely disconnected! I've been reading through all these responses and it's actually making me feel a lot better knowing this is happening to so many people. It sounds like the EDD is just severely backlogged right now and they're running way behind on these interviews. I'm going to follow the advice here about documenting everything - I already took photos of the letter and screenshots of my UI Online showing no scheduled interview. Planning to keep certifying as normal and give it about a week before trying to contact them through the online system. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess!

I'm also experiencing this Money Network card issue right now! Been trying to transfer my unemployment benefits for the past 3 days with no success. The app keeps showing error messages and when I tried using ATMs, my card got declined every time. I called Money Network customer service yesterday and after waiting over an hour, they just gave me the same vague "system maintenance" excuse without any real timeline for when it'll be fixed. I have my electric bill due tomorrow and I'm getting really anxious about this situation. Thank you so much to everyone who shared workarounds here - I had no idea that the website might work differently than the app! Going to try that method right now along with the grocery store cash back option if needed. It's honestly shocking how unreliable this system is when people depend on these benefits for essential expenses. We shouldn't have to become tech troubleshooters just to access our own money!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Been locked out of my Money Network card for the past 4 days trying to transfer my unemployment benefits. The app keeps crashing with error messages and I've tried 6 different ATMs with no luck - all declined. Called Money Network three times and got three different stories about when it might be fixed. I have my internet bill due Friday and my grocery money tied up in this broken system. Thank you everyone for all these workarounds! Just tried the website method that Grace suggested and it actually let me start a small transfer (fingers crossed it goes through). It's absolutely insane that we have to crowd-source solutions on Reddit while their official customer service tells us nothing useful. This whole Money Network system is clearly not designed for people who actually depend on these funds for survival. Really hoping they get their act together soon because this stress on top of being unemployed is just brutal.

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening as someone who's never dealt with EDD account lockouts before (thankfully). Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm genuinely shocked at how unnecessarily complicated their security system is. Like, I get that they need to protect sensitive information, but locking people out of their own benefits when they're already stressed about unemployment seems counterproductive. The collective wisdom here is amazing though - you've all basically created the unofficial EDD account recovery manual that should exist on their website but doesn't. I'm definitely saving this whole thread and the key phone number (1-833-978-2511) just in case I ever need it. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone ever tried reaching out to their state representatives about these systemic issues with EDD's website and phone system? It seems like the kind of thing that affects enough people that it might be worth escalating beyond individual troubleshooting. Not that the immediate solutions you've all shared aren't incredibly valuable, but the root problem of their terrible system design seems worth addressing too. Anyway, huge props to everyone who took the time to share detailed, actionable advice. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes a real difference when people are dealing with bureaucratic nightmares!

This thread is absolutely incredible and should be stickied as the definitive EDD account lockout survival guide! I'm blown away by how thorough and helpful everyone's been - from the specific phone numbers to the exact calling strategies to the identity verification prep checklist. I'm currently helping my elderly neighbor who got laid off and is facing this exact nightmare. She's been in tears trying to access her account for days. Armed with all the wisdom from this thread, I'm confident we can get her sorted out. The 8 AM calling strategy and having all her employment history ready beforehand are going to be game-changers. It's honestly infuriating that we have to crowdsource solutions for basic government services, but I'm so grateful this community exists. The level of detail and genuine care everyone has shown is remarkable. Special thanks to everyone who shared the technical support line number (1-833-978-2511) - that alone is worth its weight in gold compared to the endless hold music on the main claims line. Bookmarking this entire thread and sharing it with anyone I know who might need EDD help. You've all created something way more useful than anything on the official EDD website!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been dealing with EDD for over a year now - payment delays like this are unfortunately more common than they should be. I've had it happen 3-4 times where everything shows "paid" but the actual deposit takes several extra days. From my experience, it's usually one of three things: 1) Technical glitches in their payment processing system, 2) Bank/card network delays (especially around holidays), or 3) Sometimes they run additional verification checks that aren't visible to us but cause delays. The good news is that if it shows "paid" in your payment history, the money will come through eventually. I know that doesn't help with immediate bills, but I've never had a "paid" status not eventually result in the actual deposit. Hang in there!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Certified on Sunday, shows "paid" since Monday, but still no deposit on my EDD debit card as of today (Friday). This is my first time experiencing a delay like this in 8 months of collecting benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really comforting - sounds like this is just one of those random EDD system hiccups that happens sometimes. I was worried there was an issue with my account specifically, but it seems like multiple people have dealt with similar delays recently. Really appreciate everyone sharing their timelines and solutions. Going to give it the weekend and if nothing shows up by Monday, I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through to a human at EDD. This whole situation really highlights how much we're at the mercy of their system when we're relying on these benefits to survive!

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I have some freelance graphic design work (1099) that I completed last week but won't get paid for until next month. I was totally confused about when and how to report it. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially the horror stories about overpayments and penalties, really drove home how important it is to be accurate with reporting. The fact that EDD cross-references with tax filings later makes so much sense - of course they're going to catch unreported income eventually! @Jessica I think you made the absolute right call by reporting it. The stress of wondering "what if" would have been terrible, and now you can rest easy knowing you followed the rules correctly. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here - this community is amazing for helping people navigate these confusing situations!

I'm really glad you reported it! As someone who's been through the EDD system multiple times, I can't stress enough how important it is to be transparent about ALL income sources. One thing I learned that might help others - if you're doing regular 1099 work while on unemployment, it's actually worth keeping detailed records of when you work vs when you get paid. I started a simple spreadsheet with dates worked, estimated earnings, and actual payment dates. This saved me so much headache when I had to provide documentation later. The EDD system might seem confusing, but they're very thorough about income verification. I've seen people get hit with overpayment notices years later because they thought certain types of work "didn't count." Trust me, it ALL counts to them! You definitely made the smart choice here. Better to potentially lose some benefits now than deal with the stress and financial burden of penalties down the road.