Timothy, I'm so sorry you're going through this - 3 weeks without SDI payments while diligently trying to follow their procedures is absolutely unacceptable. This thread has become an incredible resource of practical solutions from people who've actually navigated similar situations. I wanted to add one more strategy that helped me last year: try calling the EDD's Legislative Affairs office at 1-916-654-8210. They handle cases that come from elected officials but sometimes will take direct calls about systemic failures like yours. When you call, emphasize that their own broken system (full voicemail for a week) is preventing you from complying with their call-in notice - this frames it as an operational issue they need to fix rather than just another routine inquiry. Also, if you have a smartphone, try using the callback feature on the EDD website while simultaneously trying the early morning calling strategy others mentioned - sometimes having multiple requests in their system helps. The fact that you've been SMS messaging your number consistently actually works in your favor - it shows continuous good faith effort to comply despite their system failure. Between all the amazing strategies shared here and your persistent efforts, I'm confident you'll get this resolved soon. This community really shows that we have each other's backs when the bureaucracy fails us. Keep fighting - you deserve those payments!

Timothy, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation - 3 weeks without payment while doing everything they asked is completely unacceptable. Reading through all the incredible advice shared here, I wanted to add one more approach that worked for someone I know: try calling the EDD's Fraud Prevention Unit at 1-800-229-6297. While this might seem unrelated, explain that you're concerned someone might flag your account for non-compliance even though their broken system (full voicemail for over a week) is preventing you from completing the required call-in. This sometimes gets you transferred to someone with authority to handle your call-in requirement immediately over the phone. Also, when you do get through to anyone using the strategies shared here, ask them to put a note in your file about the system failure preventing compliance - this protects you if there are any future issues. The community has shared so many brilliant approaches here, from the early morning calling strategies to the executive-level contacts. It's incredible that you need this much expertise just to access benefits you're entitled to, but don't give up - one of these strategies will definitely work. This community has your back, and I'm confident you'll get the breakthrough you need soon!

I'm currently preparing for my own EDD appeal hearing and this entire thread has been incredibly valuable - thank you all for sharing your experiences and advice! One additional resource I wanted to mention: the California Department of Industrial Relations has a free guide called "Representing Yourself at an EDD Appeal Hearing" that walks through the entire process step by step. You can find it on their website under the appeals section. It includes sample questions judges typically ask and guidance on how to organize your evidence. Also, for anyone dealing with medical appointment conflicts like several people mentioned here - I found out that EDD's own handbook states that claimants can have "reasonable restrictions" on their availability as long as they don't substantially reduce employment opportunities. This language might be helpful to reference during your hearing. The stress of this process is real, but seeing how many people have successfully navigated similar situations is really encouraging. It sounds like preparation and honest documentation are key. Wishing everyone the best with their appeals!

I went through a very similar situation about a year ago and want to offer some encouragement along with practical advice. Like you, I was completely honest about my limitations (I had weekly dialysis appointments) and ended up with an overpayment notice after my initial denial. Here's what worked for me: **For the overpayment:** File that DE 1446 waiver form immediately, but also call EDD and specifically request a "collection hold" while your appeal is pending. Use those exact words - "collection hold." They can do this but often don't volunteer the information. **For the hearing preparation:** Create what I call a "story timeline" - a chronological narrative that shows you were genuinely job searching despite your medical appointments. Include dates of applications, interviews you scheduled around your appointments, and any employer communications. This demonstrates good faith effort. **During the hearing:** When they ask about being "able and available," emphasize that you were seeking work that could reasonably accommodate your known schedule. This shows you were being realistic, not fraudulent. I actually got my case overturned by proving I had applied for several positions and scheduled interviews around my dialysis schedule. The most important thing I learned is that "available for work" doesn't mean available 24/7 - it means available for substantial employment within your reasonable constraints. Your honesty in reporting should work FOR you, not against you. Stay strong - the system is overwhelming but winnable with proper preparation. You've got this!

I've been using Money Network for almost two years now and wanted to share a few additional tips that might help newcomers. First, if you have multiple bank accounts, it's worth testing transfers to each one to see which processes faster - I found my smaller local credit union actually beats my big national bank by half a day consistently. Second, Money Network sends email confirmations when transfers are initiated AND when they're completed on their end, so make sure those emails aren't going to spam. Finally, if you're really in a bind and need faster access, some check-cashing places will cash out your full Money Network balance for a fee (usually around $3-5), which might be worth it in emergency situations. The system definitely has its quirks, but once you learn the timing patterns it becomes much more manageable!

I've been using Money Network for about 8 months now and wanted to add my experience with different banks. I have accounts with both TD Bank and a local credit union, and I've noticed TD Bank consistently processes the transfers about 6-8 hours faster than my credit union. What's interesting is that TD Bank actually shows the incoming transfer as "pending" in my account within about 4-6 hours of initiating it from Money Network, even though the funds aren't available yet. This gives me peace of mind that the transfer is actually in progress. One thing I learned the hard way is to screenshot your transfer confirmation from Money Network - I had one transfer that seemed to disappear and having that screenshot helped when I called customer service. Also, if you're transferring on a Thursday, be extra careful about timing because if it doesn't process by Friday afternoon, you're looking at Monday/Tuesday availability due to the weekend gap.

I'm brand new to this community and this thread has been absolutely mind-blowing! I had no idea that money could still be sitting on expired EDD cards - I always assumed once the card expired, any leftover funds would just vanish into thin air. Reading through everyone's success stories has been so encouraging, especially seeing how helpful people have been with sharing specific phone numbers and step-by-step processes. I'm pretty sure I have an old card from early 2020 when I was briefly unemployed at the start of the pandemic, but I completely forgot about it once I found new work. That whole period was such chaos that I'm not even sure if I used all the funds or not. Based on everything I've read here, it definitely seems worth digging through my old paperwork this weekend to see if I can find it. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that makes these confusing government systems feel a little less overwhelming!

I'm completely new to this community and honestly had no clue this was even possible! This whole thread has been such a revelation - I always thought once an EDD card expired, any money left on it was just gone forever. Reading through everyone's experiences has been so helpful and encouraging. I think I might have an old card somewhere from 2020 when I was furloughed for a few months during the early pandemic shutdowns. I honestly can't remember if I used all the funds or not since that whole time period was such a blur of stress and uncertainty. After seeing all these success stories, I'm definitely motivated to dig through my old files this weekend and see if I can track it down. The practical advice everyone has shared about calling EDD first, then the card issuer, and having your ID ready has been invaluable. It's amazing how this community comes together to help people navigate these confusing systems! Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - you might have just helped me (and probably many others) recover money we didn't even know we still had access to.

Great to hear you got your new claim approved! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - make sure you keep detailed records of all your job search activities. EDD can ask for proof that you're actively looking for work, especially if there are any issues with your claim later. Also, since you mentioned the contract work, be prepared that they might contact your previous employer to verify your employment dates and wages. Sometimes this can cause delays in processing, but it's just part of their standard verification process. Good luck with your job search and hope you find something stable soon!

For anyone else dealing with the entertainment industry side of things - I work in TV production and wanted to clarify a few things. Yes, we do cycle on and off unemployment between shows, but there are some important details people miss: 1. You still need to meet the minimum earnings requirements for each new benefit year, just like everyone else 2. The "same employer" rule can be tricky - if you work for different production companies even on the same network, those count as separate employers 3. You have to genuinely be available for work during your unemployment periods. You can't just collect benefits while you're committed to a specific future project that hasn't started yet The biggest advantage we have is that our industry is structured around temporary employment, so EDD understands that being unemployed between gigs is normal rather than suspicious. But we definitely don't get to "game the system" like some people think. Still have to follow all the same rules about job searching and being available for work!