Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world info I needed to hear! It sounds like WIOA can be hit or miss depending on location and who you work with, but the success stories are encouraging. @Alexander Zeus - really appreciate the detailed breakdown of your process. The fact that they covered $4,800 in training costs plus helped with transportation and interview clothes shows they can provide real value when it works. @Alicia Stern - sorry you had such a frustrating experience, but thanks for the warning about the degree issue and overloaded caseworkers. I'll go in with realistic expectations. @Drake - your professional insight is super helpful. The priority for people with barriers to employment gives me some hope since my back injury definitely limits my options in construction. I think I'm going to move forward with contacting my local America's Job Center, but I'll also look into that Claimyr service @Sarah Jones mentioned to make sure I get properly referred through EDD first. Seems like having the right paperwork trail from the start could save a lot of headaches later. Will definitely keep everyone posted on how it goes. Fingers crossed I get one of the good locations and counselors!

I'm currently going through the WIOA process myself after my EDD benefits ended two months ago. Here's what I've learned so far that might help: The intake process is definitely slow - took me about 3 weeks to get my first appointment, then another 2 weeks for the career assessment. But once you're in the system, things move faster. My counselor was actually really knowledgeable and helped me understand that my previous warehouse work experience could transition into logistics/supply chain management. One tip that's helped me: when you call to schedule your initial appointment, ask specifically about their current training program availability and wait lists. Some programs (like healthcare) have 3+ month waits, while others (like office administration or basic IT) might start within 4-6 weeks. Also, they do offer some emergency assistance for people who've exhausted UI benefits - I qualified for a small amount of gas money and help with phone bills while waiting to start training. It's not much, but every bit helps when you're in that gap period. The key seems to be treating it like a part-time job itself - staying on top of appointments, following up regularly, and being flexible about training options. My program starts next month (medical administrative assistant), so I can't speak to job placement success yet, but the process has been legitimate so far. Hang in there - it's frustrating but there does seem to be real help available if you can navigate the bureaucracy!

UPDATE: I just checked my UI Online account and my status changed to "paid"! They must have processed it faster than the 7-10 days they quoted. So relieved! Now just waiting for that Money Network card to arrive. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

Congrats on getting approved! That's such a relief when you see that status change to "paid." For anyone else still waiting - I had a similar experience where they quoted 7-10 days but it actually took 12 business days. The key thing I learned is that weekends and holidays don't count as "business days" so make sure you're calculating correctly. Also, once your status changes to "paid," the Money Network card usually arrives within 5-7 business days via regular mail. If you're in a rush, you can call Money Network directly to see if they offer expedited shipping for a fee.

Congratulations on getting your interview done and claim approved! This is such a perfect example of why it's important not to panic when EDD runs behind schedule. I went through this same situation last year - they called me 3 hours late and I was convinced my claim was going to be denied. It's frustrating that they don't give any updates during the waiting period, but at least now other people reading this thread will know that late calls are totally normal. Thanks for updating us with the good news!

So glad to see this thread with a happy ending! I've been following along because I have my interview scheduled for next week and was already getting anxious about it. Reading everyone's experiences - especially how both Savanna and Juan got their calls hours late but everything worked out - really helps calm my nerves. It's good to know that EDD running behind schedule is normal and doesn't mean your claim will be denied. I'll definitely keep my phone charged and close by for the entire day (and maybe the next day too based on what others shared). Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating the EDD process!

Glad everything worked out for you! This is such a helpful thread - I'm currently waiting for my first payment to be authorized and was getting anxious about the timeline. Seeing that it typically takes 2-3 business days from authorization to deposit really puts my mind at ease. I'll definitely bookmark this for reference when mine hopefully gets authorized soon. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences instead of just speculation!

This whole thread is exactly what I needed to see! I'm in week 3 of waiting for my initial claim to be processed and have been so stressed about the timeline. Reading everyone's real experiences - especially that most people get their money within 2-3 business days after authorization - is incredibly reassuring. The EDD website doesn't give clear timelines so having actual community experiences is invaluable. I'm bookmarking this thread for when (hopefully!) my payment gets authorized. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories instead of just doom and gloom - it really helps us newcomers know what's normal!

When my husband got laid off last month, his card came EXACTLY 12 business days after approval. Not 11, not 13. I think they have some kind of policy where they won't even consider it "late" until after 12 business days. Such a stupid system when people are desperate for their benefits! Why can't they just email us a temporary virtual card or something while we wait for the physical one??

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now - approved 10 days ago and still checking my mailbox obsessively every day! Reading through these comments gives me hope that it's normal but also frustrating that this is such a common issue. The fact that we have to rely on third-party services just to get basic help from our own state agency is honestly ridiculous. I'm going to try that Claimyr service mentioned above since I've had zero luck getting through on the regular lines. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least we're not alone in this mess!