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!

As someone who just joined this community, I'm blown away by how supportive everyone is here! I'm currently dealing with my own EDD interview scheduling conflict (work training that can't be moved), and this thread has been absolutely invaluable. The detailed strategies everyone shared - from the specific button sequences to trying local offices to the auto-redial apps - are exactly the kind of insider knowledge you can't get anywhere else. What really stands out to me is how people keep coming back to update on their success and share new tips they discovered. It's like having a whole support network of people who actually understand how broken and frustrating EDD's system is. I'm definitely going to try the early morning calling strategy with the 1-6-7 button sequence, and I'll make sure to have multiple backup time slots ready. Thanks to Connor for starting this thread and to everyone who contributed their experiences. For anyone else dealing with this nightmare - don't give up! The persistence really does seem to pay off based on all these success stories.

Just wanted to chime in as another newcomer who's been lurking and reading through this incredibly helpful thread! I'm actually facing my own EDD interview rescheduling situation right now - I have a job interview (ironically) that conflicts with my EDD eligibility interview next Friday. Reading through everyone's experiences and strategies has been such a relief. I was literally having anxiety attacks about potentially missing either appointment, but now I feel like I have a real game plan. I'm going to start calling tomorrow morning at 8am sharp using the 1-6-7 button sequence that worked for so many people here. One thing I wanted to ask - for those who successfully rescheduled, did the EDD reps ask for any kind of documentation about your conflict? I'm wondering if I should have something ready to prove I have this job interview, or if just explaining the situation verbally is enough. This community is absolutely amazing. The fact that Connor came back to update everyone on his success, and that people keep sharing new tips and strategies, shows what a supportive group this is. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's making this stressful situation so much more manageable!

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!

@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.

UPDATE: Solution found! I tried the browser switching trick and it didn't work, BUT entering "N/A" in all the military fields as someone suggested above DID work! I was able to complete my application and got confirmation that it was submitted successfully. Thanks everyone for your help! To anyone else having this issue, try the N/A trick!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. It's crazy how many workarounds we have to know just to use a basic government service. For anyone reading this later, it sounds like the main solutions that have worked are: 1) Clear browser cache and try different browser, 2) Use mobile version instead of desktop, 3) Enter "N/A" in required fields that shouldn't apply, and 4) Try during off-peak hours. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and solutions!