Just following up - were you able to get clarity on this? For anyone finding this thread later, here's the official word: According to the EDD's UI benefit determination guide, distributions from qualified retirement plans (including 401k, IRA, etc.) are NOT considered wages for UI purposes. These distributions should not affect your weekly benefit amount. However, ongoing pension payments (not one-time distributions) might reduce your benefits, depending on whether your base period employer contributed to that pension. The safest approach is always to report and let EDD make the determination rather than risk an overpayment situation.

Great to hear you got confirmation from EDD! This is such a common source of confusion for people dealing with layoffs. Your experience perfectly illustrates why it's worth the hassle of getting through to an actual representative when you're unsure - better to get the official word than stress about it or potentially miss out on benefits you're entitled to. Thanks for following up with the resolution - this thread will definitely help others in similar situations!

UPDATE: I filed a new claim yesterday through UI Online. It was actually easier than I remembered - took about 30 minutes to complete. The system confirmed my benefit year had ended from my previous claim. Now I just have to wait and hope it processes quickly. Thanks everyone for the advice and guidance!

Great to hear you got your new claim filed! Just wanted to add a heads up - since you were only at your recent job for about 7 months (March to October), keep an eye out for any potential issues with wage verification. Sometimes EDD has trouble pulling wage data from employers quickly, especially for shorter employment periods. If your claim gets stuck in "pending" status for more than a week or two, it might be worth calling (or using that Claimyr service Andre mentioned) to make sure they have all your wage information. Also, since you mentioned bills are tight, look into local food banks or utility assistance programs in your area while you're waiting for benefits to kick in. Hope everything processes smoothly for you!

I went through something very similar about 6 months ago! Took a temp job paying $18/hr after losing a $35/hr position. The partial benefits absolutely helped me get through those months. A few things I learned that might help: - Keep detailed records of your work schedule and pay stubs. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking hours worked each week - When certifying, be super precise about the dates you worked vs the certification period dates - this tripped me up once - If you work irregular hours (some weeks more, some less), your partial benefit amount will vary accordingly - The temp agency should provide you with clear documentation of your work dates when the assignment ends - ask for this upfront The good news is that having some income plus partial benefits kept me afloat financially, and it did look better to potential employers that I was working rather than just collecting full benefits. My temp assignment actually got extended twice and led to some good networking opportunities. Hang in there!

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact situation last year! I was laid off from a $42/hr job and took a temp position at $25/hr for 5 months. The partial benefits were a lifesaver during that time. One thing I wish I had known earlier - if your temp job offers any overtime hours, be strategic about when you take them. Some weeks I worked extra hours and earned too much to qualify for ANY partial benefits that week, while other weeks I could have used the extra income. It's worth calculating beforehand whether working those extra hours will push you over the threshold where you lose all benefits for that week. Also, don't forget that you're still building work credits during the temp job, which can help if you need to file a new claim later. The whole experience actually worked out well for me - the temp job gave me new skills and I eventually found a permanent position paying even more than my original job. Sometimes these situations work out better than expected!

I went through something similar last year. First thing - definitely appeal ASAP if you believe the denial was wrong. You can usually do this online through your EDD portal or by mailing in the appeal form. In the meantime, try calling the PFL phone line early in the morning (like 8am sharp) - you'll have better luck getting through. Also, gather all your documents again (medical forms, employment records, etc.) in case there was something missing they didn't clearly communicate. The whole process is frustrating but don't give up! Many denials get overturned on appeal.

Document everything! Take screenshots of your denial notification and keep copies of all the paperwork you submitted. When you do get through to someone (whether by phone or appeal), having everything organized will help your case. Also, don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor if the first person you talk to can't help - sometimes they have more authority to look into what went wrong. Hang in there!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Filed my first unemployment claim about 10 days ago and certified this past Sunday. My payment has been stuck on pending for 3 days now and I was starting to get really worried, especially since I've never been on unemployment before and didn't know what to expect. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like the 7-10 business day wait for first payments is completely normal due to all the verification steps EDD has to do. I had no idea they had to verify identity, check with employers, and do all these additional reviews for the initial payment. It's frustrating when you're already stressed about finances, but at least now I know I'm not alone in this waiting game. Going to try to be patient and wait the full 10 business days before panicking. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines - it really helps to know what's normal!

I'm going through the exact same thing! Just submitted my first certification 4 days ago and my payment is still pending. I've been checking the portal obsessively which is probably making my anxiety worse. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I had no idea that first payments take so much longer due to all the verification steps EDD has to do. It makes total sense that they need to verify identity, check with previous employers, and review everything before releasing that initial payment. The 7-10 business day timeline that everyone mentions gives me hope that mine should come through soon. It's definitely nerve-wracking when you're already stressed about finances, but knowing this is completely normal helps a lot. Thanks for posting this question - I was wondering the same thing and was starting to panic!