I'm new to unemployment benefits and this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm currently employed but my company has been hinting at layoffs, so I'm trying to understand the system before I potentially need it. One thing I'm curious about from reading all these responses - when you're reporting earnings during those final weeks, do you report gross wages or net wages? And does it matter if you get paid weekly vs. biweekly vs. monthly at your new job? I imagine the timing of when you actually receive your paycheck might not align perfectly with the EDD certification weeks. Also, for someone who's never dealt with EDD before, is there anything else I should know about how the certification process works in general? This community seems to have a wealth of practical knowledge that goes way beyond what's on the official website. Thanks in advance - hoping I won't need this info, but better to be prepared!

I've been helping folks navigate EDD for years, and this is one of the most common questions I see. You're absolutely right to want to do this properly - I've seen too many people get burned by not following the right process. Here's the bottom line: Yes, you'll continue receiving certification weeks until your benefit year expires (12 months from when you first filed) or until you exhaust your claim balance. There's no magic cutoff date. When you land that new job (fingers crossed!), here's exactly what to do: 1. Continue certifying for any weeks where you were still partially or fully unemployed 2. For weeks where you start working, report your gross earnings honestly during certification 3. If you earn more than your weekly benefit amount, you'll get $0 but create a clean record 4. After you're fully employed and earning over your benefit amount, you can simply stop certifying No formal "closure" needed - the system handles it automatically. And if that job doesn't work out within your benefit year, you can easily reopen your claim through UI Online. The key is transparency. Better to over-report than under-report with EDD. Good luck with those job leads - construction work is picking back up in a lot of areas right now!

UPDATE: Finally got through this morning! Called the correct SDI number at 8:01am and only waited about 15 minutes. Turns out they needed to verify my mom's address because it didn't match what they had on file (she moved last year). The rep was actually super helpful and processed everything right away. My claim should be paid within 7-10 days. Thanks everyone for your advice!

I'm so glad you got through and everything worked out! Your story gives me hope - I've been struggling with a similar verification issue for my own PFL claim. It's reassuring to know that these calls really are usually about simple things like address updates. I've been calling the wrong number too (regular UI instead of SDI), so I'm definitely going to try the 1-866-658-8846 number first thing tomorrow morning. How long did the actual verification conversation take once you were connected? And did they give you a confirmation number or anything to track that it was completed?

one more thing nobody mentioned - the interview slots are super specific like 10:15-10:30am and sometimes they call right at the beginning and sometimes at the very end of that window. so dont panic if they dont call right at the start time, but be ready the whole time!!

You've got this! I had my eligibility interview about 6 months ago and was just as nervous as you are now. Here's what helped me the most: 1. They really do follow a standard script - it's not meant to be a "gotcha" situation 2. The interviewer was actually pretty patient when I stumbled over a date and let me check my paperwork 3. Since you have documentation showing "position eliminated," that's exactly what they need to hear One thing I wish I had known - they might ask about your job search efforts even though you just got laid off. Don't worry if you haven't done much yet, just be honest about what you have done (updating your resume, looking at job boards, etc.). The whole thing took about 12 minutes for me. You'll do great - the fact that you're preparing shows you're taking it seriously, which is all they want to see!

Hey there! I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of support here. I worked at a nonprofit mental health services organization for about 3 years before getting laid off due to state budget cuts last year. I had the exact same concerns about UI eligibility that you did! The application process was straightforward and I got approved without any special hurdles. What really put my mind at ease was when I realized that every pay stub I'd ever received showed the standard state deductions including SDI and UI contributions - if they were taking those out of my paycheck, they were definitely paying into the system on the employer side too. One thing I learned that might help you: when you do your work search activities, don't forget to include nonprofit-specific job boards like JustJobs, VolunteerHub's job section, and your local United Way's career center. A lot of smaller nonprofits post there instead of the big commercial job sites. Also, GrantSpace has a jobs section that's really good for program-focused positions like yours. The funding landscape is really tough right now for youth development programs, but your 2.5 years of experience as a program coordinator is solid experience that will definitely be valued by other organizations. Hang in there and keep us posted on how your claim progresses!

As someone who's been through this process multiple times (unfortunately!), I can definitely confirm that most established nonprofits participate in the UI system. The fact that you worked there for 2.5 years as a full-time program coordinator makes it almost certain they were paying unemployment taxes. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're still feeling anxious while waiting for your claim to process, you can actually check your employment history in your UI Online account once it's set up. It will show all the employers that have reported wages for you, which can give you peace of mind that your nonprofit is in the system. Also, pro tip for when your benefits start: keep a simple spreadsheet or document tracking your work search activities from day one. California requires 3 work search activities per week, and having everything organized makes the biweekly certifications much less stressful. Include dates, company names, positions applied for, and method of contact. The nonprofit funding crisis is hitting so many organizations right now - you're definitely not alone in this situation. Your program coordination experience is valuable and transferable to lots of different types of organizations. Wishing you the best with your claim and job search!

I'm going through this exact same identity verification nightmare right now! EDD flagged my account three weeks ago claiming they couldn't verify my identity, even though I was born in California and have been filing with them on and off for years. It's like they just randomly flag accounts now and then put the burden on us to prove we exist. What's really frustrating is how each department gives you different information. The regular customer service reps say one thing, the eligibility interviewers say another, and then appeals is in its own separate world. No one seems to communicate with each other! I've also submitted the DE 1000M form and I'm waiting to hear from my assembly member's office. Reading through these comments gives me some hope that there are actually ways to get through this bureaucratic maze. The suggestion about the One-Stop Career Centers having EDD liaisons is something I hadn't heard before - definitely going to look into that. Hope your husband's job interview went well today! Even if he gets the position, definitely keep pushing on the appeal for those back benefits. They owe you that money for all the weeks you've been waiting around for them to do their job. This whole system is such a mess but it sounds like you're taking all the right steps to fight it.

This is exactly why I tell everyone to document EVERYTHING from day one when dealing with EDD. I went through a similar identity verification mess earlier this year and what saved me was having a detailed spreadsheet with every phone call, every document submitted, and every person I talked to. Here's what I learned that might help: when you contact your assembly member's office (which is absolutely the right move), bring that documentation log with you. They can use it to show EDD exactly how long you've been jerked around and why this needs immediate attention. Also, ask them specifically about getting your case assigned to their "EDD ombudsman" - not all assembly offices advertise this but most have someone who specializes in these cases. One more thing - if your husband does get that job, make sure he keeps detailed records of his start date and wages. When the appeal finally goes through (and it will), you'll need to show EDD exactly which weeks he was unemployed vs employed so they calculate the back benefits correctly. They love to "accidentally" short-change people on retroactive payments. The citizenship questioning for someone born in Michigan is absolutely ridiculous, but unfortunately typical of how broken this system has become. Stay persistent - you WILL get through this eventually!