I'm really sorry to hear about your situation - what an awful way to lose your job over such an obvious accident! After reading through everyone's responses, I'm convinced you have an excellent case for unemployment benefits. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should consider documenting the exact steps you took when the error occurred. If possible, try to recreate (without actually submitting anything) the process you went through on the time clock system - which screen you were on, where the VTO button was located versus the clock-in button, etc. This kind of detailed explanation during your EDD interview can really help the adjudicator understand how easy it would be to make this mistake accidentally. Also, since you mentioned you were rushing to handle a family obligation, that context is important too. When people are in a hurry, user errors become much more understandable and clearly unintentional. The combination of your clean record, immediate self-reporting, and the fact that you were literally trying to take UNPAID time off makes this such a clear-cut case of an honest mistake rather than misconduct. Costco's decision to terminate you over this seems incredibly harsh and unreasonable. File that claim as soon as possible and stay confident - you've got this! This community is rooting for you and based on all the experiences shared here, EDD should definitely see this situation for what it really was.

I've been reading through all the responses here and I'm amazed by how supportive and knowledgeable this community is! As someone who's dealt with EDD claims before, I want to echo what everyone else is saying - you definitely have a strong case here. What really stands out to me is that you were literally trying to take UNPAID time off when this happened. That completely destroys any argument about "time theft" since your intent was the exact opposite - to NOT get paid for time you wouldn't be working. When you explain this to the EDD interviewer, make sure to emphasize that point clearly. Also, I'd suggest preparing a simple one-page summary with bullet points covering: your 9-month clean record, the immediate self-reporting, the VTO vs clock-in button confusion, and your good faith appeal attempt. Having it written out will help you stay organized during the phone interview and make sure you don't forget any important details. Don't let Costco's aggressive response discourage you - big box retailers often fight these claims hard, but EDD looks at the actual facts and legal standards, not corporate policy. Your situation is textbook "honest mistake" rather than willful misconduct. File that claim ASAP and keep your head up - you've got this!

I work at a small credit union and can confirm that we process ACH transfers from Money Network/Metabank without any issues. Most financial institutions accept these transfers since they're standard ACH transactions. The verification process with the micro deposits is pretty standard - we see those come through all the time from various prepaid card companies. One tip: when you're setting up the transfer, make sure you use your account number exactly as it appears on your checks or bank statements. Sometimes people accidentally add extra zeros or spaces which can cause the setup to fail. Also, if your credit union uses a different name on statements than their common name, use whatever appears on your actual account documents. The transfer usually processes faster if you initiate it before noon on business days. Hope this helps ease your concerns about the process!

Just wanted to share my recent experience for anyone still reading this thread. I followed the advice here and set up direct deposit through UI Online about 2 weeks ago. It took exactly 2 payment cycles like @StarStrider mentioned, but now my payments go straight to my checking account and I don't have to deal with the card at all anymore. For anyone on the fence about doing this - it's definitely worth the small hassle of setting it up. No more worrying about ATM fees, card malfunctions, or any of the other issues people mentioned. The process was pretty straightforward once I had my routing and account numbers ready. Just make sure you don't have any pending payments when you make the switch, as those will still go to your card while the direct deposit setup is processing. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is really helpful for navigating all the EDD quirks!

I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful situation - I know exactly how nerve-wracking it is to get that second appeal notice after you thought everything was resolved! I went through something very similar about 7 months ago when my former employer appealed to CUIAB after I won my initial hearing. The good news is that your case sounds incredibly strong. When an ALJ uses language like "inconsistent and unpersuasive," that's a powerful credibility finding that the CUIAB board takes very seriously. They're not going to re-evaluate witness testimony or hear new evidence - they're strictly looking for legal errors in how the judge applied unemployment law to the facts that were already established. My employer also had zero documentation and conflicting witness accounts, and the board upheld my case after about 10 weeks. They noted that the ALJ had properly evaluated all the evidence and correctly applied the relevant unemployment statutes. Definitely keep certifying every two weeks - that's exactly what you're supposed to do during appeals. I had the same anxiety about potential overpayment, but even if the unlikely happened, there are hardship waiver options available. The reality is that most of these second-level appeals are just employers trying to avoid higher UI tax rates rather than having any genuine belief they'll win. You've already cleared the biggest hurdle by winning that first hearing with such strong language from the judge. Try to stay focused on your husband's job search and remember that the statistics are heavily in your favor. This waiting period will pass - hang in there!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and I totally understand your panic! The good news is that second-level appeals to CUIAB have a really low success rate for employers, especially when the ALJ made such strong factual findings like yours did. The phrase "inconsistent and unpersuasive" is actually really powerful language that shows the judge carefully evaluated credibility issues. The CUIAB board gives huge deference to those kinds of factual determinations and they're really just looking for legal errors in how unemployment law was applied, not re-hearing the whole case. My timeline was about 9 weeks from when the employer filed the appeal to getting the board's decision upholding my case. The employer claimed I violated company policy but had zero written documentation (sound familiar?). The board basically said the ALJ properly evaluated the evidence and applied the law correctly. Keep certifying every two weeks religiously - that's exactly what you're supposed to do during appeals. I was terrified about overpayment too, but even in the worst case scenario there are hardship waivers available. Most of these second appeals are honestly just employers trying to avoid higher UI tax rates rather than having any real legal merit. Your husband's case sounds incredibly strong given the judge's language and their complete lack of documentation. The waiting is brutal but you've already won the hardest battle - hang in there!

I actually just finished serving on a jury last month while on UI! One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you end up on a lengthy trial (mine was 2.5 weeks), you can still do some job searching during lunch breaks and evenings. I kept a running list on my phone of companies I wanted to apply to and would submit applications when I got home each day. Also, some employers are actually impressed when you mention jury duty in interviews - shows civic responsibility. The income reporting was straightforward like others said, just make sure you report it for the correct week when you actually received the payment, not necessarily the week you served. Good luck with your service!

One thing to keep in mind is that jury duty schedules can be unpredictable - you might get called in for selection and then dismissed, or you could end up on a trial that lasts several days. I'd recommend having backup plans for your job search activities. Download job search apps on your phone, bookmark company career pages, and maybe even draft some cover letters in advance so you can quickly customize and send them during breaks or after court hours. Also, if you're worried about your budget, remember that while jury duty pay is minimal, it's still better than nothing, and your UI benefits will only be reduced by the amount you actually receive. The system isn't perfect, but it's manageable if you stay organized and keep up with all the requirements.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I just wanted to add something from my recent experience that might save others some time. If you've ever worked as a substitute teacher, temp worker, or had any kind of irregular employment schedule, EDD might have your employment records under a slightly different name format than what you're expecting. In my case, I work as a substitute teacher and the school district had submitted my employment info with my first name + middle initial, but I was trying to register with just my first name (no middle initial). Once I included the middle initial exactly as it appears on my teaching credential, everything went through immediately. Also wanted to mention that if you've moved between school districts or had employment in multiple California counties, each district might have submitted slightly different versions of your name/address to the state. It's worth trying the exact formatting from your most recent pay stub or W-2, even if it looks "wrong" to you. The systematic troubleshooting approach everyone has developed here is amazing - this community has basically built the user manual that EDD should have provided from the start! Thanks to everyone who shared their specific solutions. 🙌

This thread has been absolutely phenomenal to read through! As someone who just got laid off and is about to start my first unemployment claim, I had no idea what I was walking into with EDD's registration system. Reading everyone's experiences has been both terrifying and incredibly educational. The systematic troubleshooting approach that's evolved here is brilliant - I'm definitely printing out a checklist based on all the variations people have mentioned. The SSN formatting (no dashes), address abbreviations, suffix punctuation, browser differences, VPN settings, name change scenarios, recent document updates, employment record variations, international characters, and autocomplete issues - it's like a comprehensive guide to every way this system can break! What really strikes me is how this community has essentially done EDD's job by creating the troubleshooting documentation they should have provided. It's both inspiring to see this level of collective problem-solving and frustrating that it's necessary in the first place. I'm bookmarking this entire thread and will definitely reference it when I start my registration process. Thank you to everyone who turned their frustrations into actionable solutions - you're literally helping people access critical support during some of their most vulnerable times. This kind of community mutual aid is incredible! 🙏