Really hoping your new claim gets approved! I went through something similar last year - was laid off from my retail management job in 2022, exhausted my benefits in 2023, then did some gig work and temp positions before filing a second claim in late 2024. One thing I learned is that even if your weekly benefit amount ends up being lower (mine dropped from $320 to $180 based on the temp work wages), you might still qualify for additional weeks if you hadn't used up the maximum duration on your first claim. Also, if you're still struggling to find permanent work, look into any retraining programs EDD offers - some of them can extend your benefits while you're in school or certification programs. Keep us posted on how it goes! This community has been such a lifesaver for navigating all the EDD confusion.

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's been through the second claim process recently! Based on what you've shared about earning $4,800 from temp work in Nov-Dec 2023 and March-April 2024, you should definitely qualify for a new claim. That amount spread across those quarters would easily meet the minimum earnings requirements. A few tips from my experience: - Apply online ASAP - it's much faster than calling - Have all your employment info ready (employer names, addresses, dates, gross wages) - The system will automatically calculate your base period and weekly benefit amount - Even if your new weekly amount is lower, it's still income while you keep job searching Good luck with your application! The warehouse/logistics field has been picking up lately, so hopefully you'll find something permanent soon. This community is great for support during the process.

I just went through this same situation last month! My benefit year expired and I had to reopen my claim, then got scheduled for an interview just like you. Your payments will definitely stay pending until after the interview - that's totally standard for reopened claims, even though it's super stressful when you have bills due. The interview itself was way less scary than I expected. They mostly asked about my job search activities, confirmed I was still available for work, and asked about any changes in my situation since I originally filed. The whole thing took about 15 minutes. My pending payments (3 weeks worth) were released about 36 hours after the interview ended. My advice: have your job search log ready to reference, make sure your phone is charged and you have good reception, and answer honestly about your situation. They're really just verifying you're still eligible and actively looking for work. Since you've been keeping good records and following the requirements, you should be fine. The stress is totally understandable but you're almost through this process!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My benefit year just expired last week and I reopened my claim online. Got my interview scheduled for Friday and like you, I was able to certify for 2 weeks but everything is showing as pending. From reading all the responses here and talking to a friend who went through this in December, it sounds like those payments will stay pending until after your interview is done. It's really frustrating when you need the money now, but seems like that's just how their system works for reopened claims. I've been organizing my job search records and printing everything out based on all the advice here. One thing that's been helpful is creating a simple summary sheet with my weekly job search totals - makes it easier to reference quickly if they ask specific questions during the interview. Try not to stress too much about the interview itself - from what everyone is saying, it sounds pretty routine for reopened claims. Just be honest about your situation and have your documentation ready. Hopefully both our interviews go smoothly and we get our pending payments released quickly! Good luck on Wednesday!

I'm so glad you got that resolved! That's a huge relief that you were able to get the garnishment reduced to 15% and have a manageable weekly payment. Your experience really shows how important it is to actually talk to someone at EDD rather than just accepting whatever they automatically do. I'm dealing with a similar overpayment situation right now (different circumstances but same stress) and your story gives me hope that they'll work with people who are genuinely struggling. Thanks for sharing the update - it's really helpful to know how these things actually turn out in real life!

Welcome to the community @b9ced393b56c! Don't feel overwhelmed - you're in the right place for support and advice. The EDD overpayment situation can definitely feel scary at first, but as you can see from Cynthia's experience and others here, there are ways to work with them. The key things I've learned from reading all these threads are: 1) Don't panic about them taking everything - there are legal limits, 2) Actually getting through to talk to someone makes a huge difference, 3) They do consider hardship situations if you explain your circumstances clearly. Make sure you understand exactly why you got the overpayment so you can avoid it happening again. Feel free to ask questions here - this community has been super helpful for navigating these situations!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! I moved to Amsterdam last year and needed my 1099-G from 2023. What ended up working for me was a combination approach: I used a VPN with a dedicated California IP (like others mentioned) AND called during off-peak hours using Google Voice instead of Skype - the call quality was better and rates were cheaper. The trick was calling around 2 PM PST when most people are at lunch, so the lines weren't as busy. I also found that having my EDD customer account number ready (not just SSN) helped speed up the verification process. If the VPN route doesn't work, definitely go with the authorized representative form - that's the most reliable method according to everything I've read. Good luck with the tax deadline!

I'm currently in a very similar situation - moved to Berlin in January and completely panicked when I realized I couldn't access my EDD account! After reading through all these responses, I wanted to share what's working for me so far. I tried the NordVPN dedicated IP approach that @Jamal Wilson suggested and it actually worked! The key was specifically requesting a residential IP in California (not just any US server) and it cost an extra $70/year but totally worth it for peace of mind. I was able to log in and download my 1099-G yesterday without any security issues. For anyone else reading this, make sure when you contact NordVPN support you specifically ask for a "dedicated residential IP in California" - the regular dedicated IP might still get flagged. Also, clear your browser cache completely before trying to access EDD with the new IP. Hope this helps other expats dealing with the same nightmare!

Welcome to the unemployment journey! The biweekly schedule is definitely consistent once you get established. One thing I found really helpful was setting up text alerts through UI Online - go to "Contact Information" and enable SMS notifications for certification reminders and payment updates. This way you get a heads up when it's time to certify and confirmation when payments are processed. Also, since you mentioned budgeting carefully, consider opening a separate "benefits account" if possible to keep your unemployment payments separate from other income. This makes it easier to track and budget, especially if you end up doing any part-time work later (which you'll need to report during certification). The first few months feel overwhelming but you're already asking smart questions!

Just to add to all the great advice here - another helpful feature is setting up email notifications in addition to text alerts. Go to UI Online > Notification Preferences and enable both email and SMS for certification reminders and payment notifications. I like having the backup in case one system has issues. Also, if you ever move or change banks during your claim period, make sure to update your information BEFORE your next certification to avoid payment delays. I learned this the hard way when I moved apartments and forgot to update my address - caused a week-long delay in payments while they verified my new info. The biweekly schedule really does become second nature after a month or two, so hang in there!