Update: My sister decided to take the 1-month position. We made sure to get everything in writing and her direct manager promised to provide her with a termination letter at the end of the temporary assignment that clearly states the permanent business closure. She also found out they're NOT offering any severance pay to anyone (so at least we don't have to worry about that complication). Thanks everyone for the super helpful advice! It's making this stressful situation a bit easier to navigate.

Smart choice on taking the temporary position! One more thing to keep in mind - when she files her claim after the temp work ends, she should be prepared to explain the timeline clearly during her initial interview or if EDD has any follow-up questions. Sometimes they get confused when there's a gap between the original layoff announcement and the actual last day of work. Having that termination letter mentioning the business closure will be key. Also, she might want to start putting together her job search documentation now since EDD requires proof of work search activities. Good luck to your sister!

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for the advice! I called Money Network again this morning and specifically asked for the fraud department using the phone tree someone suggested. Got a much more helpful rep who processed an expedited claim AND issued a provisional credit that should appear in 2-3 business days! Also filed a CFPB complaint as backup. I'm switching to direct deposit as soon as this is resolved. Will update again when everything is finalized.

So glad you got the provisional credit! I had a similar experience where the regular customer service was useless but the fraud department actually helped. Just a heads up - make sure you keep checking on your case every few days. Sometimes they need additional documentation or the investigation stalls. Also, when you switch to direct deposit, double-check your bank account info because I've seen people accidentally transpose numbers and then their payments get delayed. The direct deposit is SO much better though - no more worrying about card skimmers or ATM fraud!

WAIT I just realized something!! Are you ABSOLUTELY SURE the refund is from this year's taxes?? Because last year my husband got a refund in our account in July that we thought was from that year's taxes but it was actually a DELAYED refund from the PREVIOUS year that finally processed, and then a week later our ACTUAL refund for that year got intercepted by EDD!!! Don't spend that money until you're 100% sure!!!!

Just wanted to add my experience - I had an EDD overpayment of about $3,200 and they did intercept my tax refund last year, but like others have said, they never touched my bank account directly. The key thing is that tax refund interception happens automatically through government systems, but bank account access requires your explicit permission. One thing I learned is that if you're proactive about setting up a payment plan, EDD will often stop future tax refund interceptions as long as you're making your monthly payments on time. I set up a $50/month plan and they released the hold on my tax refunds. It's definitely worth calling them or using one of those callback services people mentioned to get it sorted out before they move to wage garnishment. Also, definitely verify that refund is actually from this year's taxes like someone else suggested - the IRS has been processing things really weirdly lately and delayed refunds have been showing up at random times!

Quick update question - have you checked your UI Online account under the "History" tab as well as the "Appeals" section? Sometimes decisions don't show up in Appeals but your payment status will change under History if the decision was favorable. Also, make sure you're still certifying for benefits every two weeks even while waiting for the appeal decision!

I'm going through something similar right now - had my appeal hearing 2.5 weeks ago and still waiting on the decision. The uncertainty is absolutely brutal, especially when you're already financially stressed from months without benefits. One thing that's helped me cope is setting up a daily routine where I only check my UI Online account once in the morning instead of obsessively refreshing it all day. I've also been documenting everything (hearing date, judge's name, case details) in case I need to follow up later. Hang in there - from what I'm reading here, it sounds like 3-4 weeks is pretty normal right now, even though it feels like forever when you're living it.

Just to clarify something I'm seeing in the comments - when you check your UI Online account, does it specifically say "paid" with the payment type listed as "direct deposit"? Sometimes payments default back to the debit card if there's an issue with direct deposit setup. If that happened, you'd need to contact Money Network about your debit card status instead.

@Liv Park - glad you figured out where your payment went! Just wanted to add that when you re-enroll for direct deposit, make sure to wait until you see "Direct Deposit" confirmed in your UI Online payment history before assuming future payments will go to your bank. Sometimes there's a delay between when you enroll and when it actually takes effect. Also, keep that debit card active until you're 100% sure direct deposit is working - I learned this the hard way when I was switching between payment methods last year.