I'm also a recent military retiree (Army, January 2025) and went through this exact same thing! Just wanted to add a few things that might help: 1. The eligibility interview is standard for military retirees - they schedule it automatically because they want to verify you're genuinely seeking civilian employment and not just taking a "transition vacation" 2. When I had my interview (took about 6 weeks to get scheduled), they asked very detailed questions about my job search. Have ready: specific company names, job titles, dates applied, method of application, and be prepared to explain how your MOS/military skills translate to the civilian jobs you're targeting 3. They also asked about any networking events, job fairs, or veteran employment resources I'd used. Consider registering with ClearanceJobs, Corporate Gray, or RecruitMilitary if you haven't already - having these on your list shows proactive job searching 4. Regarding the pension - you're 100% correct not to report it until you actually receive payments. I made the mistake of mentioning I was "entitled" to retirement pay and they got confused. Only report actual received income 5. Once approved, they released all my held payments in one lump sum. The whole process was frustrating but the back pay made up for the stress Hang in there - this is just part of the military-to-civilian transition process with EDD. Your benefits should come through once you complete the interview!

I'm a fellow Marine who retired in 2023 and went through this exact same situation! The $0 payments are definitely due to the eligibility interview hold, not anything you did wrong with pension reporting. You're absolutely correct not to report pension income until you actually receive it. A few tips from my experience: - The eligibility interview took about 4-5 weeks to get scheduled for me - They'll ask detailed questions about your job search efforts, so start keeping records NOW (company names, positions, dates, application methods) - Emphasize how your Marine Corps skills transfer to civilian roles you're targeting - Mention any veteran job resources you're using (USAJobs, CorporateGray, HireVeterans.com, etc.) - Be prepared to explain your availability and willingness to work different shifts/locations The interview itself was pretty straightforward - they just want to verify you're genuinely seeking employment and not treating this as extended leave. Once I completed it, all my held payments were released within a week. Your pension situation will be handled separately later when DFAS actually starts paying you. At that point, EDD will only deduct about 50% of your weekly pension amount from your UI benefits. Stay strong, Marine - this bureaucratic hurdle is just part of the transition process. You'll get through it and receive your back pay. Semper Fi!

I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. My employer also lied and said I quit when I was clearly laid off due to "company restructuring." The most important thing right now is to start certifying for benefits IMMEDIATELY - even though you're disqualified, you need to keep certifying every two weeks or you'll lose out on backpay when you win your appeal. Here's what worked for me: I called the EDD Appeals Board directly at 1-800-300-5616 (not the regular EDD number) and was able to get through after about 45 minutes on hold. They confirmed my appeal was in the system and gave me a case number. If you can't get through by phone, definitely visit your local EDD office in person with all your documentation. Also, don't panic about the 8 weeks - mine took almost 12 weeks but I did eventually get my hearing and won. The text messages from your boss are excellent evidence. Make sure you have multiple copies printed out and organized chronologically. The judge will want to see exactly what was said and when. Hang in there - employers lie to EDD all the time to avoid paying higher unemployment taxes, but when you have clear documentation like you do, the appeals judges usually rule in favor of the employee.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! My employer told EDD I resigned when I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. It's been 6 weeks since I filed my appeal and I'm getting really worried about the silence. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying - it sounds like this happens way more often than it should. I had no idea I was supposed to keep certifying during the appeal process, so thank you everyone for mentioning that repeatedly. I'm going to start doing that immediately. One question for those who have been through this - when you finally got your hearing, did your employer actually show up to defend their false claim? I'm wondering if some employers just lie initially hoping you won't appeal, but then don't bother showing up to the hearing when they know they'll lose. Also, has anyone had success getting legal help for these cases? I'm wondering if having an attorney would speed things up or make the outcome more certain, especially since my financial situation is getting desperate.

Update: I finally got through to EDD after trying for two days (thanks to everyone who suggested ways to contact them). The rep confirmed what you all said - my benefits are lower because my earnings were concentrated in just two quarters. She checked my reported wages and everything was correct. I'm disappointed but at least I understand it now. Going to adjust my budget and step up my job search. Thanks everyone for your help explaining this!

I went through something similar when I filed my claim last year. The whole base period calculation really caught me off guard too. One thing that helped me was requesting a detailed breakdown of my base period wages from EDD - they can send you a form that shows exactly which quarters and earnings they used. Sometimes there are reporting delays from employers that can affect your calculation. Also, if you had any unreported tips, freelance work, or side income during your base period, you might be able to add those to increase your claim balance. It's worth double-checking everything since even small wage adjustments can add a few extra weeks to your benefits.

So glad to hear you got your money back quickly! This whole thread has been super helpful - I've been using the Money Network card for months without realizing how vulnerable it is. Just set up direct deposit and text alerts after reading everyone's experiences. It's crazy how common this fraud seems to be with these cards. Thanks for sharing your story and keeping us updated!

This is exactly why I switched to direct deposit after my first unemployment payment! I kept hearing horror stories about Money Network cards getting compromised and decided it wasn't worth the risk. For anyone still on the fence about switching - it's so easy to set up through your EDD online account, and you get your payments 1-2 days faster than with the card. The only downside is you need a bank account, but even a basic checking account at a credit union is safer than these prepaid cards. Really glad you got your money back so quickly @Anastasia Ivanova - your experience will definitely help others who go through this!

does anyone know if u need a lawyer for these appeal hearings? i keep getting mail from lawyers offering to represent me but idk if its worth the $$$

I just went through this process and won my appeal in January! My timeline was about 7 weeks total - 3 weeks to get the hearing notice, hearing scheduled 2 weeks later, and decision came 2 weeks after that. The good news is that once I won, I got ALL my back payments within a week, which really helped after months of financial stress. A few things that helped me: I created a simple timeline document with dates of everything that happened leading to my termination. I also got a letter from HR confirming it was a layoff (even though my manager had initially reported it wrong to EDD). During the hearing, I stayed super calm and just stuck to the facts - let my documentation do the talking. The judge seemed to appreciate that I was organized and prepared. Hang in there - I know the waiting is brutal but if you were truly laid off and have any proof at all, you should be fine. The system is slow but it does work when you have the facts on your side!