I'm so glad I found this thread because I'm literally going through this exact same frustrating situation right now! I've been searching for my EDD account number for over an hour and was starting to feel like I was completely missing something obvious. It's absolutely mind-blowing that they don't display your own account number anywhere on the main UI Online dashboard - like what kind of backwards logic is that?? Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful though! I'm going to start by checking my UI Online inbox for those "Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award" and "Monetary Determination Notice" documents that everyone keeps mentioning. The Gmail search trick for "Customer Account Number" is brilliant too - I never would have thought to search my regular email for EDD stuff since I assumed everything important would be locked away in the UI Online system. It's honestly so validating to see that literally everyone struggles with this same issue. The EDD system really does seem deliberately designed to make simple things as complicated as possible! Thanks to everyone who shared specific document names and search terms - you've probably saved me hours of additional frustration. Definitely going to screenshot and save my account number in multiple places once I finally track it down!

I'm going through this exact same issue right now and honestly feeling so relieved that it's not just me! I've been logged into UI Online for like 45 minutes clicking on every possible tab and section trying to find my account number. It's genuinely insane that they hide such basic information from your own account dashboard. I'm definitely going to try all the suggestions here - starting with checking my UI Online inbox for those "Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award" documents, then using the Gmail search for "Customer Account Number" if that doesn't work. The tip about looking for the XXX-XXXX-XXX format is super helpful too since I'll know exactly what pattern to scan for. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and making me feel less crazy about struggling with this! It's honestly ridiculous that in 2025 we have to play detective just to find our own account information, but at least now I know where to look. Definitely going to save it everywhere once I find it so I never have to deal with this nightmare again!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help - I just went through a very similar situation last month. I was fired for what my employer called "insubordination" (I questioned a safety protocol that seemed dangerous), and like you, I was terrified about the misconduct label affecting my unemployment benefits. The good news is that EDD approved my claim even though my employer contested it. During my phone interview, the EDD representative explained that they see a lot of cases where employers use terms like "misconduct" or "insubordination" very loosely, but EDD has to apply the actual legal standard. In your case, the fact that you were actively working and helping another department is huge. You weren't being lazy or defiant - you just didn't follow the notification procedure. That's exactly the kind of situation where EDD typically sides with the employee because it doesn't meet their definition of willful misconduct. Make sure to emphasize during any interview that this was your first incident in 2.5 years and that helping other departments was part of your normal duties. Your clean record combined with the fact that you were being productive will work strongly in your favor. Don't let your employer's use of the word "misconduct" discourage you - EDD knows the difference between a firing and actual legal misconduct.

As someone who's been following EDD cases for a while, I wanted to add that your situation actually highlights a really important distinction that trips up a lot of people. Many employers will use the word "misconduct" in their termination paperwork or HR documentation, but that's just their internal classification - it doesn't automatically mean you've committed misconduct under EDD's legal definition. What you're describing sounds more like what EDD would classify as a "discharge for reasons other than misconduct." You were terminated for a policy violation, yes, but the underlying facts show you were actively working and contributing to company operations. The fact that you were helping another department achieve their goals demonstrates you were engaged in work-related activities, not shirking your duties. I'd recommend keeping copies of any documentation that shows cross-departmental assistance was part of your regular responsibilities. Things like past emails, work assignments, or even informal requests from supervisors can be really valuable if your employer tries to paint this as job abandonment or insubordination during their contest. Your 2.5-year clean record is going to be one of your strongest assets. EDD typically looks very favorably on employees with long tenure and no prior disciplinary issues when evaluating whether a single incident rises to the level of misconduct. Stay positive and stick to the facts - your case looks very solid!

Just wanted to add something that might help - if you've been on furlough for this long, you should also check if your employer has been continuing your health insurance coverage. Sometimes companies will quietly drop furloughed employees from their health plan after a certain period to cut costs. If that's happened, you might be eligible for COBRA or need to look into Covered California for health coverage while you're job searching. Also, some local workforce development centers offer free job search assistance and skills training - might be worth checking out your local One-Stop Career Center. They sometimes have connections with employers who are actively hiring. Hang in there!

I'm in almost the exact same situation - week 24 on my claim and getting really anxious about what happens next. My employer has been stringing me along with the "we'll bring you back soon" story for months too. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful, especially about the difference between furlough vs. layoff and how that affects future claims. I think I'm going to follow Zara's plan and get an official status update from my employer ASAP. Has anyone here actually successfully gotten through to EDD recently to discuss their options? The phone situation sounds like a nightmare but I feel like I need to at least try before my benefits run out.

I went through something very similar earlier this year and wanted to share what helped me navigate this confusing situation. Your mixed decision is actually more common than you'd think - the 1256 ruling in your favor is the major victory here since it means no disqualification penalty for how your employment ended. The 1253(c) denial for your hospital weeks makes complete sense and shows you did the right thing by honestly reporting you weren't available. Here's what worked for me when calling EDD: Set multiple alarms for 7:58 AM and start dialing at exactly 8:00 when they open. I also had better luck on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Have your appeal letter ready with all the case and subcase numbers - they'll need those to pull up your file. When you finally get through (and you will!), ask the rep to walk you through exactly which weeks they're processing for payment and request they send you an email summary. This saved me a ton of headaches later when there was confusion about payment amounts. The good news is once they process this, you should see substantial backpay for all eligible weeks. In my case, it took about a week after speaking to the rep for the payments to hit my account. Keep certifying while you wait - don't give them any excuse to create new issues! You're so close to getting this resolved. The hardest part (winning the appeal) is already behind you!

This is actually really encouraging news! I know the legal language makes it sound confusing, but you essentially won the big battle here. The 1256 ruling means you avoided what could have been a lengthy disqualification period - that's huge! The 1253(c) denial is just for those hospital weeks where you correctly reported being unavailable. I had a similar split decision last year and here's what helped me get through to EDD: Call at exactly 8:00 AM when they open (set your alarm for 7:58 AM and start dialing right at 8). I also found Tuesday and Wednesday mornings had shorter wait times. Have your appeal decision ready with those subcase numbers - they'll need them to process everything. When you get through, ask them to implement the judge's decision and send you email confirmation of which weeks they're processing for payment. This documentation saved me when there were later questions about payment amounts. You should receive backpay for all weeks except the hospital period. It might come as multiple deposits rather than one lump sum, so don't worry if the amounts look strange initially. Most importantly, keep certifying for current weeks while waiting - don't let any new eligibility issues pop up. The part about your employer's reserve account doesn't affect your benefits at all. You're in the home stretch now - the hardest part (winning the appeal) is done!

Dont forget that when you file taxes next year, the EDD can cross reference with IRS and see if you had income you didnt report while on unemployment. Better safe than sorry!

I went through something similar last year and ended up calling EDD to get clarity. The rep I spoke with explained it this way: if you're just moving money from one account to another (like withdrawing cash from savings or brokerage), that's not income. But if you made money on investments (capital gains), that IS income and should be reported. Since you mentioned you had $240 in gains, I'd definitely report that amount. It's better to be transparent than risk an audit later. The EDD system can be confusing, but they're really looking for any NEW money you earned, not money you're just moving around between your own accounts.