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This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I have some freelance graphic design work (1099) that I completed last week but won't get paid for until next month. I was totally confused about when and how to report it. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially the horror stories about overpayments and penalties, really drove home how important it is to be accurate with reporting. The fact that EDD cross-references with tax filings later makes so much sense - of course they're going to catch unreported income eventually! @Jessica I think you made the absolute right call by reporting it. The stress of wondering "what if" would have been terrible, and now you can rest easy knowing you followed the rules correctly. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here - this community is amazing for helping people navigate these confusing situations!
@Zara Rashid I m'so glad this thread helped you too! It s'crazy how many people don t'realize you have to report income when you earn it, not when you get paid. I was literally about to make a huge mistake based on bad advice from a friend. The graphic design situation sounds exactly like what I went through - completed the work but payment is delayed. It s'definitely nerve-wracking to report money you haven t'received yet, but after reading all these stories about penalties and overpayments, I m'so relieved I did the right thing. This community really is a lifesaver for navigating EDD s'confusing rules. Hope your certification goes smoothly!
I'm really glad you reported it! As someone who's been through the EDD system multiple times, I can't stress enough how important it is to be transparent about ALL income sources. One thing I learned that might help others - if you're doing regular 1099 work while on unemployment, it's actually worth keeping detailed records of when you work vs when you get paid. I started a simple spreadsheet with dates worked, estimated earnings, and actual payment dates. This saved me so much headache when I had to provide documentation later. The EDD system might seem confusing, but they're very thorough about income verification. I've seen people get hit with overpayment notices years later because they thought certain types of work "didn't count." Trust me, it ALL counts to them! You definitely made the smart choice here. Better to potentially lose some benefits now than deal with the stress and financial burden of penalties down the road.
I went to the Santa Ana EDD office just yesterday and can confirm everything people are saying here is accurate! The new check-in process on the first floor is definitely in place - they gave me a number and I waited about 20 minutes before being called up to the 3rd floor. The staff was really helpful and professional. One thing I'd add is that they now have a digital display board that shows which numbers are being called, so you don't have to worry about missing your turn. Also, bring a pen - they don't provide them anymore and I saw several people having to ask around to borrow one. The whole process took about an hour from check-in to completion, which wasn't too bad considering how backed up everything has been lately.
This is super helpful and current info, thank you! The digital display board sounds like a great improvement - I always worry about missing my number when they call it out. Good tip about bringing a pen too, that's such a simple thing that would be easy to forget. An hour total doesn't sound too bad at all, especially compared to some of the horror stories I've heard about other EDD offices. Really appreciate you sharing your recent experience!
I've been to this office several times over the past year for various disability-related issues, and I wanted to share a few additional tips that might help others. First, if you're driving there, I'd recommend using the Waze app because the MacArthur area can have some confusing construction detours that aren't always well-marked. Second, they have a small waiting area on the first floor with limited seating, so if you have mobility issues or expect a long wait, you might want to bring a portable chair or be prepared to stand. Third, I've noticed they tend to be less busy on Wednesdays and Thursdays compared to Mondays and Fridays. The staff really does try to help, but they're working with a system that has a lot of constraints, so patience goes a long way. Overall, despite the bureaucratic challenges, I've found the Santa Ana office to be one of the more functional EDD locations in Orange County.
This is incredibly thorough advice, thank you! The Waze tip is especially smart - I hadn't considered potential construction issues in that area. The weekday timing recommendation is really valuable too, I was planning to go on a Monday but maybe I'll shoot for Wednesday instead. And bringing a portable chair is such a practical suggestion for anyone who might have trouble standing for extended periods. It sounds like you've really figured out the system there! Quick question - do they have any water fountains or vending machines in case you're there for a while?
I'm new to this community but your story really hits home because I'm dealing with something almost identical right now. I'm in a medical assistant program at Los Angeles Trade Tech and just got blindsided by the same 16-week CTB notification rule after being completely honest about my school attendance on every single certification for months. What's really encouraging is seeing how many people here have successfully appealed these denials, especially when they were transparent about their training from the beginning like we were. The pattern is so clear - EDD has all the information they need from our bi-weekly certifications but then penalizes us for not knowing about their internal application processes that nobody explains. I'm definitely taking notes on all the excellent advice shared here, especially about emphasizing how our programs address high-demand career fields and getting documentation from career services about job placement rates. Healthcare is such a growing sector right now, especially with the ongoing staffing shortages in medical facilities. The intimidation tactics they use are really something else - threatening to deny entire claims retroactively just to discourage appeals. But reading everyone's experiences here shows that standing up to their scare tactics actually works when you have documentation and a solid case. Thanks for sharing your situation and to everyone who's provided such detailed guidance. This community is an amazing resource for navigating EDD's confusing maze of rules and procedures!
@Caesar Grant Welcome to the community! Your medical assistant program situation sounds incredibly frustrating but you re'absolutely right about the clear pattern here - so many of us have been completely transparent about school attendance yet still get hit with these CTB denials. It s'like they re'punishing honesty! LA Trade Tech has a great reputation with healthcare programs, so that should definitely work in your favor. Medical assisting is such a high-demand field right now - I ve'read that California needs thousands more medical assistants over the next few years, especially with all the new clinics and telehealth expansion happening post-COVID. One thing I learned from this thread that might help your case - make sure to document any conflicting information you ve'received from different EDD reps. The inconsistency in their responses really strengthens our appeals because it shows they don t'even know their own rules properly. Also, if you haven t'already, try to get specific job market data for medical assistants in LA County to include with your appeal. The more you can show that your training directly addresses workforce shortages, the better your chances. It s'so ridiculous that we have to fight this hard for benefits we re'entitled to, but seeing everyone s'success stories here gives me real confidence that these appeals work when we document everything properly. Keep us updated on how your case goes!
I'm new to this community but your situation really resonates with me as someone who just started dealing with EDD's training benefit maze. I'm currently in a pharmacy technician program at Riverside City College and reading through all these experiences has been incredibly eye-opening about what I might face. What really strikes me about your case is how you've been completely transparent from day one - answering honestly on every certification about school attendance. That level of honesty should be rewarded, not penalized! The fact that your program is on their approved provider list is huge too. From everything I've read here, it seems like the key arguments for your appeal should be: 1) You consistently reported school attendance showing good faith, 2) EDD failed in their duty to inform you about CTB requirements despite having this information, 3) Healthcare administration directly addresses California's workforce needs, and 4) The conflicting information from different reps shows systematic problems with their communication. The intimidation tactic about potentially denying your entire claim is particularly disgusting - they're literally trying to scare you out of exercising your legal right to appeal. But seeing all these success stories gives me hope that fighting back actually works when you have solid documentation like you do. Your October 2025 completion date isn't that far away, and healthcare admin jobs are definitely in high demand right now. Don't let their bureaucratic failures derail your career plans - file that appeal and keep pushing forward!
@Yara Sayegh Thanks for the encouragement and welcome to the community! Your pharmacy tech program sounds like another great example of high-demand healthcare training that should qualify for CTB support. You re'absolutely right about those key arguments - I m'definitely incorporating all of those points into my appeal letter. It s'really helpful to have someone lay it out so clearly like that. The systematic communication problems angle is especially good since I have documentation of the conflicting information from different reps. Your point about not letting their bureaucratic failures derail my career plans really hits home - I ve'worked too hard to get into this program to let EDD s'broken system stop me now. Good luck with your pharmacy tech program and hopefully you won t'have to deal with the same CTB nightmare I m'going through!
This is so reassuring to read! I just received my RESEA letter yesterday and have been anxiously checking my email every few hours waiting for the Zoom link. Knowing it comes exactly 2 weeks before makes me feel so much better - I was worried something was wrong with my case since there were no meeting details in the initial letter. I'll definitely check my spam folder when the time comes. Thanks for sharing your experience and helping reduce the stress for the rest of us going through this process!
You're so welcome! I was in the exact same boat - that anxious email checking every hour really gets to you! Just a pro tip: when the email does arrive, take a screenshot of the Zoom link and meeting details as backup. My friend's email somehow got deleted the day before her appointment and she had to scramble to call EDD for help. Having that screenshot saved her a lot of stress. Also, the email usually comes around 9-10 AM on weekdays, so don't panic if you don't see it first thing in the morning. You've got this!
This whole thread has been so helpful! I'm new to receiving unemployment benefits and got my RESEA letter last week. I was completely confused about what it even was - the letter just said "mandatory reemployment workshop" with a date but no other details. Reading everyone's experiences here has made me feel way more prepared. I'm definitely going to set up email alerts for anything from @edd.ca.gov and make sure to check spam folders. Quick question though - for those who've completed it, about how many other people were in your workshop? I'm a bit nervous about the group setting but it sounds like the breakout rooms and resume feedback are really valuable. Thanks for creating such a supportive space to share info!
Welcome to the unemployment journey! I just went through my RESEA workshop last month and totally understand that nervous feeling. My workshop had about 12-15 people, which felt like a good size - small enough that everyone got individual attention during the resume review but large enough that you don't feel like you're on the spot the whole time. The facilitator did a great job making everyone feel comfortable, and honestly, knowing that everyone else is in the same situation really helps with any anxiety. The breakout rooms were only 3-4 people each, so those felt even more manageable. You'll do great - just bring your updated resume and any work search records you have so far!
Ethan Clark
Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been dealing with EDD for over a year now - payment delays like this are unfortunately more common than they should be. I've had it happen 3-4 times where everything shows "paid" but the actual deposit takes several extra days. From my experience, it's usually one of three things: 1) Technical glitches in their payment processing system, 2) Bank/card network delays (especially around holidays), or 3) Sometimes they run additional verification checks that aren't visible to us but cause delays. The good news is that if it shows "paid" in your payment history, the money will come through eventually. I know that doesn't help with immediate bills, but I've never had a "paid" status not eventually result in the actual deposit. Hang in there!
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Keisha Taylor
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who's been through this multiple times. I was starting to panic thinking something was seriously wrong with my claim, but knowing that "paid" status has always eventually resulted in the actual deposit for you is very reassuring. I just got my payment through yesterday after 6 days of waiting, so your timing is perfect. Definitely going to keep this in mind for future certifications - maybe I should start certifying earlier in the week to account for potential delays!
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CosmicCowboy
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Certified on Sunday, shows "paid" since Monday, but still no deposit on my EDD debit card as of today (Friday). This is my first time experiencing a delay like this in 8 months of collecting benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really comforting - sounds like this is just one of those random EDD system hiccups that happens sometimes. I was worried there was an issue with my account specifically, but it seems like multiple people have dealt with similar delays recently. Really appreciate everyone sharing their timelines and solutions. Going to give it the weekend and if nothing shows up by Monday, I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through to a human at EDD. This whole situation really highlights how much we're at the mercy of their system when we're relying on these benefits to survive!
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