Congratulations on getting your appeal submitted online! That's a huge relief. For your upcoming hearing preparation, I'd recommend gathering all your work search records, any correspondence with employers, and documentation showing you were actively seeking work during the period in question. The hearing officer will want to see concrete evidence that you were available and actively looking for work. Also, practice explaining your situation clearly and concisely - you'll likely have limited time to present your case. Many people find it helpful to write out key points beforehand so they don't forget anything important during the hearing. Good luck!

I'm so glad you got your appeal submitted online successfully! That's a huge weight off your shoulders. I went through a similar availability dispute last year and want to share a few tips for your hearing preparation: 1. Organize your evidence chronologically - it helps tell a clear story 2. If you have any medical documentation that might have affected your availability, bring copies 3. Practice explaining why you disagree with their decision in 2-3 sentences - hearings can move quickly 4. Write down the names and contact info of any witnesses who can vouch for your work search efforts One thing that really helped me was calling a few of the employers I had applied to and asking if they could provide written confirmation that I had applied and was available to start work. Most were willing to send a quick email confirming this. Also, don't be intimidated by the formal process - the hearing officers are generally fair and just want to understand the facts. You've already taken the hardest step by getting your appeal in on time. Keep us updated on how it goes!

To clarify a few points based on the discussion: 1. You can and should file for UI immediately after your regular paychecks end in March 2025. 2. How your severance affects your benefits depends on: - How your employer classifies and reports it - Whether it's a lump sum or installments - The specific language in your severance agreement 3. When you file, you'll need to report the severance package. Be prepared to provide your severance agreement documentation if requested. 4. Most importantly, be completely truthful in your application and certification. Misreporting, even accidentally, can lead to overpayment demands and penalties. Given the complexity of your situation, speaking directly with an EDD representative is your best course of action.

Good advice from everyone here! I'd also suggest documenting everything - keep copies of your layoff notice, severance agreement, and any communications with HR about the timeline. When you do file your UI claim, having all this paperwork ready will make the process smoother. One thing I learned from my own experience: if your severance is spread over multiple weeks, you might want to ask your HR department exactly how they'll be reporting those payments to EDD. Some companies report it as "wages" which can reduce your weekly benefits, while others report it as "severance pay" which has different treatment. Also, don't stress too much about the complexity - EDD deals with severance situations all the time. As long as you're honest and provide all the required documentation, they'll figure out how to handle your specific case. Just make sure to report everything when you certify for benefits!

Hi everyone, just made a video about how to call the EDD and reach a live human agent: https://youtu.be/-R4SqP7_JUA

I had a similar experience last month where EDD missed my scheduled interview. In my case, I kept certifying as usual and checked my payment status daily. After about a week, my pending payments switched to "paid" without any follow-up interview, so it seemed like they processed my claim anyway. However, I'd recommend calling EDD to confirm the status of your interview and whether it needs to be rescheduled. Sometimes they reschedule automatically, other times the missed call means they're moving forward without it. Keep documenting everything and continue certifying on your regular schedule until you get clarity from them directly.

Just a heads up for everyone - I just checked and my payment finally changed from pending to paid! Took almost 5 days but it finally processed. Sounds like they're having system-wide delays this week.

I'm dealing with the same issue right now! Certified Sunday night and it's still showing pending. This is my first time experiencing a delay like this and I was starting to worry something was wrong with my claim. Reading through all these comments is actually really reassuring - sounds like there's a system-wide issue with processing times this week. I'm going to wait another day or two before trying to call since it seems like others are starting to see their payments go through. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it really helps to know I'm not the only one!

Not to be that guy, but have you checked if you actually qualify for paid family leave? There are specific criteria and required documentation. Might be worth reviewing the basics just in case.

I went through this exact same situation last year! The "does not meet eligibility requirements" denial is super common and usually means there's a documentation issue or they need clarification on something. Here's what worked for me: 1. Request your complete case file from EDD - this will show you exactly what they reviewed 2. Check if your doctor's certification form was filled out completely (missing signatures or incomplete sections are common causes) 3. Make sure your employment history matches what's in their system 4. File the appeal ASAP - don't wait the full 30 days The appeal process actually worked out better for me because I got to present all my documentation properly with explanations. Took about 6 weeks total but I eventually got approved retroactively. Don't give up - the system is frustrating but persistence pays off!