Thanks everyone for your help! I've decided to accept the subbing position and will carefully report my earnings when I certify. It seems like I'll actually come out ahead financially by doing this. I'll make sure to keep detailed records of my hours and pay just in case. Really appreciate all the advice!

Great question! I was in almost the exact same situation a few months ago. I was on UI benefits and got called to substitute teach for just 4 hours. I was so nervous about reporting it, but it turned out to be totally fine. When I certified that week, I reported the gross earnings (about $75) and my weekly benefit amount just got reduced proportionally. I think I ended up with around $60 less in UI benefits, so I still came out ahead by about $15 plus gained some work experience. The key is just being completely honest when you certify - report the exact hours and gross pay. EDD's system is actually set up to handle this kind of part-time work while you're looking for permanent employment. Don't let one person's scary story discourage you from taking work when you need it!

One more thing - when your Money Network card arrives, make sure to activate it immediately AND set up your PIN. I've seen many people delay activation and then face problems when they need to use the card. Also, keep the letter it comes with since it has your account info you'll need for setting up direct deposit later.

Just went through this same situation a few weeks ago! Your old BofA card is definitely dead - EDD completely switched over to Money Network in 2022. The good news is they should automatically mail you the new Money Network card within 5-7 business days after your first payment shows as "paid" (which yours already does). One thing I wish someone had told me - you can actually track your card shipment! Once Money Network processes your card request, they'll send you a text with tracking info if you have your phone number on file with EDD. Also, pro tip: as soon as you get the card, activate it AND immediately set up direct deposit through UI Online. It'll save you so much hassle for future payments. The direct deposit usually kicks in for your next certification cycle, so you won't have to deal with waiting for cards again. Hang in there - I know waiting for that first payment is stressful, especially when you've got rent due!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's dealt with this exact situation multiple times - when you report part-time earnings for the first time on a claim, EDD's system almost always flags it for manual review. It's super annoying but totally normal. What I've found is that the delay is usually 24-48 hours longer than a normal certification. So if you normally get paid by Tuesday, expect it Wednesday or Thursday when you report earnings. The good news is that once you've reported earnings a few times on the same claim, the system "learns" your pattern and the delays get shorter. One thing that might help for future certifications - try to certify as early as possible on Sunday (like midnight or early morning). I've noticed that certifications submitted later in the day sometimes don't start processing until Monday night instead of Sunday night, which pushes everything back another day. Also, since your payment is now in "paid" status, you should definitely see the deposit by tomorrow morning with Chase. Their EDD deposits usually hit between 2-6 AM on the day after it shows as paid. You should make your rent deadline no problem!

Hey Gabriel! I just went through this exact same situation last month and wanted to share what I learned. When you report part-time earnings for the first time on a new claim, it almost always triggers an automatic review that adds 1-2 extra business days to the normal processing time. It's frustrating but totally normal. Since your payment just switched to "paid" status this morning (saw your update in the comments), you should definitely see the money in your Chase account by tomorrow morning, possibly even tonight. Chase is really good with EDD deposits - they usually process them overnight once EDD releases the funds. For future reference, I found that certifying right at midnight on Sunday instead of later in the day helps things process a bit faster. Also, the system gets "used to" your earnings pattern after a few certifications, so the delays should get shorter over time. Sounds like you'll make your rent deadline just fine! The waiting is always nerve-wracking but the system does work, just slower when earnings are involved.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Just got laid off from my regular job last month and have been doing DoorDash on the side for extra income. The whole reporting process definitely seems more complicated than what I heard about during the pandemic. From what I've learned so far, the key difference is that during COVID there was PUA which was specifically for gig workers, but now we're back to regular unemployment rules. I've been reporting my DoorDash earnings each week when I certify - it's nerve-wracking at first but you get used to it. One thing that's helped me is setting up a simple spreadsheet to track my weekly earnings from DoorDash. I note the week dates and exactly what I earned (after platform fees but before my gas/car expenses). Then when I certify, I just reference that spreadsheet. The good news is that as long as you're honest about your earnings, you should still get some benefits even if they're reduced. It's way better than risking fraud penalties by not reporting! Hope this helps - we're all figuring out the post-pandemic rules together.

I've been in a similar situation and want to emphasize something that might not be totally clear from the other responses: the earnings threshold that triggers $0 benefits isn't just your weekly benefit amount. EDD has a specific formula: if your gross weekly earnings exceed 130% of your weekly benefit amount, you get $0 for that week (but your claim stays active). So if your weekly benefit is $450, you'd get $0 if you earn more than $585 from Uber in a week. Below that threshold, they use the 75% deduction rule others mentioned. This is very different from pandemic PUA rules where you could earn quite a bit more before losing benefits entirely. Also, make sure you understand that EDD considers the week you WORKED, not when you got paid. So if you drove Uber Monday-Sunday, report those earnings on the certification for that same week, even if Uber doesn't pay you until the following Tuesday. Keep screenshots of your weekly earnings summary from the Uber app - this will save you if there are any questions later!

This is such a stressful situation but you're not alone! I went through something similar last year where EDD claimed I had unreported wages that were way higher than what I actually earned. A few things that really helped me: 1. Document EVERYTHING - not just paystubs but also your work schedules, timesheets if you have them, and any communication with your employer 2. The fact that you found another employee with a similar name is HUGE - that's probably exactly what happened 3. Don't wait for the appeal if you can help it - keep trying to reach EDD directly as others mentioned One thing I learned is that when employers use automated payroll systems, name mix-ups happen more often than you'd think, especially in large companies. Your HR department should be able to provide a letter confirming the error and your actual wages. Stay strong and don't give up! The appeals process worked for me even though it took forever. You clearly have your documentation in order and a legitimate explanation for the discrepancy.

I went through almost this exact same situation about 6 months ago! EDD said I had earned $3,800 that I never reported, but I was only working part-time at a grocery store making maybe $1,200/month. Turns out it was a payroll system glitch where my wages got combined with someone who had a similar employee ID number. Here's what saved me: I immediately contacted my HR department and asked them to pull my wage records and compare them to what they reported to EDD. They found the error within 2 days and submitted a corrected wage report. The whole thing got resolved without even needing the formal appeal process. Since you found that other employee with a similar name, definitely start there with HR. Get them to confirm your actual wages and ask them to check if there was any mix-up in their reporting. Sometimes fixing it at the employer level is way faster than going through EDD appeals. Also keep all your documentation ready just in case, but hopefully HR can resolve this quickly. Don't let this stress eat you alive - these mistakes happen more than you think and most get resolved once the right people look into it!