I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help since I just navigated a similar situation a few months ago. When my UI benefits were ending, I discovered that many professional development organizations like SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) and local business associations offer "career transition memberships" at reduced rates specifically for people between jobs. These memberships often include access to exclusive job boards, networking events, and mentorship programs that aren't available to the general public. What really helped me was that these organizations often have "emergency networking" events specifically designed for people whose benefits are running out soon - they understand the urgency and focus on connecting you with employers who need to fill positions quickly. I attended three of these events and got interview opportunities at each one. I also wanted to mention that some banks and credit unions offer "hardship checking accounts" with no fees and overdraft protection specifically for people transitioning off unemployment. This might seem small, but avoiding bank fees during a financially tight period can really help stretch your resources while job searching. One more thing - consider reaching out to the Small Business Administration (SBA) about their "Boots to Business" entrepreneurship program. Even if you don't want to start a business long-term, the program teaches valuable skills and sometimes leads to contract opportunities that can provide income while you're searching for permanent work. Your event management skills could translate really well to small business consulting or project-based work. This thread has been incredibly helpful to read through - it's reassuring to know there are so many people who've successfully navigated this transition and so many resources available. The anxiety is real, but there are definitely pathways forward!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that helped me when I was in a similar situation last year. When my UI benefits were ending, I discovered that many unions (even ones you're not currently a member of) have "community outreach" programs that provide job placement assistance to anyone in their industry or related fields. The event workers unions like IATSE and local stagehands unions often know about corporate events, trade shows, and temporary installation work that needs experienced coordinators. What surprised me was that several unions also have "hardship funds" that provide small emergency grants or interest-free loans to people transitioning between jobs, regardless of membership status. I got a $800 emergency grant from a local service workers union that helped cover my rent during my final month of benefits. I also wanted to mention that if you've done any volunteer work during your unemployment (which many people do to stay active), those organizations often have connections to employers looking for people with organizational and project management skills. The nonprofit I volunteered with connected me with three different companies looking for corporate event coordinators and operations managers. One last tip - check if your county has a "211" information and referral service (you can dial 2-1-1 from any phone). They maintain comprehensive databases of local assistance programs that many people don't know exist, including emergency rent assistance, utility help, and job placement services specifically for people whose UI is ending. The transition is definitely stressful, but reading through everyone's experiences here shows there really are numerous pathways forward. Your event management skills are absolutely transferable - don't give up hope!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue! Been back to work for about 7 months now but still getting those weekly "time to certify" emails even though my claim exhausted ages ago. It's so annoying because every time I see the EDD email I panic thinking I missed something important. Based on all the experiences shared here, it sounds like calling EDD and asking them to manually set the status to "inactive - benefit year expired" is definitely the way to go. Really appreciate everyone sharing the specific language to use - that's super helpful since I wasn't sure how to explain what I needed. @Ava Johnson I'm also really curious about that "Manage Claimant Account" feature you mentioned! I've been through my UI Online account so many times looking for any way to stop these notifications and somehow missed it. Could you share a bit more detail about where exactly you found it? Was it under Profile settings or somewhere else in the menu? If this is a real self-service option it would save so many people the hassle of calling! Going to try the phone route this week using the advice from @Justin Chang and others. Will definitely report back if I learn anything new that might help future people with this same frustrating issue.

I've been dealing with this exact same frustrating issue! Been employed again for about 6 months but those certification reminder emails just keep coming. It's really annoying because every time I see an EDD email in my inbox, I get that little panic thinking I forgot to do something important. After reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear that calling EDD and specifically asking them to set your account status to "inactive - benefit year expired" is the most reliable solution. Really appreciate @Justin Chang and others sharing those exact words to use - that takes away the guesswork of how to explain what you need when you call. I'm also really intrigued by @Ava Johnson's mention of a "Manage Claimant Account" feature. I've been through my UI Online interface multiple times looking for any kind of self-service option to handle this and haven't spotted anything like that. If it's a real feature that we've all somehow missed, it would be amazing to avoid the phone call altogether! Planning to call EDD this week using the approach that's worked for so many people here. Will definitely update this thread with my experience in case it helps others. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - it's really helpful to know this is such a common issue and not just user error on our part!

I went through this exact nightmare last month! After trying everything - calling at 8am, the button tricks, mobile app chat - what finally worked was filing a complaint with my state's Department of Consumer Affairs like @QuantumQuasar mentioned. Within 24 hours of filing the complaint, Money Network called ME directly and resolved the payment delay that had been going on for over a week. The rep explained that my account had multiple automated flags that were conflicting with each other, which is why normal customer service couldn't clear it. Apparently the state agency complaints get routed to a specialized team that can override these system conflicts. For anyone still struggling after trying the phone strategies, definitely don't overlook the state complaint route - it was faster than anything else I tried and didn't require sitting on hold or fighting through phone trees. You can usually file online and it only takes a few minutes. Sometimes external pressure really is the only thing that gets these companies to actually help us access our own money!

I'm going through this exact same frustrating situation right now! My EDD payment has been "processing" for 3 days and Money Network's customer service is absolutely impossible to reach. Reading through all these success stories and strategies has given me so much hope though. I'm planning to try the 8am calling strategy tomorrow with the 0# and 1-1-3-0 button sequences, and I just downloaded the mobile app to try their chat feature as a backup. The "lost/stolen card" workaround that several people mentioned is brilliant - never would have thought of that! It's insane that we have to become customer service ninjas just to access our own unemployment benefits, but this thread has been more helpful than any official support. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share what actually worked for them. Will definitely update with my results and hopefully add another success story to help others dealing with this nightmare!

I work in banking and see this issue pretty frequently with prepaid debit cards like the Money Network cards. What's happening is likely that your card has different authorization settings for different transaction types. ATM withdrawals use a different processing network than point-of-sale (POS) purchases at merchants. When you call Money Network tomorrow, here's exactly what to say: "My card works at ATMs but is declining at all retail locations. Please check if my card is restricted to ATM-only transactions and enable full POS/merchant purchases." Also ask them to verify there are no daily spending limits that might be different for retail vs ATM transactions. This is almost always a quick fix once you get the right person on the phone who knows how to toggle those settings. The early morning call strategy others mentioned is spot on - 8-9 AM tends to have the shortest wait times. Good luck!

I've been dealing with this exact same issue for the past two weeks! My Money Network card works perfectly at ATMs but gets declined everywhere else - Target, Safeway, gas stations, you name it. Reading through all these comments has been so helpful because I had no idea this was such a common problem. I called Money Network twice already but clearly didn't ask the right questions. Tomorrow I'm going to call at 8 AM sharp and specifically ask them to "enable POS transactions" and check if my card is stuck in "ATM only" mode. It's so frustrating having to withdraw cash every time I need to buy anything, especially when the app shows I have plenty of funds available. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and the exact phrases to use when calling - this thread is a goldmine of information!

I'm dealing with a similar overpayment situation right now and wanted to share something that really helped me understand my case better. When I got my notice, I immediately called the EDD overpayment department (separate from the regular claims line) and they were actually able to explain the specific reason codes on my determination letter in plain English. The number is different from the main EDD line and sometimes has shorter wait times. In my case, they explained that my employer had submitted a "correction" to their original separation report nearly 2 years after I filed my claim, which triggered the overpayment review. It turned out to be a mistake on the employer's part - they had confused my separation with another employee's. Since your notice mentions "employment separation reason being redetermined after employer response," I'd bet money this is exactly what happened to you. Your former restaurant probably filed some kind of correction or responded to an EDD inquiry and accidentally provided incorrect information about your separation. The good news is that these employer-error cases are some of the easiest to win on appeal, especially when you have that "without fault" designation. I'd definitely recommend calling that overpayment line to get clarity on exactly what your employer told them. Armed with that specific information, you'll know exactly what evidence to gather for your appeal. Don't give up - employer reporting errors happen constantly and judges see right through them when you present the real facts!

This is such a helpful and encouraging thread! I'm going through my own EDD overpayment situation right now (different circumstances but same stress) and wanted to add one more resource that's been invaluable for me: your local One-Stop Career Center often has staff who specialize in unemployment issues and can help you prepare your appeal documentation at no cost. They helped me organize all my evidence and even reviewed my appeal letter before I submitted it. Also, I want to second what everyone said about that "without fault" designation - that's honestly the best possible scenario for an overpayment notice. It means EDD acknowledges you didn't intentionally do anything wrong, which protects you from penalties and interest charges while you fight this. The timing of your case (2+ years later) combined with the "employment separation reason redetermined" language really screams employer reporting error to me. Your former restaurant probably got some kind of follow-up inquiry from EDD and either misunderstood the question or accidentally provided wrong information. One last tip: when you gather evidence for your appeal, don't just focus on proving you were laid off - also document that you were genuinely looking for work during those benefit weeks. Keep any old job applications, interview emails, or job search records from that time period. It shows good faith effort and strengthens your case even further. You've got an army of people here rooting for you - file that appeal and fight this! The system makes mistakes but it can be corrected when you stand up for yourself with the right evidence.