Thank you everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much better understanding how this works now. Just to summarize what I've learned for anyone else who finds this thread: 1) Work Sharing means reduced hours AND reduced pay, but UI benefits offset SOME of the lost wages 2) The program primarily helps avoid layoffs while reducing the financial impact 3) Weekly certification forms are required and different from regular UI 4) Benefit amounts vary based on your wage history and reduction percentage 5) You can work other jobs but must report those earnings I'll update after our HR meeting next week if I learn anything else important about how the program works!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that Work Sharing programs typically have a maximum duration - usually 26 weeks in California, though this can be extended during economic downturns. Also, your employer has to meet specific requirements to participate, like demonstrating at least a 10% reduction in business activity. If you're concerned about your company's long-term stability, it might be worth asking HR about their timeline for returning to full hours and what metrics they're using to measure when business conditions improve. This can help you plan your finances better during the Work Sharing period.

Ugh, I feel your pain. I was locked out for weeks! Have you tried using the ID.me verification process? It's a pain, but it worked for me eventually.

I went through the exact same nightmare last month! Here's what finally worked for me: I had to completely start fresh with ID.me verification. Delete any existing ID.me account you might have created, then start the process over from scratch. Make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and a recent utility bill ready. The video call took about 45 minutes to connect, but the actual verification was only 5 minutes. Also, try using Chrome browser in incognito mode - seemed to work better than regular browsing. Don't give up, you'll get through this! 💪

One more thing - make sure you keep track of all your wages from both jobs for the past 18 months or so. Sometimes EDD's system doesn't capture everything correctly, especially with multiple jobs. Having your paystubs or wage statements ready can save you a lot of headaches if there are any discrepancies. When you file your claim, you'll be asked to provide employer information for all your jobs during the base period. Make sure to include both the restaurant and your IHSS work (your county/public authority should be listed as the employer for IHSS, not your son). Best of luck with your baby! The system can be confusing but once you get through the paperwork, it's so worth it to have that time with your newborn!

Hey Zainab! I was in a very similar situation when I had my daughter last year - working part-time at a retail job plus doing IHSS for my elderly mother. Just wanted to add a few things that helped me: 1. When you file your PFL claim online, there's a section where you can list multiple employers. Make sure to include both your restaurant AND list your county's public authority as your IHSS employer (not your son's name). 2. For the doctor's certification forms, ask your OB at your next appointment if they can give you the forms early so you can get familiar with them. Some doctors prefer to fill them out closer to your due date, but having them ready saves time. 3. Keep digital copies of everything! I had to resubmit some paperwork when they said they didn't receive it the first time. The good news is with two steady jobs paying into SDI, you should definitely qualify and probably get a decent benefit amount. I was getting about 65% of my combined wages from both jobs. Don't let the horror stories scare you - plenty of us get through the process just fine! Feel free to reach out if you have questions as you get closer to filing!

As a follow-up regarding these benefit year ending scams: EDD has actually published an alert about this specific phishing attempt. You can find it on their fraud prevention page. They recommend taking screenshots of the email for your records before deleting it. Also, be aware that once fraudsters target you, they often attempt multiple approaches - so be on high alert for phone calls claiming to be EDD as well.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Got an address verification email last month even though I haven't filed for unemployment in over 6 months. The email looked super legit with all the official EDD branding, but when I called the fraud hotline they confirmed it was fake. The rep told me these scammers are specifically targeting people around their benefit year end dates because they have access to old claim data. She said they've had hundreds of reports of this exact scam in recent weeks. Definitely don't click anything in that email and report it ASAP - they told me the sooner people report it, the better they can track the scammers and prevent others from falling for it.

This thread is incredibly helpful for anyone dealing with ID verification delays right now! The timeline data everyone's sharing (8-19 days, with 15 days being common) gives us realistic expectations instead of EDD's vague "processing" messages. I'm dealing with a similar situation - submitted my documents 9 days ago and still pending. Reading about everyone's experiences, especially Daniel's successful resolution, really helps with the anxiety of not knowing what's happening. It's ridiculous that we have to rely on community knowledge to understand basic processing timelines that EDD should be communicating clearly upfront.

I'm currently on day 13 of waiting for my ID verification to process and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! Like many others here, I submitted through ID.me and got their confirmation email, but EDD's system just shows "pending" with no updates. The lack of communication from EDD is honestly the worst part - they could save us all so much stress by just posting realistic timelines on their website instead of leaving us to figure it out through forums like this. Based on what everyone's sharing, it sounds like 12-18 business days is the current reality, which is way longer than their official "10 business days" estimate. Thanks Daniel for the detailed timeline and for coming back to update us - it gives me hope that mine will process soon too! 🤞