I went through this exact situation in January. I kept certifying while my appeal was pending, and I'm glad I did. Once my appeal was approved (turned out they were missing wages from one employer), I received all back payments for the weeks I had certified. The key is to make sure you're certifying truthfully and keeping records of everything. The appeal process took about 5 weeks for me, but I know it varies. Good luck!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Got denied 2 weeks ago but still getting those certification emails. Reading through all these responses is super helpful - sounds like the consensus is to definitely keep certifying while appealing. I didn't realize that missing employer wage records could be such a common issue. @Mateo definitely gather all your pay stubs and W-2s from that base period before you appeal. Also wanted to add that if you worked for any small businesses or did any gig work during your base period, those wages might not have been reported properly to EDD. Worth double-checking everything!

One other thing to check - make sure you don't have any pending quarterly reporting requirements. If you reported any earnings during your claim, sometimes they'll pause certification availability until you complete the DE 4581 Continued Claim Information form. This wouldn't necessarily show up as an alert in UI Online.

Wow, I'm so glad you got it resolved! This gives me hope because I'm dealing with something similar right now. I moved about 3 weeks ago and updated my address through UI Online, but now I'm thinking that might have triggered some kind of system flag too. I've been getting the certification emails but my dashboard shows "no weeks available to certify." I've been trying to call for 2 days straight with no luck getting through. Did you use any specific phone number or time of day that worked better? Also, how long did it take for the rep to remove the flag once you explained the situation?

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to chime in and say how incredibly valuable this entire discussion has been! Reading through everyone's experiences has really opened my eyes to how the unemployment system works with severance pay. The advice here is overwhelmingly consistent - Santiago, you definitely need to file immediately! What really convinced me was seeing the specific examples from people like Jacob who lost $800 by waiting, and Jake's detailed explanation of how partial benefits work during severance periods. It's clear that the EDD system is actually built to handle exactly your situation through the bi-weekly certification process. I'm also taking notes on all the practical tips shared here - having your employment history ready before starting the application, understanding that the one-week waiting period is back post-COVID, and knowing about resources like Claimyr if you need help reaching EDD representatives. Santiago, you found this community at the perfect time! The unanimous advice from people who've actually been through this process should give you total confidence. Don't leave money on the table - file today and get your claim established in the system. Good luck with your application!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely blown away by the incredible advice Santiago has received here! This thread has been like a comprehensive guide to EDD timing that I never knew I needed. The consistency of everyone's advice is remarkable - literally every person who has actually been through this process is saying the same thing: file immediately, don't wait for severance to end. The real-world examples are so powerful, especially Jacob's mention of losing $800 by waiting and Jake's detailed breakdown of partial benefits calculations. This isn't theoretical advice - it's battle-tested wisdom from people who've lived through this exact situation. What really impressed me is learning how the EDD system is actually designed to handle severance through the bi-weekly certification process. You simply report your severance payments honestly when certifying, and EDD automatically calculates any benefit adjustments. It's not a workaround - it's how the system is supposed to function. I'm also taking notes on all the practical tips shared here: having employment history ready before starting the application to avoid timeouts, understanding that the one-week waiting period is back post-COVID, and knowing about resources like Claimyr if you need help reaching EDD representatives. Santiago, you found this community at exactly the right moment! The unanimous consensus from so many experienced members should give you complete confidence. Every day you delay potentially costs you money you can never recover. Don't overthink it - file today and get your claim established in the system!

UPDATE: Got the letters today and you all were right! One was the claim confirmation, one was the benefit award letter ($675/week), and one was my account number for registering online. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for calming me down yesterday!

That's awesome! $675/week is a solid benefit amount. Just a heads up - when you register for UI Online, make sure to write down your login info somewhere safe. I got locked out of my account once and it was a nightmare trying to get back in. Also, don't be surprised if the website is slow or crashes sometimes, especially on Sunday nights when everyone's trying to certify at the last minute!

Just to add one more thing - different claim types have different work search requirements. Regular UI claims require work search, but if you're on a partial claim, DI, or have a union hiring hall agreement, your requirements might be different. Double-check your specific requirements in your UI Online account messages or your award letter.

As someone who just went through the EDD appeal process last month, I can't stress enough how important it is to document EVERYTHING. I initially thought like your cousin that reporting was optional, but when my claim got flagged for review, having zero documentation in the system made proving my eligibility incredibly difficult. Even though I was actually doing work search activities, I had to scramble to recreate records from my email history and browser bookmarks. The appeals judge specifically mentioned that claimants who use the online reporting system have a much easier time during hearings because there's an official timestamp and record. It's basically free insurance for your claim - takes 5 extra minutes per week but could save you thousands in benefits if you ever get audited. Better safe than sorry!