Just wanted to add one more important thing about California unemployment benefits - if you have any severance pay or vacation payout when you're let go, this can delay when your benefits start. EDD considers this "wages in lieu of notice" and you have to wait until that period would have ended before benefits kick in. So if you get 2 weeks severance, your unemployment won't start until after those 2 weeks are up. This caught me off guard when I filed my claim last year. Something to keep in mind when you're doing your financial planning!

As someone who's been through the EDD process twice (once in tech, once in retail management), I wanted to share a few practical tips that might help you prepare: 1. **Apply immediately** when you're terminated - there's a one-week waiting period before benefits start, so don't delay filing even if you think you might find work quickly. 2. **Keep your final paystub and separation notice** - EDD will ask for this information and having it ready speeds up the process. 3. **Set up direct deposit** when you file - getting a debit card in the mail takes longer and the cards sometimes get lost or delayed. 4. **File early in the week** (Monday/Tuesday) if possible - if there are any issues with your claim, you'll have more time to resolve them before the weekend. Your income definitely qualifies you for the maximum $450/week. The waiting period after severance that Keisha mentioned is real - I had to wait 3 weeks after my severance period ended before my first payment. Plan accordingly! The whole process took about 3 weeks total for me the first time (no issues), but 6 weeks the second time due to employer contest. Good luck with everything - hopefully your performance improves and this becomes a non-issue!

Update: My payment finally showed up in my account this morning! So it took about 3-4 business days from when it showed 'paid' in the system. Definitely longer than the card payments used to take. Thanks everyone for the help and reassurance!

Glad to hear your payment came through! This is such valuable information for others going through the same switch. I've been thinking about switching from the Money Network card to direct deposit myself, but was worried about potential delays. Your experience confirms what others have said - there's an initial delay for the first payment but then it becomes more reliable. Did you notice any other differences between the card and direct deposit, like timing of when payments typically arrive each week?

Good luck with your certification! I hope you don't experience any delays. For future reference, I've found that keeping detailed records of sick days (including doctor's notes and pay stubs) really helps if EDD ever needs additional documentation. It's frustrating that the system isn't more straightforward about these common situations, but you made the right choice being honest about it. Please do update us on how it goes - your experience could help other people in similar situations!

I've been through this exact situation multiple times over the past year. Here's what I've learned from experience: if you mark "Yes" on the sick question, there's about a 50/50 chance your payment will be delayed for review, even with proper documentation. The EDD system flags ANY "Yes" answer for manual review, regardless of whether it's one day or the whole week. My personal approach now is to only mark "Yes" if I was sick for 3+ days during the certification period. For single sick days where I have proper documentation and got paid sick leave, I just report the hours/income and leave the sick question as "No." I've never had an issue with this approach, and my payments always come through on schedule. The key is being consistent with your reporting and keeping all your documentation (doctor's notes, pay stubs) just in case. EDD's system unfortunately isn't nuanced enough to handle these common workplace scenarios smoothly, so sometimes you have to work within its limitations to avoid unnecessary delays.

One more important thing - when reporting income, you report earnings in the week you WORKED, not when you got paid. So if you work Monday-Sunday but don't get the paycheck until the following Friday, you still report those earnings for the week you actually performed the work. This trips up a lot of people!

Just want to add - make sure you're also reporting your earnings as GROSS income (before taxes and deductions), not your take-home pay. I made that mistake early on and it created a mess when EDD cross-referenced with employer wage reports later. They want to know what you actually earned, not what hit your bank account after taxes were taken out. Also keep good records of your hours and pay stubs in case they ever audit your certifications!

I feel for you on this - penalty weeks are brutal financially but everyone here is right that the money is gone forever. One thing I learned during my penalty period last year is to keep detailed records of everything during this time. Save all your certification confirmations and any correspondence from EDD. Sometimes there can be processing delays when your benefits resume, and having documentation helps if you need to contact them. Also, consider looking into local community resources like 211 (dial 2-1-1) - they can connect you with emergency assistance programs for utilities, food, etc. The penalty system is harsh but you're handling it the right way by staying on top of certifications. Just a few more weeks and you'll be back to receiving benefits!

I went through penalty weeks myself about 8 months ago and can confirm what everyone is saying - no backpay for those weeks, unfortunately. The money is just gone as part of the penalty. What I found helpful was setting up a strict budget for those penalty weeks and reaching out to my bank about temporary overdraft forgiveness since I knew exactly when my benefits would resume. Also, don't forget that food banks don't usually require proof of income - just that you're in need. Many churches and community centers have pantries open to anyone struggling. The penalty weeks feel endless when you're in them, but you'll get through this. Make sure to keep certifying on schedule and your payments should automatically resume once you complete all 7 weeks.