One more thing that might help - make sure you check your UI Online account for any outstanding tasks or messages. Sometimes there are additional steps required to clear penalty weeks, and those notifications can get buried in your inbox or task list. If you believe the penalty was applied in error, you should also gather documentation showing that the incorrect wage reporting was your employer's mistake, not yours. This would be essential for an appeal.

Good luck with your appeal! Just want to add that when you gather your documentation, make sure to include any written communication you had with your employer about the wage discrepancy. If you have emails or texts showing they acknowledged the error, that can really strengthen your case. Also, if you have your final pay stub from that job, compare it to what EDD shows they reported - sometimes the mistake is obvious when you see them side by side. The appeal process can take a while (like 2-3 months in my experience) but it's definitely worth it if you can prove the error wasn't your fault. You might even be able to get those penalty weeks removed retroactively.

Just checking back - did your payment status change to "paid" this morning as expected? If it did, great! If not, there might be an eligibility issue that needs addressing. Let us know if you're still seeing "pending" after 48 hours, as that would indicate you might need to contact EDD directly.

Glad everything worked out for you! This is such a common worry for new claimants. For future reference, the EDD system typically processes certifications in this order: 1) Midnight-2am: System accepts certifications but shows "pending", 2) 2am-8am: Batch processing occurs, 3) 8am-noon: Status updates to "paid" and funds are released, 4) Afternoon: Next certification weeks become available. The whole process usually completes within 12-24 hours of certifying. Welcome to the community and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions!

wait does this apply to bonuses too?? I got a retention bonus when my company was going under but I was still laid off lol

OK so based on everyone's advice, it sounds like I should: 1. Take the severance package (duh) 2. File for unemployment immediately after my last day 3. Report the severance honestly when certifying 4. Keep certifying EVERY week even if I'm getting $0 during the severance period 5. Once severance runs out, benefits should kick in automatically as long as I've kept certifying Does that sound right? Thank you all for the help - this has been so confusing!

This thread is absolutely incredible - I just discovered it after spending the last 10 days in EDD phone hell! My claim has been stuck in "pending review" since transitioning from disability, and I was starting to think there was no way through their system. Reading everyone's experiences has been both validating and incredibly helpful. The disability-to-UI crossover issue seems to be affecting so many people - it's clearly a major gap in their system that needs fixing! I'm going to start with the 8AM sharp strategy using the 1-1-2-4 sequence tomorrow morning (already set three alarms for 7:58). If that doesn't work after a few attempts, I'll definitely look into Claimyr since so many people here have had success with it. The tip about having all your paperwork ready is huge too - sounds like once you finally get through, they can often resolve everything quickly if you have what they need. Thank you all for sharing real solutions that actually work! This community knowledge is literally saving people's sanity when the official system completely fails us.

Just want to add my voice to this incredibly helpful thread! I've been stuck in EDD limbo for about 3 weeks now after my disability claim ended, and like everyone else here, I was getting absolutely nowhere with their phone system. The "too busy" hangup message has become the soundtrack to my mornings! Reading through all these real-world strategies has given me so much hope - especially learning about the disability/UI department communication issues that seem to be at the root of so many of our problems. I'm definitely going to start with the 8AM sharp approach using the 1-1-2-4 sequence (thanks @Toot-n-Mighty for that specific walkthrough!), and I've bookmarked Claimyr as my backup plan if the manual calling doesn't work out after a few days. It's both infuriating and comforting to know I'm not alone in this struggle. The fact that we need to crowdsource solutions just to access our own benefits shows how broken this system really is, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people actually help each other navigate the chaos. Will definitely report back on what works - this thread deserves to be the top Google result for anyone dealing with EDD phone issues!

To all those having trouble reaching a human at the EDD. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

I've experienced the same thing! When the music stops but you're still connected, it usually means you're next in line or the system is trying to connect you. I'd recommend staying on the line - sometimes it takes several more minutes of silence before an agent picks up. However, if it's been more than 10-15 minutes of just static, the call might have dropped on their end. In that case, you'll unfortunately need to call back. The EDD phone system is notorious for these kinds of issues. Good luck!