told ya! tuesday morning like clockwork! glad u got paid

Congrats on getting your first payment! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading - if you're ever in a situation where your direct deposit seems delayed, you can also check if there are any holds on your claim by looking at the "Claim Summary" page in UI Online. Sometimes there are eligibility reviews or other issues that can delay payments even after certification is submitted. The system will usually show a message if there's a hold, but it's not always super obvious. Also, some banks (especially smaller credit unions) can take an extra day to process EDD deposits compared to major banks, so factor that in too!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Just filed my claim last week and have been second-guessing every number I entered. It's such a relief to see so many people confirming that EDD will use the actual employer-reported wages rather than what we estimate on the application. One thing that's been helpful for me is checking my most recent paystub to see the year-to-date totals - that way I at least have a ballpark figure to compare against when I eventually get my determination letter. But honestly, after reading all these responses, I'm feeling way less anxious about the whole thing. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! It really helps to know that honest mistakes with wage calculations are common and won't torpedo our claims.

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Filed my first unemployment claim yesterday and I've been anxiously refreshing my email waiting for some kind of confirmation or rejection notice. The wage reporting section was so confusing - I had overlapping pay periods too and felt like I was just making educated guesses about the amounts. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief. I had no idea that EDD already has access to our actual wage data through employer tax reports. I was imagining some poor EDD worker manually checking every single number we entered and flagging us for fraud if we were off by even a few dollars! It sounds like the key takeaway is that as long as we reported everything honestly (which we did), the system will sort out the details. I'm definitely going to stop obsessing over whether I calculated that one tricky pay period correctly and just wait for the official determination. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for first-time filers like us!

UPDATE: Finally got an answer! I took the advice here and sent a message through Contact EDD in UI Online. It took 6 days, but they responded with my exact penalty week count (5 weeks total) and told me I've already served 2 of them. They also mentioned they're working on adding this information to the UI Online dashboard in a future update. For anyone else with this issue - definitely use the Contact EDD messaging feature and specifically ask "How many total penalty weeks have been assessed on my claim and how many have I served so far?

This is such a common issue and it's crazy that EDD doesn't make this basic information easily accessible! I'm dealing with penalty weeks right now too after a similar overpayment situation. Based on what I've learned from this thread, I'm going to try the Contact EDD messaging approach since calling seems like a nightmare. It's really helpful to see that @Ravi got a response in 6 days with the exact count - that gives me hope! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions.

Hey Keisha, I went through something similar earlier this year - tech layoffs are absolutely brutal right now. One thing that helped me bridge the gap was looking into local workforce development programs. Many counties have programs specifically for displaced tech workers that include job placement assistance and sometimes even temporary financial support while you're in training/job search mode. Also, don't overlook temp-to-perm opportunities with staffing agencies like Robert Half or Aerotek - they're not ideal but can help keep some income flowing while you search for your next full-time role. I ended up taking a 3-month contract that turned into a permanent offer. The rental assistance programs mentioned above are real and can buy you time. In some counties, they'll pay up to 3-6 months of back rent directly to landlords. Worth checking out your county's COVID-19 rental relief programs - many are still active. Hang in there - 15 interviews means you're getting responses, which is actually pretty good in this market. Something will break through soon.

I'm in almost the exact same situation - exhausted my UI benefits in tech and waiting for my benefit year to end. One thing I discovered that might help is checking if your local library has career services. Mine offers free resume reviews, interview prep, and even has partnerships with local employers for job fairs. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're signed up for job alerts on the major sites (Indeed, LinkedIn, etc.) and set them to send you notifications immediately when new postings match your criteria. In this market, being one of the first applicants can make a huge difference. The waiting period until March is brutal, but you're definitely not alone in this struggle.

Another tip that might help future folks - if you're still getting unemployment benefits, you can also check your bank statements or mobile banking app to find the exact deposit amounts. Banks usually keep digital records going back at least a year, sometimes more. I had to do this when I couldn't remember if I had taxes withheld or not. Just search for "EDD" or "EMPLOYMENT" in your transaction history and you should be able to find the exact amounts that were deposited. Way easier than trying to calculate the math on withholdings!

This thread is so helpful! I've been putting off dealing with my locked EDD account for months because I dreaded the hassle, but reading everyone's experiences and solutions gives me hope. The combination of checking bank statements for exact deposit amounts and keeping screenshots going forward seems like the perfect approach. It's frustrating that EDD makes account recovery so difficult, but at least we have this community to help each other navigate their outdated system. Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge - it really makes a difference for those of us who feel lost dealing with government bureaucracy!