One more important thing to note: when calculating your initial eligibility for UI, EDD looks at your earnings during your base period (typically the 12-month period ending 5-6 months before you file). So your current part-time earnings aren't relevant to whether you qualify initially - that's determined by your previous full-time job earnings. Your current part-time income only affects how much you receive each week after you're approved.

Just wanted to add - make sure you understand the difference between "reduced hours" and being "laid off" when you file your claim. Since you went from 40 hours to 12 hours at the same job, this might be considered a reduction in hours rather than a traditional layoff. EDD treats these situations slightly differently, but you should still qualify for partial benefits. When you file, be very clear about your situation - that your employer cut your hours significantly but you're still employed part-time. This will help EDD process your claim correctly from the start.

WHY is everything with EDD so unnecessarily complicated?!?! In literally any other state, this would be a simple yes/no question with a clear answer. But California has to make a whole bureaucratic nightmare out of it. My friend in Arizona just checked a box saying she was in school and that was it!!!! Meanwhile we're filling out special forms and calling 500 times and STILL getting different answers from every rep. It's RIDICULOUS.

As someone who just went through this process last month, I can confirm that student teaching DOES qualify for CTB! Here's my experience: I submitted my DE 3100 form about 4 weeks before my student teaching started. The key documents I included were: - Letter from my university confirming student teaching was mandatory for credential completion - My program's approval letter showing it's on the state-approved training list - Documentation showing my expected completion date The approval took exactly 12 business days. During student teaching, I continued certifying every two weeks but selected "I am in an approved training program" instead of job searching. One tip that saved me: when I submitted the DE 3100, I also faxed it AND mailed a copy via certified mail. Good thing too, because they initially said they never received it! Having that certified mail receipt got it sorted out quickly. Don't let the inconsistent info from different reps discourage you - the CTB program exists specifically for situations like yours. Just make sure you get everything submitted and approved BEFORE you start. You've got this! 🍎📚

just wondering did u get ur first payment yet? i'm also in production and waiting on my first payment still but its been 2 weeks.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! I received a final paycheck from my previous employer about a week after I'd already certified for my first UI week. The timing was awful because I had no way of knowing it was coming. From what I've learned lurking in this community, the key is being proactive about reporting it. I ended up calling the EDD technical support line early in the morning (around 8:02 AM) and actually got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The rep was really understanding and said this happens constantly, especially in industries like ours where final payments can be delayed. She told me to keep detailed records of when I discovered the payment versus when I received it, and that they'd likely send an overpayment notice but wouldn't penalize me since I reported it voluntarily. Definitely don't wait - the sooner you contact them, the better it looks on your case. Good luck!

Any luck getting through today? I'm curious if the SDI thing mentioned above might be the issue. That would make sense if they're doing some cross-checking between systems.

That's awesome news! So glad you got it resolved! This is exactly why this community is so helpful - everyone sharing their experiences and tips. The SDI cross-check thing is something I never would have thought of but makes total sense. I'm going to bookmark this thread for future reference in case I run into similar issues. Hope your payment comes through quickly!

By the way, if you're calling about extending your benefit year, just be aware that in 2025 you need to have earned enough wages in your base period to establish a new claim. If you haven't worked enough quarters, you might not be eligible for a new claim immediately after your benefit year ends. The rep will look at your wages from roughly 5-17 months before you file the new claim. Just wanted to mention this so you're prepared when you do get through!

I feel your pain! I just went through this exact same nightmare in February. What finally worked for me was calling the 1-800-300-5616 number but using a different strategy than most people suggest. Instead of calling right at 8 AM when everyone else is calling, I started calling at 7:59 AM and would immediately redial if I got the busy message. Sometimes the system opens up a minute or two early and you can get in the queue before the rush hits. Also, when you do get through to the menu, press 1-2-1 instead of 1-2-4 - that routes you to a different department but they can still help with benefit extensions and the wait times are usually shorter. Got through in about 15 minutes using this method. Good luck!