Just to add - make sure you're available for that eligibility phone interview when they schedule it. Missing it can delay your claim significantly. Given your situation, they'll likely schedule one within 1-2 weeks of filing. Also, be prepared to explain why you're continuing to work without pay (fear of definitely losing job, promises of back pay, etc.) as they may ask about this.

I went through something very similar with a restaurant that stopped paying us during COVID. One thing I wish I had known earlier - you can also contact the California Labor Commissioner's Office to file a wage claim while you're dealing with EDD. They can help you recover those unpaid wages even if the company goes under. Also, keep showing up to work if you can afford to (sounds like you're already doing this) because it strengthens your case that you didn't voluntarily quit. Document every single day you work without pay - take photos of your time clock, save any work emails/texts, etc. This evidence will be crucial if your employer tries to dispute your claim. The fact that it's been 7 weeks is actually really strong evidence in your favor. No reasonable person would consider this a temporary delay at this point. Good luck with your application!

did u get paid yet??? curious if it came through ok

Good to know this worked out! I'm new to the EDD system and was wondering about this exact scenario. It's reassuring to see that weekend certification timing really doesn't matter. I've been stressing about making sure I certify exactly on Saturday, but sounds like I have the whole weekend window. Thanks for sharing the update that your payment came through normally - that's super helpful for those of us still figuring out how all this works!

OK, late to this thread, but there's actually a way to double-check if your claim is active without calling EDD. Go to your UI Online homepage and check your Claim Status. If it says "Active" with a current Benefit Year End date, then your claim is fine and you should ignore the reopen button. Also check if you can see your next certification date listed. If both of these show up correctly, your claim is active regardless of what buttons appear.

Just wanted to add my experience as well - I saw this exact same "reopen claim" button appear after my second payment a few months ago. Like others have said, it's definitely a system glitch that seems to randomly pop up for active claimants. The key thing to remember is that if you can still certify for benefits on your regular schedule and your claim status shows as "Active," then you're good to go. The reopen function is really meant for people who have let their claims go dormant by not certifying for several weeks in a row. I made the mistake of panicking and almost clicked it too, but thankfully found similar advice on here first. The button disappeared after my next certification and never came back. Hang in there and just stick to your normal routine!

This thread is absolutely invaluable! I just started my appeal process last week after being disqualified for "voluntary quit" (even though I was laid off due to project completion) and I had no idea about this certification issue. Reading everyone's experiences here is both alarming and reassuring - alarming that EDD's system is so fundamentally broken that it contradicts their own policies, but reassuring to know there are concrete solutions. I'm definitely going to keep a close eye on my certification options and have the Claimyr info ready just in case. It's absolutely insane that we have to become experts in navigating around their technical failures just to access benefits we're entitled to. Thank you @334def0feab9 for sharing such a detailed resolution process and to everyone else for confirming this is a systemic issue. This community is honestly more helpful than any official EDD resource I've found. I'll make sure to update if I run into this problem too - the more documented cases we have, the better we can help future people facing the same nightmare!

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm currently in the middle of an appeal process myself (filed about 4 weeks ago for a disqualification related to availability issues) and just noticed yesterday that my certification options have completely disappeared from UI Online. I was starting to panic thinking I had somehow violated appeal procedures or missed a critical deadline. Reading through everyone's experiences here, especially @334def0feab9's detailed solution walkthrough, has been such a relief. It's absolutely mind-boggling that EDD's system creates technical barriers that directly contradict their own policies about continuing to certify during appeals. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service first since multiple people here have had success with it. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and creating such a comprehensive resource - this community provides better guidance than anything on EDD's official website. I'll make sure to update once I get this resolved to add another data point for anyone else facing this same frustrating issue!

Make sure u also check the box that says ur looking for full time work when u certify!!! If u say ur only looking for part time they might disqualify u!!!

One more thing to keep in mind - don't panic if your first partial payment seems delayed or different than expected! When you switch from full benefits to partial, EDD's system sometimes takes an extra day or two to process the calculation. I freaked out when my payment was late the first week I reported part-time work, but it came through eventually. Also save ALL your pay stubs and keep a personal record of exactly what you report each week. I use a simple spreadsheet with columns for: certification week, hours worked, gross pay, what I reported to EDD, and benefit amount received. This way if there's ever a discrepancy you have documentation to back up your claims. You're doing the right thing by being careful and asking questions upfront. Better to be overprepared than deal with overpayment issues later!