To address your follow-up questions: The verification process has two parts - ID.me (which verifies your identity) and EDD's own verification (which confirms your eligibility for benefits). Here's what you should do: 1. For ID.me: Upload your ID plus documents showing your current address (utility bill, lease agreement, bank statement) 2. For EDD: Ensure your current mailing address is listed in your application 3. Be prepared to explain the address discrepancy if you get an eligibility interview phone call 4. Keep checking your UI Online account for any pending issues or required actions Most importantly, don't panic if there's a slight delay. Address mismatches are common and usually resolved with proper documentation. Just be honest and consistent with your information.

I went through this same situation about 6 months ago! My license showed my old apartment but I had moved in with my girlfriend. What really helped me was being proactive - I called EDD right after submitting my ID.me verification to explain the address discrepancy upfront. The rep made a note in my file, so when they reviewed my application, they already knew why the addresses didn't match. It saved me from getting flagged for a lengthy eligibility interview. Also, make sure you have multiple documents for your current address - I used my lease, a utility bill, AND a bank statement just to be safe. The whole process took about 3 weeks total, which isn't bad considering all the horror stories you hear.

Congrats Victoria! That's such a relief after all that stress and waiting. Your case gives me hope - I'm dealing with a similar situation where my employer cut my hours from 40 to 15 per week and then acted surprised when I had to find other work. Filed my appeal last week and trying to stay optimistic. 18 days is actually pretty fast compared to some of the horror stories I've heard. Did you have to provide a lot of documentation during the hearing or was it mainly just testimony?

This is such helpful information for everyone going through appeals! Victoria, I'm so glad you got a positive outcome - 18 days is actually pretty reasonable given what others have shared. For anyone else waiting, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Keep certifying every two weeks no matter what, 2) Check UI Online daily since it might show up there first, 3) Expect 2-4 weeks typically but could be longer, and 4) Have all your documentation ready for the hearing. The fact that constructive dismissal cases like hour reductions seem to have good success rates is encouraging. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community really helps people navigate this confusing process!

My friend had this exact problem and said she had to do an "Affidavit of Wages" form to prove when her severance was for. Did anyone send you that form?

UPDATE: You all were right! Just checked my UI Online account and my status changed from pending to paid for weeks 4 and 5, and weeks 1-3 now say "disqualified - excessive earnings" which makes sense because of the severance. Thank you all for the explanations and help!

I went through this exact same process 6 months ago and won my appeal! Here's what I wish someone had told me from the start: 1. **Timeline matters** - you only have 30 days from the date on your disqualification notice to file your appeal, so don't delay. 2. **BE VERY SPECIFIC** on the DE 1000M form. Don't just write "I was laid off" - write something like "I was notified on [date] by my supervisor [name] that my position was being eliminated due to company budget cuts. I did not resign or quit voluntarily." 3. **Organize your evidence** - create a simple timeline of events with supporting documents for each point. This will help both with your written appeal and the hearing. 4. **Practice your story** - you'll need to clearly explain what happened during the hearing. Practice telling your story in a logical order without getting emotional (even though it's frustrating!). The good news is that if you truly were laid off and have documentation, these cases are usually winnable. The key is being thorough and organized. You've got this! Let me know if you need help organizing your timeline or have other questions.

I just went through this nightmare last year and want to share a few things that really helped me win my case: **Documentation is EVERYTHING** - I collected every piece of paper I could find: my layoff notice, the email chain about budget cuts, even my final paycheck stub that showed "layoff" instead of "termination." The more official documents you have, the stronger your case. **Don't assume EDD has your employment records** - they often don't have the full picture and rely heavily on what your former employer reported. This is why YOUR evidence is so crucial. **Write a cover letter with your appeal** - I included a one-page summary explaining exactly what happened, referencing the attached documents. Something like "As evidenced by the attached layoff notice dated X, email from manager dated Y, etc., I was involuntarily separated due to company budget constraints, not voluntary resignation." **Keep detailed records going forward** - document every interaction with EDD, keep copies of everything you send them, and note dates/times of phone calls. The whole process took about 2 months for me but was 100% worth it. Once I got to the hearing and presented my evidence, the judge overturned the decision within a week. Stay organized and persistent - you can definitely win this if you were truly laid off!

To summarize the correct information here: 1. CalJOBS registration is mandatory regardless of your employment status (furloughed with return date or completely separated) 2. Your current employer will not be notified of your CalJOBS registration 3. For certification purposes, a tentative return date in April (more than 8 weeks away) means you should continue full work search requirements 4. Document all work search activities, including communications with your current employer about return dates 5. Certify on time every two weeks, even if payments are pending And the most important point - keep checking in with your employer regularly. If your return date becomes more definite (and within 8 weeks), make sure to note that on your certification. This could potentially modify your work search requirements.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when my landscaping company had to furlough half the crew during the slow season. The CalJOBS registration is definitely required - there's no way around it. But here's what I learned that might help: when you register, you can actually set your profile to indicate you're on temporary layoff with an expected return date. This helps explain your situation if anyone from EDD reviews your case. Also, make sure to keep screenshots of your CalJOBS activities for your records. I got randomly selected for an audit and having those screenshots saved me a lot of headaches. The good news is that once you're back at work, you can just stop certifying and your claim will automatically close. Your employer really won't know or care about the CalJOBS registration - it's just between you and EDD.