I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed about 10 days ago and still waiting. Reading through all these comments is actually making me feel a bit better - at least I know I'm not alone in this. The uncertainty is definitely stressful, especially when you're counting on that money to pay bills. I've been checking my account obsessively but trying to stay patient. Thanks for posting this question OP, it's really helpful to hear everyone's experiences!

I'm right there with you! Filed about 2.5 weeks ago and finally got my eligibility determination yesterday - I was approved! The waiting was absolutely nerve-wracking, but it sounds like your timeline is pretty normal. One thing that really helped me was setting up text alerts through the EDD portal so I'd get notified immediately of any updates instead of constantly checking. Also make sure you're certifying every two weeks even without approval - that way when you do get approved, you won't have missed any benefit periods. The backpay comes through pretty quickly once you're in the system. Stay strong, you're almost there! 💪

Just want to echo what others have said about getting proper documentation from your attorney and EDD. I went through a similar situation about 18 months ago - workers comp settlement while collecting UI benefits. The key is transparency and proper categorization. My settlement was $22K and my attorney made sure it was clearly broken down: 70% permanent disability, 25% future medical costs, and only 5% for temporary disability/wage replacement. I reported only the wage replacement portion during my certifications and had no issues with EDD. One tip that helped me: when I called EDD (using that Claimyr service someone mentioned - it really does work), I asked them to put a note in my file explaining the situation before the settlement was finalized. That way there was a paper trail showing I was being proactive about reporting properly. The worst thing you can do is not report it at all and hope they don't find out - they WILL find out eventually and the penalties are brutal. Better to over-communicate than under-report. Good luck with your settlement!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been on UI for about 3 months and have a workers comp case pending from an injury at my previous job. From everything I've read here and researched, it really comes down to how the settlement is structured and documented. Here's what I've learned: make sure your attorney clearly separates the settlement into categories (permanent disability vs wage replacement vs medical costs). Only the wage replacement portion typically needs to be reported to EDD. I'd strongly recommend getting written guidance from EDD BEFORE accepting any settlement. Document everything - save emails, take notes during phone calls with dates/times/names. This protects you if there are any questions later. Also, keep in mind that even with a settlement, you still need to be able and available for work to maintain UI eligibility. Make sure your injury doesn't prevent you from accepting suitable employment. The stories here about people getting penalized for not reporting are scary, but it seems like most of those cases involved people who either didn't report at all or had settlements that were clearly for wage replacement. If your settlement is properly structured for permanent disability/injury compensation, you should be okay.

One more important tip about Money Network direct deposit: if you've previously had your tax refund direct deposited to a bank account, make sure you're using the exact same name format and account information for your EDD direct deposit. The verification system sometimes cross-checks against your IRS information, and if there are discrepancies (even minor ones like using a middle initial in one system but not the other), it can flag your account for manual review, which delays payment. This is especially important if you've changed banks recently or if your name has any possible variations (hyphenated names, suffixes, etc.).

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this same decision process. I started with the Money Network card because I was nervous about giving my bank info to another system, but after 2 weeks I switched to direct deposit and I'm so glad I did. The card itself worked fine for purchases, but I had issues with ATM withdrawals - some machines would charge extra fees that weren't clearly disclosed, and one time an ATM glitched and I had to wait 3 days for them to credit back my money. Plus their mobile app is pretty clunky compared to my regular bank's app. With direct deposit, the money just shows up in my account like any other deposit and I can use my regular debit card, Zelle, online banking, etc. Much simpler. The only downside is you do have to wait for the first payment cycle to kick in, but after that it's smooth sailing. @Rajiv Kumar since you mentioned rent coming up soon, I'd definitely recommend direct deposit for the faster processing time that others mentioned. Good luck!

Yes, I've had multiple EDD employees hang up on me too! It's incredibly frustrating when you've been waiting for hours just to get disconnected. I've found that sometimes calling early in the morning (like right when they open at 8am) gives you a better chance of reaching someone who's less overwhelmed. Also, I always try to stay calm and polite even when I'm angry - some reps seem more willing to help when you're not yelling at them (though I totally understand the urge to!). Has anyone else noticed certain times of day work better for getting through?

Yes, this has happened to me multiple times! It's so frustrating because you spend literally hours trying to get through, and then when you finally do, they just hang up without warning. I've had reps hang up when I asked to speak to a supervisor, when I questioned why my claim was taking so long, and once even when I was just trying to verify my identity. It feels like they have zero accountability. I've started taking notes of every call - the time, the rep's name if they give it, and what happened - just in case I need to escalate this somewhere. Has anyone had success filing complaints about this behavior?

Just to give you some hope - I won my appeal after waiting about 8 weeks for the hearing. Once the decision was made in my favor, I received all my backpay for the weeks I had been certifying during the wait within 3 business days. It was a huge relief. The judge was very fair and listened carefully to my explanation. As long as you have documentation and tell the truth, you have a good chance, especially for work search related disqualifications which are often misunderstandings.

I'm currently waiting for my appeal hearing date too - filed my appeal about 6 weeks ago and got the acknowledgment letter 3 weeks ago. From what I've learned talking to others who've been through this, the wait times are all over the place right now. Some people get their hearing scheduled within a month, others wait 3+ months. It really depends on which office is handling your case and their current backlog. A few things that have helped me while waiting: I set up a dedicated folder for all EDD paperwork, I'm keeping a detailed log of everything (dates, phone calls, letters received), and I found a local legal aid clinic that offers free consultations for unemployment appeals. Even if you don't need a lawyer, they can review your case and give you tips on what evidence to focus on. The hardest part is the financial stress while waiting. I've had to get creative with side income - selling stuff I don't need, doing odd jobs for neighbors, etc. But everyone I've talked to who had legitimate cases and good documentation ended up winning their appeals. Hang in there!