I'm so sorry your cousin is going through this nightmare. I dealt with penalty weeks myself in 2023 and it was absolutely devastating financially. The misinformation from EDD reps is unfortunately very common - they seem to either not understand the penalty week system or just tell people what they think they want to hear. From my experience, here's what helped me survive the penalty weeks: 1. Apply for every assistance program possible - not just CalFresh but also utility assistance (LIHEAP), rental assistance through your county, and food banks 2. Look into gig work like DoorDash, Uber, or TaskRabbit for immediate income while still job searching 3. Contact local churches and community organizations - many have emergency funds for people in crisis 4. Check if her county has a 211 helpline (dial 2-1-1) for comprehensive resource information The penalty weeks are brutal but they do end eventually. I had to serve 8 weeks and it nearly broke me financially, but I got through it. Make sure she keeps detailed records of everything and continues certifying religiously. Once those penalty weeks are done, her payments should start automatically. Stay strong and don't let EDD's incompetence destroy your hope. There are resources out there to help bridge the gap.

I'm so sorry your cousin is dealing with this - the misinformation from EDD reps about penalty weeks is unfortunately very common and causes so much unnecessary stress and financial planning issues. From everything I've seen and experienced, penalty weeks must be served in FULL - there's no cap or shortcut like that rep told her. If she had 9 remaining weeks, she'll likely need to serve all 9, not just 2 more. Here's what I'd suggest for immediate next steps: 1. Log into UI Online and check her Claim History to see exactly how many penalty weeks have been served vs. remaining 2. Send a message through UI Online asking for written confirmation of her exact penalty week count and expected benefit start date 3. Keep certifying every two weeks during penalty weeks (this is crucial!) 4. Look into emergency assistance - many counties have rental/utility help, food banks, and emergency cash assistance programs Also, while she's serving penalty weeks, she can still do gig work (DoorDash, Instacart, etc.) to get some immediate income without affecting her unemployment claim. Just make sure to report any earnings when certifying. The system is brutal but the penalty weeks do eventually end. Document everything going forward and don't trust verbal information from reps - get it in writing through UI Online messages. Hang in there!

This thread is exactly what I needed to find! I certified yesterday morning and have been refreshing my account every hour like a maniac. It's my second time on unemployment (first was back in 2018) and I forgot how nerve-wracking the waiting period is, especially when you're cutting it close with bills. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real timelines instead of the vague "allow 2-3 business days" that EDD gives you. The federal holiday info was particularly helpful - I had no idea that would add extra delay. Fingers crossed mine hits tomorrow or Friday!

Just wanted to share my recent experience for anyone still following this thread. I certified this past Sunday at around 11am and my status changed to "paid" within a few hours. Since there were no holidays this week, my direct deposit hit Tuesday night around 10:30pm - so about 60 hours total from certification to money in account. For those asking about Bank of America specifically, they seem to process EDD deposits pretty quickly compared to some other banks I've used. One tip that helped me manage the stress: I set up account alerts so I get a text when any deposit hits, rather than constantly checking my balance. Makes the whole process way less anxiety-inducing!

@profile4 yes they did backpay me after the interview but I had to wait like 5 weeks which was super stressful!!! make sure u answer ur phone even if its unknown numbers because they only call once for the interview and if u miss it u have to reschedule and wait again!!

I just went through this exact same situation in October and can confirm January 6th is perfect timing! I filed my new claim 5 days before my benefit year ended and had zero gap in payments. The key thing is to make sure you complete your final certification on your current claim BEFORE you submit the new application - don't do them at the same time or it can confuse their system. Also, keep all your wage documentation handy because they might ask for verification of your earnings during the new base period. The transition was way smoother than I expected after reading all the horror stories online. You've got this!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My dad's benefits are also running out soon and we just mailed his DE2525XX form last week. Reading about the 4-6 week processing times is really stressing me out, especially with all the bills coming due. One thing I wanted to ask - has anyone had success with faxing the extension form instead of mailing it? I found an EDD fax number online but I'm not sure if they accept the DE2525XX form that way. It seems like it might be faster than mail but I don't want to mess up the process by using the wrong submission method. Also, for those who've gotten through to EDD by phone - what's the best time of day to call? I've been trying in the afternoons but maybe mornings are better? The idea of spending hours on hold is daunting but getting confirmation they received the form would give us so much peace of mind. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's really helping those of us just starting this nerve-wracking process!

I'm going through this exact same situation with my mom! We submitted her DE2525XX extension form by mail about 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything. Reading through all these responses is both terrifying and helpful - I had no idea the mail processing could take 6+ weeks. One thing I learned when I finally got through to EDD last week (after calling for 2 hours straight) is that they're currently processing extension forms in the order they were physically received at their processing center, not necessarily when they were mailed. So even though we mailed ours 3 weeks ago, it might have sat in their mailroom for days before actually entering the processing queue. The rep I spoke with also mentioned that they're seeing a huge surge in extension requests right now, which is contributing to the delays. She couldn't give me a specific timeline but confirmed they received mom's form and said to keep certifying every two weeks no matter what. For anyone still waiting like us - hang in there. The uncertainty is brutal but it sounds like most people do eventually get approved. Just make sure to keep detailed records of when you submitted everything in case you need to reference it later!

I went through this exact same situation about 2 months ago! Got my first payment as a paper check even though the interviewer told me it would be on a card. I was panicking thinking something went wrong with my claim, but it turns out this is totally normal. The Money Network card arrived about 8 days later in a plain white envelope (almost threw it away thinking it was junk mail!). Once I activated the card, all my subsequent payments went straight to it. Definitely cash that check - it's real money and you've earned it. The system is just designed this way to get you paid faster while they process the card.

I'm a new claimant and this thread is so reassuring! I just finished my eligibility interview yesterday and the rep told me the same thing about getting a Money Network card, so I was expecting that in the mail. Now I know to look for both a check first and then the card separately. It's really helpful to see so many people confirming this is the normal process. One quick question - when you all got your checks, did they come in a regular EDD envelope or was it in some special packaging? Just want to make sure I don't miss it when it arrives!