I went through the same situation last year with a similar overpayment amount and chose the phone hearing - best decision I made! The judge was actually more focused on my evidence than anything else. Quick tip that really helped me: Before the hearing, I called the appeals office and asked them to confirm they received all my documentation. Turns out they were missing one of my pay stubs, so I was able to fax it over the day before. Also, during the phone hearing, I mentioned specific page numbers when referencing my evidence ("as shown on page 3 of my submitted documents") which seemed to help the judge follow along. The whole process took about 35 minutes and I won my case. The phone format actually worked in my favor because I could stay calm in my own environment and refer to my notes without feeling rushed. You've got this!

I did a phone hearing for my EDD appeal about 6 months ago and it went smoothly! I was nervous about it too, but honestly the judge couldn't have cared less that I wasn't there in person. They were all business - asked clear questions, listened to my responses, and reviewed my evidence. One thing that really helped me was having a quiet, dedicated space set up beforehand. I used my bedroom, closed the door, put my phone on speaker, and spread all my documents out on the bed in chronological order. Way better than trying to juggle papers in some stuffy government office. The key is really just being super organized with your evidence. Make sure you can quickly find any document they ask about. I won my case and honestly think the phone format made me less anxious, which probably helped me explain things more clearly. Go with phone - you'll be fine!

sounds like ur overthinking this tbh... 2 days off before u even start isnt what unemployment is for. file when the whole job ends

Just to add another perspective - I work in HR at a company that hires seasonal workers. Those initial closure days are pretty normal for retail/warehouse seasonal positions, especially around inventory time. Don't stress about it! One thing to keep in mind: when you do start working, keep track of your pay stubs and hours worked. If your employer consistently gives you fewer hours than what you were hired for (like if they promised 40 hours/week but only give you 20), THEN you might qualify for partial unemployment benefits. But you'd need to have worked long enough to meet the wage requirements first. Good luck with the new job!

anybody know if u can set up direct deposit with money network instead of using their card? the BofA card was bad enough but at least i could transfer to my bank account for free

Just following up on this thread - did your payment ever switch from pending to paid? And did you get your Money Network card yet? I'm curious because my roommate is going through the exact same issue right now.

This is such valuable information! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - 4 penalty weeks and just started a part-time gig that puts me over my weekly benefit amount. I was panicking thinking I'd never get through my penalty period, but reading through all these responses (especially your final update with EDD confirmation) gives me so much peace of mind. For anyone else reading this thread in the future: the key takeaways seem to be 1) Keep certifying every two weeks no matter what, 2) Report ALL earnings accurately, 3) Make sure you're still meeting other eligibility requirements (available for work, job searching, etc.), and 4) Weeks with excessive earnings DO count toward penalty weeks as long as you're otherwise eligible. Thanks for sharing your experience and coming back with the official confirmation from EDD!

I'm so glad you posted this question and got it resolved! I'm actually dealing with something similar right now - I have 3 penalty weeks left to serve and just picked up some freelance work that varies week to week. Some weeks I'm under my benefit amount, others I'm way over. Reading through this whole thread (especially your update with the EDD confirmation) has been incredibly reassuring. I was worried that the weeks where I earn too much wouldn't count and I'd be stuck serving penalty weeks forever. Now I know I just need to keep certifying accurately and all weeks will count as long as I'm meeting the other requirements. Quick question for anyone who might know - do you still have to do the work search requirement during penalty weeks? I've been doing it just to be safe, but wasn't sure if it was actually required since you're not getting paid anyway. Thanks again for sharing your experience and coming back with the official answer!

Update on wait times: I attended a legal clinic for EDD claimants last week, and the attorneys there mentioned that decision times have actually increased in the past few months. They're seeing most decisions taking 12-14 weeks now, with some taking up to 16 weeks. This is apparently due to staff shortages at the Appeals Board and a recent increase in appeal filings. If you hit the 14-week mark without a decision, they recommended sending a formal inquiry letter to the Appeals Board citing California Unemployment Insurance Code Section 1336, which states decisions should be prompt. Include your case number, hearing date, and contact information. This sometimes helps move cases that have gotten stuck in the queue.

I'm going through a similar situation right now - had my appeal hearing in September for a "voluntary quit" disqualification (which was actually a layoff, but EDD coded it wrong). It's been about 10 weeks and still no decision letter. Reading everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and terrifying at the same time! I've been calling the Appeals Board every few weeks and they just keep saying "still under review by the Administrative Law Judge." At least I know from this thread that 12-14 weeks seems to be the new normal. The financial stress is unreal though - I've had to move back in with family and I'm basically living off credit cards at this point. One thing I wanted to add - my local legal aid office told me that if you're facing eviction or utilities being shut off while waiting for your appeal decision, you can request an "expedited review" from the Appeals Board. They said it doesn't guarantee faster processing, but they're supposed to flag urgent cases. Might be worth asking about if anyone is in a really desperate situation. Hang in there everyone - sounds like most people eventually get their decisions, it's just a matter of surviving the wait! 😩