Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I understand now that I need to: 1. Report my part-time work on my bi-weekly certification 2. Include GROSS earnings (before taxes) for each specific week 3. Track my hours carefully by day to report accurately 4. Understand my benefits will be reduced but not eliminated entirely I'm feeling much better about this situation now. I was seriously losing sleep thinking they'd just cut me off completely once I reported my part-time job. I'll start keeping a detailed log of my hours and earnings starting today!

You're doing the right thing by getting all this information upfront! Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me - when you're keeping that daily log of hours and earnings, also note down exactly what days fall into each EDD certification period. EDD's weeks run Sunday through Saturday, and knowing exactly which days belong to which certification period makes reporting so much easier. Also, don't stress too much about the system being confusing - once you get into the routine of reporting your part-time earnings every two weeks, it becomes pretty straightforward. The key is just being consistent and accurate with your reporting. You've got this!

Thank you all for the helpful information! To make sure I understand correctly: 1. Mark "No" for being available for work during jury duty weeks 2. Explain it's for jury duty in the additional information box 3. Only report the jury duty pay as "other income" during the week I actually receive the check 4. Keep all documentation in case of questions I'll also try contacting EDD before my jury duty starts to get notes added to my account. I really appreciate everyone's help!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and want to share what worked for me. I was selected for a 3-week trial in Orange County. Here's what I did based on advice from an EDD rep I spoke with beforehand: - Weeks 1-3 (serving): Answered "No" to available for work, wrote "Serving mandatory jury duty" in the explanation box - Week 4 (when I got the check): Reported the jury duty payment as "other income" The key thing that saved me headaches was calling EDD BEFORE my service started. I used the technical issues line (1-800-300-5616) early in the morning and got through after about 45 minutes. The rep added notes to my account explaining the jury duty situation, which prevented my claim from getting flagged. Total jury pay was $195 for 3 weeks ($15/day after the first unpaid day), so it barely affected my benefits anyway. The whole process went smoothly because I was proactive about calling ahead. My advice: Don't wait until you're certifying to deal with this. Call now and get those protective notes added to your account!

One more thing - continue certifying for benefits while your appeal is pending, even if your payments show as "disqualified" or stop coming. If you win your appeal, they'll release all those held payments at once. If you stop certifying, you won't be able to claim those weeks later, even if you win.

This is such a frustrating situation, but you're absolutely doing the right thing by appealing! I went through something similar last year where my employer changed their story after I filed for benefits. A few additional tips that helped me: Document the missed interview thoroughly - write down the exact date, time window, and that you received no call. This shows EDD failed to follow their own procedures. If possible, get a letter from your cell phone provider showing your call log for that day to prove you didn't miss any calls during the interview window. When you're at the hearing, stay calm and stick to facts. Let your employer dig their own hole if they try to fabricate a performance issue that contradicts 15 years of employment and positive reviews. The fact that your boss mentioned calling you back when work picked up is huge - that clearly indicates a layoff, not a firing. Do you have any text messages or emails where he mentioned this? You've got this! The appeal process exists exactly for situations like this where employers try to game the system.

Update on messaging through UI Online - they're currently taking about 5-7 business days to respond to messages. If you do manage to get through by phone, request that they document the conversation in your case notes, including the date/time and representative name. This creates a record showing you attempted to correct the issue promptly. For future certifications, be sure to report any commission income in the week it was paid to avoid further complications. The system will ask if you received any income - always say yes if you received commissions and report the amount accurately.

That's great news that you got through and got it resolved! For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, I want to emphasize that the key is being proactive about corrections. EDD actually has a specific process for amended reporting, and they're generally more lenient when you self-report errors versus them discovering discrepancies during their regular audits. One thing to keep in mind for commission workers: make sure you understand the difference between when commissions are earned versus when they're paid, because EDD cares about the payment date for certification purposes. Also, if you have variable commission income, it might be worth keeping detailed records of all payments to make future certifications smoother. Really glad this worked out for you @Harper Thompson - hopefully this thread will help other commission-based workers avoid the same confusion!

I think I'm having a similar situation!!! I was getting unemployment after being laid off from my teaching job, then got some substitute teaching work that paid more than my weekly benefit amount, but now summer break started and no more subbing jobs available... I tried to reopen my claim but got an error saying 'cannot process your request at this time' and now I'm totally confused about what to do next. Has anyone seen this error before??

I want to highlight something important that hasn't been mentioned yet: When you reopen your claim, make sure you're prepared to meet the current work search requirements. Unlike during the pandemic when these were relaxed, you now need to document at least 3 work search activities per week. These can include applying for jobs, networking, updating your resume, attending job fairs, etc. EDD has been conducting more eligibility interviews lately, especially for reopened claims, so keep good records of your work search efforts.