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After reading all your responses, here's my suggestion: Start looking for work aggressively while still at this part-time job. Document the toxic environment thoroughly (dates, incidents, witnesses). See your therapist and request documentation connecting your anxiety to the workplace specifically. Then if you find yourself needing to quit before finding new employment, you'll have evidence for your eligibility interview. Just remember that even with good documentation, there's still a risk EDD could deny benefits, so having savings to cover a potential gap would be wise.
Thank you so much for this comprehensive advice. I'm going to follow these steps exactly. I've already started documenting incidents and have an appointment with my therapist next week. I'll keep certifying and job hunting aggressively in the meantime. Everyone's advice here has been incredibly helpful during this stressful time - I feel much more prepared to handle the situation properly now.
I went through a similar situation last year and want to share what worked for me. I was in a toxic retail job while collecting partial benefits, and my manager was creating a hostile environment. Here's what I did that helped my case when I eventually had to quit: 1. I kept a detailed log with dates, times, and specific incidents (took photos of schedules showing retaliation, saved any text messages) 2. I emailed my concerns to management creating a paper trail - even if they don't respond, you have proof you tried to resolve it 3. My doctor wrote a note specifically stating that my workplace was "exacerbating my anxiety and depression to a degree that threatens my wellbeing" 4. I continued job searching and kept records of all applications When I quit, EDD did schedule an eligibility interview, but because I had documentation showing I made good faith efforts to resolve the situation and medical evidence, they approved continued benefits. The key is being able to prove you didn't just quit impulsively - you tried other solutions first. Keep hanging in there and documenting everything while you search for something better!
I went through something similar last year when my UI ran out. Here's what I learned that might help: 1. File a new claim immediately when your balance hits zero - even if you think you won't qualify. Sometimes there are wages in your base period you forgot about or miscalculated. 2. Look into your local One-Stop Career Centers (America's Job Center). They often have "rapid response" job fairs specifically for people whose benefits are ending, and some employers there are willing to hire quickly. 3. Consider gig work as a bridge while you job search - DoorDash, Instacart, etc. It's not ideal but can help cover some expenses while you look for permanent work. 4. If you haven't already, reach out to temp agencies that specialize in accounting. They sometimes have immediate placements for tax season which is coming up. The job market is tough right now but don't give up. I ended up finding something through a temp agency that turned permanent after 3 months. Keep applying broadly and consider remote work too if possible.
This is really helpful advice, thank you! I hadn't thought about tax season creating more temporary opportunities - that's a great point since it's coming up soon. I'll definitely look into temp agencies that specialize in accounting/bookkeeping. The gig work idea makes sense too as a stopgap measure. I was hesitant about it before but you're right that some income is better than none while I continue my job search. I'll file that new claim right away when my benefits exhaust, even if I'm pretty sure I won't qualify. Worth a shot! And I'll check out the One-Stop Career Centers - I keep hearing about job fairs but haven't attended any yet.
I'm in a similar situation - my benefits are set to exhaust in March and I'm getting really anxious about it. Reading through all these responses has been both helpful and scary! One thing I wanted to add that might help everyone here: I've been using the "California Job Search" website (calcareers.ca.gov) which has state government positions. They're not always the highest paying but they often have good benefits and job security. Some positions are "examination not required" which means they hire based on your application without additional testing. Also, don't forget about seasonal tax preparation work - H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, and even Walmart have tax prep services that ramp up hiring in January/February. With your accounting background, you'd probably be a strong candidate and it could bridge you through tax season while you keep looking for permanent work. Hang in there everyone - this job market is brutal but we'll get through it! 💪
Thank you for the recommendation. At this point, I'm willing to try anything. The frustration of calling dozens of times per day and never getting through is almost worse than the financial stress. I'll check out that service.
Wow, this is incredible news! I had my EDD card frozen for almost 6 weeks starting in late December 2020. I remember it was right after Christmas and I couldn't even buy groceries for my kids. Had to borrow money from family just to survive while they "investigated" my account for supposed fraud that never existed. I never heard anything about a class action lawsuit or settlement. Does anyone know if there's a way to check if you're eligible even if you didn't file a claim? I've moved since then but I'm hoping they can still find me. That freeze period was one of the most stressful times of my life - having money that was rightfully mine just completely inaccessible while bills kept piling up. Thanks for sharing this @Collins Angel - gives me hope that maybe there's some justice for what we all went through during that nightmare period!
Did you check if your BofA card is still active? Mine expired and I didn't realize it, so payments were showing as "paid" but weren't accessible until I got my new card. Just something to consider if it doesn't show up by tomorrow.
Just as an update for anyone finding this thread later: Currently in 2025, EDD processing times are: - Regular certifications: 1-2 days to show 'paid' status - Card transfers: 1-2 business days after 'paid' - Direct deposit: 1-3 business days after 'paid' - First payments: Can take 7-10 business days - Holiday weeks: Add 1 extra business day These timeframes have been pretty consistent this year, but can vary during high volume periods.
Nalani Liu
I'm in a similar situation - had my interview 8 days ago and still waiting on a decision. My case was also a layoff due to company downsizing, so I thought it would be straightforward. The uncertainty is really getting to me, especially with bills coming due. I've been checking my UI Online account multiple times a day hoping for any change in status. It's reassuring to hear that some people are getting approved after 10-13 days, but also concerning that others are waiting 6+ weeks. The lack of communication from EDD about timelines or what's causing delays is really frustrating when we're all dealing with financial stress.
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Dallas Villalobos
•I totally understand that anxiety - the constant checking and waiting is exhausting. It sounds like we're in very similar situations with the layoff circumstances. Have you tried reaching out to your former employer's HR like someone suggested earlier? I'm planning to do that tomorrow to see if they've responded to EDD's verification request yet. Maybe that could help both of us figure out if that's what's holding things up.
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Natasha Petrova
I'm dealing with almost the exact same timeline - had my eligibility interview 9 days ago for a layoff situation and still showing pending. The financial stress is real when you're waiting this long with no communication from EDD. Reading through these responses, it seems like there's such a huge variation in wait times even for similar cases. Some people get approved in 2 days, others wait 6+ weeks - there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. I've also been checking my UI Online account obsessively and calling EDD with no luck getting through. At least seeing that @Clarissa Flair just got approved after 13 days gives me some hope that mine might come through soon too.
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