This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I have some freelance graphic design work (1099) that I completed last week but won't get paid for until next month. I was totally confused about when and how to report it. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially the horror stories about overpayments and penalties, really drove home how important it is to be accurate with reporting. The fact that EDD cross-references with tax filings later makes so much sense - of course they're going to catch unreported income eventually! @Jessica I think you made the absolute right call by reporting it. The stress of wondering "what if" would have been terrible, and now you can rest easy knowing you followed the rules correctly. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here - this community is amazing for helping people navigate these confusing situations!

I'm really glad you reported it! As someone who's been through the EDD system multiple times, I can't stress enough how important it is to be transparent about ALL income sources. One thing I learned that might help others - if you're doing regular 1099 work while on unemployment, it's actually worth keeping detailed records of when you work vs when you get paid. I started a simple spreadsheet with dates worked, estimated earnings, and actual payment dates. This saved me so much headache when I had to provide documentation later. The EDD system might seem confusing, but they're very thorough about income verification. I've seen people get hit with overpayment notices years later because they thought certain types of work "didn't count." Trust me, it ALL counts to them! You definitely made the smart choice here. Better to potentially lose some benefits now than deal with the stress and financial burden of penalties down the road.

I went to the Santa Ana EDD office just yesterday and can confirm everything people are saying here is accurate! The new check-in process on the first floor is definitely in place - they gave me a number and I waited about 20 minutes before being called up to the 3rd floor. The staff was really helpful and professional. One thing I'd add is that they now have a digital display board that shows which numbers are being called, so you don't have to worry about missing your turn. Also, bring a pen - they don't provide them anymore and I saw several people having to ask around to borrow one. The whole process took about an hour from check-in to completion, which wasn't too bad considering how backed up everything has been lately.

I've been to this office several times over the past year for various disability-related issues, and I wanted to share a few additional tips that might help others. First, if you're driving there, I'd recommend using the Waze app because the MacArthur area can have some confusing construction detours that aren't always well-marked. Second, they have a small waiting area on the first floor with limited seating, so if you have mobility issues or expect a long wait, you might want to bring a portable chair or be prepared to stand. Third, I've noticed they tend to be less busy on Wednesdays and Thursdays compared to Mondays and Fridays. The staff really does try to help, but they're working with a system that has a lot of constraints, so patience goes a long way. Overall, despite the bureaucratic challenges, I've found the Santa Ana office to be one of the more functional EDD locations in Orange County.

I'm new to this community but your story really hits home because I'm dealing with something almost identical right now. I'm in a medical assistant program at Los Angeles Trade Tech and just got blindsided by the same 16-week CTB notification rule after being completely honest about my school attendance on every single certification for months. What's really encouraging is seeing how many people here have successfully appealed these denials, especially when they were transparent about their training from the beginning like we were. The pattern is so clear - EDD has all the information they need from our bi-weekly certifications but then penalizes us for not knowing about their internal application processes that nobody explains. I'm definitely taking notes on all the excellent advice shared here, especially about emphasizing how our programs address high-demand career fields and getting documentation from career services about job placement rates. Healthcare is such a growing sector right now, especially with the ongoing staffing shortages in medical facilities. The intimidation tactics they use are really something else - threatening to deny entire claims retroactively just to discourage appeals. But reading everyone's experiences here shows that standing up to their scare tactics actually works when you have documentation and a solid case. Thanks for sharing your situation and to everyone who's provided such detailed guidance. This community is an amazing resource for navigating EDD's confusing maze of rules and procedures!

I'm new to this community but your situation really resonates with me as someone who just started dealing with EDD's training benefit maze. I'm currently in a pharmacy technician program at Riverside City College and reading through all these experiences has been incredibly eye-opening about what I might face. What really strikes me about your case is how you've been completely transparent from day one - answering honestly on every certification about school attendance. That level of honesty should be rewarded, not penalized! The fact that your program is on their approved provider list is huge too. From everything I've read here, it seems like the key arguments for your appeal should be: 1) You consistently reported school attendance showing good faith, 2) EDD failed in their duty to inform you about CTB requirements despite having this information, 3) Healthcare administration directly addresses California's workforce needs, and 4) The conflicting information from different reps shows systematic problems with their communication. The intimidation tactic about potentially denying your entire claim is particularly disgusting - they're literally trying to scare you out of exercising your legal right to appeal. But seeing all these success stories gives me hope that fighting back actually works when you have solid documentation like you do. Your October 2025 completion date isn't that far away, and healthcare admin jobs are definitely in high demand right now. Don't let their bureaucratic failures derail your career plans - file that appeal and keep pushing forward!

This is so reassuring to read! I just received my RESEA letter yesterday and have been anxiously checking my email every few hours waiting for the Zoom link. Knowing it comes exactly 2 weeks before makes me feel so much better - I was worried something was wrong with my case since there were no meeting details in the initial letter. I'll definitely check my spam folder when the time comes. Thanks for sharing your experience and helping reduce the stress for the rest of us going through this process!

This whole thread has been so helpful! I'm new to receiving unemployment benefits and got my RESEA letter last week. I was completely confused about what it even was - the letter just said "mandatory reemployment workshop" with a date but no other details. Reading everyone's experiences here has made me feel way more prepared. I'm definitely going to set up email alerts for anything from @edd.ca.gov and make sure to check spam folders. Quick question though - for those who've completed it, about how many other people were in your workshop? I'm a bit nervous about the group setting but it sounds like the breakout rooms and resume feedback are really valuable. Thanks for creating such a supportive space to share info!

I'm new to this community but currently dealing with a very similar situation! I was laid off from my assembly line job in February after 9 years and have been running into the same "not accepting applications" responses everywhere. Reading through this entire thread has been so reassuring - I had no idea that documenting these conversations was not only okay but actually what EDD expects to see. What's really helped me is what some others mentioned about asking follow-up questions when businesses say they're not hiring. Instead of just walking away defeated, I now ask things like "When do you typically do your hiring?" or "What positions do you usually have available?" This has led to some really useful conversations and makes me feel like I'm gathering actual market intelligence rather than just collecting rejections. I've also started mixing my approach more - some days I focus on online applications, other days I do in-person visits, and I always try to include at least one networking activity per week (calling former coworkers, checking with my old supervisor about industry contacts, etc.). This variety has made my work search feel more productive even when individual employers aren't accepting applications. Your mother-in-law sounds like she's handling this exactly right! The fact that she's had no payment issues for 6 weeks is proof that EDD recognizes genuine effort. This job market is brutal right now but her persistence and detailed documentation are going to pay off. Keep encouraging her - we're all navigating this tough situation together!

I'm new to this community but wanted to add my perspective as someone who went through EDD's work search requirements after being laid off from a warehouse position last year. Your mother-in-law is absolutely doing everything correctly! What really helped me was creating a simple template for documenting each contact. I used: Date | Company Name | Contact Method | Person Spoken With | Position Inquired About | Response/Outcome | Follow-up Notes. This consistent format made it easy to track everything and showed EDD I was taking the process seriously. One thing I learned that might help - when businesses say "we're not accepting applications," I started asking if I could leave my contact information anyway or if they had a timeline for when hiring might resume. About 30% of the time, they'd take my info or give me useful details about their hiring cycle. These longer conversations really strengthened my work search documentation. Also, don't underestimate the value of industry-specific job boards and trade publications. For manufacturing workers, sites like IndustryWeek.com often list opportunities that don't show up on general job boards. Even just researching these specialized resources counts as legitimate work search activity. The key thing EDD told me during my eligibility interview was that they want to see "sustained, reasonable effort" - which is exactly what your mother-in-law is demonstrating. Six weeks of consistent payments proves she's meeting their expectations perfectly!