I'm so sorry you're going through this! This happened to me about two months ago and I know exactly how frustrating and stressful it is, especially when you're depending on that money for rent and bills. What I discovered when this happened to me is that EDD has been having major staffing issues, and sometimes the interviewers are juggling way more cases than they can handle. In my case, I found out later that my interviewer had called in sick that day but nobody updated the system or notified the claimants. Here's what I wish someone had told me: Don't just wait for them to reschedule automatically. I made that mistake and waited almost two weeks before taking action. Call the main line first thing tomorrow at 8am sharp and keep redialing. It's annoying but it works better than calling later in the day when the lines are completely jammed. Also, when you do get through, ask them to check if there were any technical issues with your scheduled interview time. Sometimes they can see in their system if the call failed on their end, which helps document that it wasn't your fault. One more tip - make sure you continue certifying for your weekly benefits while you wait. You'll get all the back pay once the interview is completed and your claim is approved. Hang in there! I know it's incredibly stressful when rent is due, but most people do get this resolved within a week or two once they make contact with EDD.

This is so frustrating and unfortunately way too common with EDD! I went through something similar a few months ago where they scheduled my interview for a Friday afternoon and never called. Turns out their system had a glitch that day and multiple people got missed. Here's what I learned: definitely call them tomorrow morning right when they open at 8am. Keep hitting redial - it took me about an hour of constant calling but I eventually got through. The rep was actually helpful once I reached someone and rescheduled me for the following week. Also, take screenshots of your online portal showing today's scheduled interview time as proof you were supposed to have the call. When I spoke to the rep, having that documentation really helped my case. The good news is that once you do complete the interview (assuming it goes well), you'll get all your back pay including for this waiting period. I know it doesn't help with rent being due next week, but at least you won't lose out on the money completely. Don't lose hope - most people I know who had missed interviews got it sorted out within 1-2 weeks once they made contact with EDD. The system is broken but the individual reps are usually understanding when it's clearly their fault.

I'm new to this community and just wanted to add my voice to thank everyone for sharing such detailed real-world experiences! As someone currently on UI benefits who's been considering plasma donation, this discussion has been incredibly enlightening. What really stands out to me is how consistently positive the experiences have been for people who chose the transparent approach. Seeing the actual calculations from @Sean Murphy, @Ethan Campbell, and @Ravi Patel showing that you still come out ahead financially even after reporting really puts things in perspective. The 25% disregard in EDD's partial earnings formula means this isn't the financial disaster I was worried it might be. I've been hesitant about supplementing my income because I was afraid any additional money would completely eliminate my benefits, but the real examples here prove that's not how the system works. It actually seems designed to encourage people to earn some additional income while job searching. Based on everything I've read, I'm going to start plasma donation next week and will definitely report it as "other income" during certification. The peace of mind from being fully compliant, plus the actual financial benefit (even with partial deductions), makes this the obvious choice. This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for anyone on UI considering supplemental income - the combination of real experiences, specific numbers, and consistent advice is exactly what people in our situation need to make informed decisions safely!

I'm new to this community but this discussion has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently on UI benefits and was considering both plasma donation and medical trials to help with expenses, so seeing all these real-world experiences is exactly what I needed. What really convinced me was reading the specific examples from people like @Sean Murphy, @Ethan Campbell, and @Ravi Patel who actually went through the process of reporting plasma income. The fact that you all still came out ahead financially even after EDD's deductions (thanks to the 25% disregard in the partial earnings formula) makes this decision so much clearer. I was initially terrified that any supplemental income would wipe out my benefits completely, but seeing the actual numbers proves that EDD's system is designed to encourage some additional earning rather than punish it. The peace of mind from being fully compliant seems worth way more than trying to navigate gray areas. Based on everyone's consistent advice here, I'm planning to start plasma donation next week and will report it as "other income" during certification. I'll also keep detailed records of everything just like you all recommended. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share real experiences instead of just speculation - this thread has been a lifesaver for understanding how to handle supplemental income safely while on UI!

I feel for you - being a parent trying to navigate this system is incredibly stressful. One resource that might help specifically with your kids is checking if your county has an Emergency Family Assistance program. Many Bay Area counties offer emergency help with utilities, groceries, and even temporary childcare assistance for job-seeking parents. Also, if your children are school-aged, make sure you're signed up for free school meals if you weren't already - that can save $200+ per month on food costs. The combination of all these smaller assistance programs can add up to meaningful relief while you're job hunting. Hang in there, and don't hesitate to ask family/friends for help during this rough patch - most people understand how brutal the current job market is, especially in tech.

I'm going through something similar right now - lost my marketing job in January and the EDD benefits are just devastating when you have real expenses. What's helped me a bit is signing up for gig work like Instacart or DoorDash during off-peak job hunting hours. It's not glamorous but every extra $100-200/week helps, and you can still collect partial unemployment as long as you report it. Also, if you're in tech product management, have you checked out the Bay Area job boards like AngelList or Built In SF? Sometimes smaller startups move faster than big companies and there's less competition. The whole situation is just brutal right now - you're definitely not alone in feeling overwhelmed by how inadequate these benefits are for actual living costs.

Welcome to the community @Zainab Omar! You're absolutely right to be proactive about this stuff. One thing I learned the hard way is to also enable text notifications if EDD offers them - sometimes those get through when emails don't. Also, if you haven't already, I'd recommend creating a dedicated folder in your email just for EDD correspondence so nothing gets lost. The RESEA appointments usually start getting scheduled after you've been on benefits for a few weeks, so you should get some advance notice. But definitely keep an eye out for any notifications from them. This thread has been super helpful for all of us learning how to navigate the system!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I missed my RESEA appointment last week because I was dealing with a family emergency and completely spaced on checking my notifications. My benefits got suspended and I've been panicking about how to fix it. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me hope that I can get this resolved. I'm definitely going to try calling EDD first thing tomorrow morning to see if they can reschedule like they did for @Andre Laurent, and if that doesn't work I'll file the appeal. It's so frustrating that these notifications can end up in spam or get missed so easily, but at least now I know there are options. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and advice!

This thread has become such an incredible resource for anyone dealing with travel during their UI claim! As someone who's been collecting benefits for about 6 months now (got laid off from my accounting firm last year), I can add that this honest approach has worked perfectly for me multiple times. I've had to mark "No" for availability three different times - once for a pre-planned family reunion, once when I had to travel for a funeral, and once for my own wedding that was scheduled before my layoff. Each time I got the DE 4365 form, filled it out honestly explaining the situation, and never had any issues. My claim stayed active throughout, and payments resumed normally when I returned. One thing I'd add to Pedro's excellent advice about documenting job search activities: I also made sure to apply to several jobs right before leaving and immediately upon returning, which I noted in my work search log. This helped show EDD that my job search efforts were consistent except for the specific days I was unavailable. The key insight from all these experiences is that EDD's system is actually designed to accommodate temporary life events - they just want to make sure you're not permanently withdrawing from the job market. Being honest protects you from fraud allegations while keeping your claim active for when you return. Thanks Diego for sharing your complete experience and everyone else for adding their perspectives. This thread proves that doing the right thing, even when it costs you short-term benefits, always pays off in the long run!

This entire thread has been absolutely phenomenal - thank you all for creating such a comprehensive guide to handling vacation/travel during UI claims! As someone who just filed their first claim after being laid off from my restaurant job, I was completely lost about how to navigate situations like this properly. What makes this thread so valuable is seeing the complete cycle from Diego's initial question all the way through his successful resolution, plus hearing from people like Luca who've handled this situation multiple times. The consistent message about prioritizing honesty over short-term financial gain really resonates - it shows this community truly cares about helping people do things the right way. The practical tips shared here are gold: Pedro's advice about documenting job search before and after travel, Luca's strategy of applying to jobs right before departure and upon return, and everyone's reassurance that the DE 4365 form is just routine paperwork rather than a penalty. These are the kinds of real-world insights you can't get from official websites. I have a family trip planned for later this summer and was honestly considering canceling it because I was so worried about jeopardizing my claim. But after reading through everyone's experiences, I feel completely confident about handling it properly - mark "No" for availability during travel, accept missing that week's payment, fill out any forms honestly, and maintain strong job search documentation before and after. This thread should honestly be pinned as the definitive guide for this situation. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge!