That sounds like a good plan. One more tip: if you do end up visiting an office in person, bring EVERYTHING with you - your ID, Social Security card, the employer form, any EDD paperwork you've received, and even screenshots of your online account showing the pending status. Better to have too much documentation than not enough. Good luck!

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! My claim has been pending for 3 weeks because they can't reach my former employer. The frustrating part is that I have all the documentation they need - pay stubs, my final paycheck showing the end date, and even a letter from HR confirming my employment dates. But EDD seems stuck on trying to contact the employer directly instead of just accepting the documents I already have. From reading everyone's responses here, it sounds like the interview you had might actually move things forward even though it felt useless. I'm going to try the Claimyr service that @Nick mentioned - I've been trying to call EDD for days with no luck. Has anyone else here had success getting their employer verification issues resolved without EDD actually reaching the employer? I'm wondering if having solid documentation is enough or if they really need that employer contact.

btw make sure u activate ur money network card!!! my friend didnt realize she had to activate it and thought the payments werent coming thru but they were just sitting on the card lol. also u can set up direct deposit if u want on the edd website its way easier than using the card imo

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble understanding your payment schedule, you can also check the "Certification History" section in your UI Online account. It shows all your past and upcoming certification periods with dates, so you can see exactly when you need to certify next and what weeks each payment covers. Also, pro tip: set up text or email notifications in your UI Online account settings. EDD will send you reminders when it's time to certify, which helps avoid missing deadlines. I learned this the hard way when I forgot to certify one time and had to wait an extra week for my payment! The whole system is definitely confusing at first, but once you get into the rhythm it becomes much more manageable. Good luck with everything!

I went through this exact decision last year when my company downsized. Here's what I learned: if you're even slightly worried about your ability to save consistently, go with withholding. I chose to take the full amount thinking I'd be responsible about setting money aside, but between job hunting stress and unexpected expenses, I ended up spending some of my "tax fund." Had to scramble to pay a $1,800 tax bill in April. The peace of mind from automatic withholding is worth the smaller weekly payments. Plus, unemployment is stressful enough without adding tax anxiety to the mix!

I'm dealing with this same decision right now after being laid off from a startup. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm leaning heavily toward having taxes withheld. The stories about owing thousands at tax time are genuinely scary! One thing I'm curious about though - for those who chose withholding, did you feel like the reduced payments made your unemployment period more stressful financially? I'm trying to figure out if I can manage on about $360/week instead of $400/week (rough math on the 10% federal withholding). My rent alone is $1,800/month so every dollar counts, but I also don't want to get blindsided next April.

When you do get through to EDD, make sure your husband asks about the work sharing program if his hours are just reduced rather than completely eliminated. My brother-in-law is in roofing and they use this during rainy seasons - the company reduces everyone's hours and EDD pays partial benefits to make up some of the difference. It's better than full unemployment in some ways because he doesn't have to do the job search requirements. Just something to consider!

I went through this exact same situation last year! My account got locked after about 8 months of not using it when my seasonal job ended unexpectedly. The key thing is that your husband absolutely has to be the one to call - they won't unlock it for anyone else, even spouses. When I finally got through (took about 2 hours of calling), they asked me tons of verification questions including my previous employers, the exact dates of my last claim, and even details about my last certification. Have him gather all that info before calling. Also, since he's in construction and it's weather-related, that's actually one of the fastest types of claims to process once the account is unlocked. They understand seasonal construction layoffs are legitimate and usually don't require as much documentation. The rep told me weather-related work stoppages are pretty routine for them to handle. One tip that helped me: call right at 8am when they open. The wait times are usually shortest then before everyone else starts calling.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you're checking both your online EDD portal AND your physical mail. Some appeal notices only come through mail, not electronically. I almost missed my hearing because I was only checking my online account. Also, if your hearing is scheduled by phone, they'll call exactly at the appointed time, and if you miss that call, it can be very difficult to get rescheduled. I'd recommend taking the entire day off work for your hearing date once you get it.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Filed my appeal in April and it's December with absolutely nothing. Like you, I was laid off due to company restructuring but my employer is claiming I quit. It's incredibly frustrating to see people waiting 9-12 months - I had no idea it was this bad when I filed. One thing I've learned from reading everyone's responses is to make sure you're doing everything possible while you wait: keep all your documentation organized, get statements from coworkers if possible, and definitely contact your assembly member's office like Sofia suggested. I'm also going to try that Monday morning calling strategy that Lilah mentioned. The financial stress is unbearable - 8 months without income while your former employer lies about why you left is just devastating. But seeing that people are actually winning these appeals when they have good evidence gives me some hope. Hang in there!