To address your specific situation: 1. Yes, you should always continue certifying while an appeal is pending 2. The certification option disappearing usually indicates one of these issues: - A technical glitch in UI Online - An incorrect stop-certification flag on your account related to the disqualification - Your benefit year ended during this period - You've exhausted your available benefits (though this shouldn't stop certification during appeal) I recommend trying these steps in order: 1. Try the telecert phone system at 1-866-333-4606 2. Check if you can certify through the mobile EDD app instead of the website 3. Contact EDD directly to have them manually enable certification The most important thing is documenting all your attempts to certify. If you win your appeal, you'll need to show you were making good-faith efforts to certify during this period.

I went through something similar about 6 months ago. The certification option disappeared from my UI Online account during my appeal process too. What worked for me was using the EDD mobile app - sometimes it shows the certification option even when the website doesn't. If that doesn't work, definitely keep trying to call. I know it's frustrating, but the phone reps can manually add certification weeks to your account retroactively once they resolve the issue. Make sure to document all your attempts to certify (screenshots, call logs, etc.) in case you need to prove you were trying to follow the rules during your appeal. One tip for calling: I had better luck getting through around 8:02 AM right when they open, or sometimes late in the day around 4:30 PM. Good luck with your appeal!

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - when I had my eligibility interview, EDD was mainly concerned with these questions: 1. Did I make a good faith effort to succeed at the job? 2. Did I communicate my difficulties to my supervisor? 3. Did I request additional training or support? 4. Was I given reasonable time to improve? 5. Was I hired under conditions different than what was described? They definitely didn't just take my word for it - they contacted my employer too. The determination really came down to whether I made a genuine effort versus just quitting because I didn't like it. The interviewer was actually quite understanding once I explained my situation.

I'm dealing with a similar dilemma right now! I've been on UI for about 8 weeks after my data entry job ended, and I have an interview next week for a forklift operator position - something I've never done before. Like you, I'm torn between not wanting to pass up opportunities and being terrified of losing my benefits if I can't handle it. From reading everyone's responses, it sounds like the key is really documenting everything and making a genuine effort. I'm planning to be completely upfront in my interview about my lack of experience and ask lots of questions about their training program. If they're willing to hire me knowing I'm a complete beginner, at least that shows I was transparent. One thing I'm also considering is reaching out to some temp agencies that specialize in warehouse/manufacturing work. They sometimes have shorter-term assignments that could let you test the waters in different types of work without the same commitment level. Just a thought! Keep us posted on how your interview goes - I think a lot of us are in similar boats right now.

My cousin works for EDD and says the biggest mistakes people make are: 1) Not filing as soon as they're laid off 2) Not doing the work search requirements properly 3) Making certification mistakes So even though you're working until June, you should file your claim the SAME DAY as your last day of work. Don't wait. And make sure you understand the work search requirements - you need to be looking for work and documenting it each week.

Just wanted to add one more important point that might help you plan better - if you do decide to stay those extra few days until June 13th, it won't hurt your EDD eligibility at all since it's still a layoff situation. But consider that those 4 extra days of pay might actually push some earnings into Q2 2023, which could potentially help your benefit calculation if you end up filing a future claim down the road. The main thing is getting that layoff documentation in writing from HR, regardless of your exact end date. And remember, you can't file your claim until your last day of work, so if you stay until the 13th, that's when you'd file. Good luck with everything! Sounds like you'll qualify without any issues based on what others have explained about the base period requirements.

lmao watch them fix this right after my benefits run out 🙃

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Been locked out for 3 days and it's driving me crazy. I tried calling but kept getting the busy signal. Has anyone had any luck with the online chat feature, or is that broken too? Really hoping they get this sorted out soon because I need to certify this week 😰

UPDATE: I had a follow-up meeting with HR today. They confirmed there are absolutely no exceptions to the shift change - all overnight positions are being eliminated company-wide. They did offer me a $2/hr raise to help with childcare costs, but that's nowhere near enough to cover $1,400+ monthly for daycare. I asked about part-time or flexible scheduling and was told those options aren't available either. I've documented everything from our conversation. I'm going to submit my resignation next week and apply for unemployment immediately. Based on everyone's advice, I'm going to be very detailed about the childcare hardship in my application. Thanks again for all the guidance.

I'm really glad you documented everything with HR and tried all possible accommodations first - that's going to be crucial for your claim. The fact that they offered a $2/hr raise actually works in your favor because it shows they acknowledged the hardship but their "solution" was completely inadequate for the actual cost of childcare in your area. When you file, definitely emphasize that the $1,400+ monthly daycare cost would exceed what the raise could cover, making it financially impossible to continue working the new shift. EDD will likely calculate that a $2/hr raise (roughly $350/month full-time) against $1,400+ childcare costs clearly demonstrates the unreasonable burden. Make sure to keep copies of any written communication about the shift elimination and the inadequate accommodation offer. You've built a really strong case for "good cause" - the circumstances were beyond your control and you exhausted all reasonable options to preserve your employment.