my friend had a interview last month and got approved but her money still says pending after 3 weeks!!!! she calls and calls and cant get thru so now shes stressing abut rent. the whole system is broken i swear

Good luck with your interview on 9/28! I went through this exact same thing a few months ago. Everyone's right that you'll get backdated to your filing date (9/11) once approved. Just want to add - make sure you have all your documents ready for the interview: separation letter, pay stubs, ID, etc. The interview itself is usually pretty straightforward for layoffs. They'll ask about your work history, why you left, and verify you're actively looking for work. Since you were laid off due to company restructuring, you should be fine. The whole process is stressful but you're almost there!

Wait I'm confused about something... when you say you kept applying for jobs while at the marketing place, were you still collecting unemployment during those 3 months you were working? Because if you were working full-time AND collecting UI that would explain the overpayment.

I'm dealing with something similar right now - got an overpayment notice last month with what felt like an impossible deadline. The stress is real, but it sounds like you've done everything right by responding through multiple channels! One thing that really helped me was calling the EDD overpayment unit directly (not the main UI number) at (916) 464-3502. They have slightly different hours and sometimes you can actually get through. When I finally reached someone, they were able to confirm they received my response and walked me through the payment plan options over the phone. Also, since you mentioned commission payments - that's super common for overpayments! The EDD system gets confused when earnings don't align perfectly with the weeks you report them. When you get your payment history, look for any weeks where your reported earnings don't match what your employer reported to them. You might have a strong case for an appeal if it was just a timing/reporting issue rather than actual fraud. Hang in there - this community has been a lifesaver for navigating EDD chaos!

To directly answer your question: No, being able to certify is NOT confirmation that your claim is approved. Here's what typically happens with a regular UI claim: 1. You file your initial claim 2. EDD reviews your eligibility (work history, reason for separation, identity, etc.) 3. You receive an award letter stating whether you're approved and your weekly benefit amount 4. You begin certifying for benefits 5. Payments are issued if your certifications are approved However, EDD sometimes allows certification before final approval, especially during high-volume periods. This can be confusing because it makes people think everything is proceeding normally. I definitely recommend contacting EDD to check your claim status if you haven't received any notification about your claim being approved.

Any update? I'm going through something similar and wondering if you got it resolved.

I'm in the same boat, OP. Filed 3 weeks ago, still showing $0. This whole process is so frustrating. Let us know if you make any progress!

I went through this exact same situation last year! Turns out EDD was using the wrong quarters for my base period calculation. What helped me was gathering all my pay stubs and W-2s from the most recent quarters before I filed, then submitting a request for them to recalculate using the alternate base period. It took about 4-6 weeks, but they eventually corrected it and I got backpay for all the weeks I should have been receiving benefits. Don't let them discourage you - if you earned good money recently, you're likely entitled to benefits. Document everything and keep following up!

Great to hear you got it sorted out! For future reference, you can also contact EDD to temporarily disable 2FA if you lose your phone - they can switch it back to email verification or remove it entirely until you get a new device. Might save you some stress next time something like this happens. Hope you get your new phone soon!

Just want to add that if you ever run into issues with the automated Tele-Cert system (like it hanging up or not recognizing your info), don't panic! Sometimes the system gets overloaded during peak times. I've found that calling late at night or very early morning (like 2-6 AM) tends to work better since fewer people are using it then. Also, speak clearly and pause between entering numbers - the system can be finicky about timing. Glad you got your certification done!