The EDD payment schedule definitely trips up a lot of people at first! Here's what I wish someone had told me when I started: you'll always certify every other Sunday (your specific Sunday is determined when you first file), and payments typically arrive 1-3 business days later depending on your bank and payment method. The easiest way to track this is to look at your UI Online dashboard - it clearly shows your next certification date. I also recommend setting up text or email alerts in your account settings so you get reminded when it's time to certify. One thing that helped me was realizing that the two-week cycle is based on benefit weeks, not calendar weeks. So even if you certified for two weeks at once initially, going forward you'll certify every other Sunday for the previous two weeks of eligibility. The timing becomes totally automatic after a few cycles - you'll wonder why it seemed so confusing at first!

The confusion is totally normal when you're starting out! I went through the exact same thing. Your payment schedule is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it: you'll certify every other Sunday (the specific Sunday depends on which group EDD assigned you to), and then your payment typically processes within 24-48 hours and deposits 1-3 business days after that. So if you certify early Sunday morning, you'll usually see the money by Tuesday or Wednesday. The key thing to remember is that it's based on your certification schedule, not when you actually get paid. So your next certification will be exactly 2 weeks from when you last certified (this past Sunday), regardless of when the payment hit your account. I'd recommend logging into your UI Online account - it shows your next certification date right on the main dashboard, so you'll never have to guess. Also, setting up the email/text alerts is super helpful for reminders. After 3-4 cycles, it becomes completely automatic and you won't even think about it anymore!

Just wanted to jump in here as someone new to this community. I'm currently dealing with my own EDD situation - been waiting 3 months for my claim to be processed after being laid off from my retail job. Reading through all these experiences is both reassuring and terrifying! It's crazy that so many of us are going through the same struggle with the system. I'm definitely going to try some of the strategies mentioned here, especially the Monday 8 AM calling tip and reaching out to my assemblyperson's office. Has anyone had success with the EDD customer service chat feature, or is calling still the best option? Also curious if anyone knows whether weekends are completely pointless to try calling or if there's any skeleton crew working then. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess! 🙏

Hey everyone! New member here and honestly feeling a bit overwhelmed reading through all these experiences. I just got laid off last week from my job at a marketing agency and I'm dreading having to deal with the EDD system based on what I'm seeing here. Already tried calling a few times and just get the busy signal or hang up message. This thread is both helpful and terrifying at the same time! 😅 I'm definitely taking notes on all the strategies being shared - the Monday 8 AM tip, keeping detailed logs, and reaching out to assemblyperson offices. It's insane that we have to become experts in gaming the system just to get the benefits we're entitled to. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and tips. Hopefully I can avoid some of the worst pitfalls with the knowledge from this community. Fingers crossed my claim goes smoother than what some of you have experienced! 🤞

Update: I waited 48 hours, cleared my cache, used Firefox instead of Safari, turned off autofill, and made sure to enter my name exactly as it appears on my SS card (with just middle initial). IT WORKED! I'm finally registered. Thanks everyone for your help! Now I just need to figure out the whole certification process...

Glad to see you got it working @Katherine Hunter! This is such a common issue that trips up so many first-time filers. For anyone else reading this thread who might be stuck on the same problem, here's a quick checklist based on what worked: 1. Wait at least 48 hours after filing your initial claim 2. Use Firefox or Microsoft Edge (avoid Chrome/Safari for EDD) 3. Clear browser cache and cookies completely 4. Turn off autofill and type everything manually 5. Enter name exactly as shown on Social Security card (middle initial only, not full middle name) 6. Try during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) The system architecture at EDD is pretty outdated and has all these weird timing delays between their phone system and online portal. It's frustrating but once you know the workarounds it's manageable. Save yourself the headache and don't try to rush the registration - patience really does pay off here!

Hey Sergio! Welcome to the community! I'm currently in my second year of nursing school and went through the CTB process about a year ago after being laid off from my medical assistant job. Reading through all these responses brought back so many memories of how confusing this whole process seemed at first! Everyone here has given you fantastic advice, and I just wanted to add a couple of quick tips from my experience: When you're preparing your documentation, make copies of EVERYTHING before you submit anything to EDD. I had to resubmit my DE 3100 form twice because they claimed they never received it the first time, and having copies saved me a lot of hassle. Also, once you start receiving benefits, keep a simple calendar where you mark your certification dates. I used to set a phone reminder for every other Sunday so I never missed a certification deadline. Missing even one can cause delays that are really stressful when you're already tight on money. Your CNA experience definitely puts you in a strong position for approval - EDD recognizes healthcare as essential workforce training. The fact that you were laid off due to facility downsizing (not a voluntary quit) makes your case even stronger. One last thing - don't be surprised if the first EDD rep you talk to isn't familiar with CTB. I got transferred around a bit before finding someone who really understood the program, but once I did, everything went smoothly. You're being so smart to tackle this early in your program rather than waiting until you're stressed about money mid-semester. The peace of mind it provides really does make a huge difference in being able to focus on your studies. Good luck with everything!

Hey Sergio! Welcome to the community! I'm a nursing student who just completed the CTB application process a couple months ago, and I can definitely relate to how overwhelming it all seems at first. Everyone here has given you absolutely incredible advice - this community really is amazing! I just wanted to add one small thing that helped me stay organized during the whole process: I created a simple spreadsheet to track everything. I had columns for dates, actions taken, reference numbers from EDD calls, and next steps. It sounds nerdy, but it really helped me feel more in control when the process felt chaotic. Also, since you mentioned feeling overwhelmed with nursing school in general, don't forget to take advantage of your school's student support services beyond just financial aid. Most nursing programs have academic counselors, tutoring resources, and sometimes even mental health support specifically for the stress of healthcare programs. You don't have to navigate all of this alone! Your CNA background is going to be such an asset - both for CTB eligibility and for succeeding in nursing school. You already understand the healthcare environment and patient interaction in ways that will give you a real advantage in clinicals. The fact that you're reaching out for help and planning ahead shows you have exactly the kind of problem-solving mindset that makes great nurses. You're going to do fantastic in both getting your CTB benefits sorted out and in your nursing program! Feel free to come back with updates - we'd love to hear how it goes for you! 😊

I'm currently going through this process myself and can share what I've learned so far. After my first certification, it took about 5 business days to receive the payment, which had me pretty worried initially. But I've noticed that subsequent payments have been much faster - usually 2-3 days max. The key thing I've learned is to not panic if the first payment takes longer, as it seems like there's additional processing time for new claims. Once you're in the system's rhythm, you definitely shouldn't need to contact EDD after every certification. Just make sure to certify consistently every two weeks and keep checking your online portal to ensure your payments show as "paid" rather than stuck in "pending" status. If you see "pending" for more than a week, that's when it's time to call.

I'm in a similar situation - just certified for my second time this past Monday and still waiting for the payment to show up. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really reassuring! It sounds like the first few payments can be unpredictable timing-wise, but once you're established in the system it becomes much more consistent. I'm going to follow the advice about checking for "pending" vs "paid" status rather than just obsessively refreshing my bank account. Has anyone noticed if certifying at different times of day affects processing speed, or is that just coincidental?