I'm in a very similar situation right now - just had my EDD interview this morning and it went almost exactly like yours! The rep was surprisingly pleasant (I was bracing for the worst based on horror stories I'd read), and she also mentioned that my former employer had already submitted their response. My interview was only about 8 minutes long, which after reading everyone's responses here seems like a really good sign. She asked about my separation (also a layoff due to budget cuts), confirmed my contact info, and asked about my certifications - all very straightforward with no pushback or follow-up questions. I've been certifying for 3 weeks so far with everything stuck in pending status. The financial stress is real - I'm down to my last $200 and rent is due in two weeks! But reading everyone's experiences here is giving me hope that the combination of a brief interview + employer already responding + no challenging questions usually leads to approval within a few days. Thanks for posting this - it's so helpful to hear from others going through the same process. The waiting and uncertainty is definitely the hardest part. Hoping we both get good news soon! I'll try to remember to update this thread if/when my status changes.

Based on everything you've described, this really does sound like a positive outcome is coming your way! I went through this exact process about 8 months ago and had a very similar experience - brief interview (mine was 9 minutes), employer had already responded, and the rep was actually pleasant to deal with. The key indicator for me was that when there are issues or discrepancies, those interviews drag on much longer. Mine was also for a layoff due to company downsizing, and like yours, the interviewer didn't challenge my explanation at all. She just took notes and moved on. My timeline was 4 business days from interview to all pending payments switching to "Paid" status. I had been pending for about 3 weeks like you, so getting that back pay was such a relief! The fact that your employer proactively responded before your interview suggests they probably confirmed the layoff details you provided. Keep doing exactly what you're doing - certify every two weeks and try to stay patient for at least a few more business days. If nothing changes by early next week, definitely try calling EDD or using one of those callback services others mentioned. But honestly, based on your description and comparing it to my experience and others here, I'd be surprised if you don't see good news very soon. Hang in there!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm a newcomer to this community but unfortunately dealing with a similar situation. I was laid off from a remote tech job last month - company is headquartered in Denver but I've been working from my apartment in San Diego for almost 2 years. I filed with CA EDD three weeks ago and just got the dreaded call yesterday saying my claim was denied because my employer never registered or paid UI taxes in California. Reading through everyone's experiences here is giving me so much hope though! It sounds like the DE 1000M appeal form is definitely the way to go. I have my remote work agreement that specifically lists my San Diego address, plus I found old emails where my manager mentioned me being "our California team member" when introducing me to clients. One thing I'm curious about - for those who successfully appealed, did you also contact your former employer to let them know they needed to register with CA EDD? I'm debating whether to reach out to HR about this or just focus on my appeal. Part of me thinks they should know about their compliance issue, but another part of me worries about rocking the boat while my case is pending. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's such a relief to know there's a clear path forward and that others have successfully navigated this mess!

As someone new to this community, I'm amazed at how helpful and supportive everyone is being with this complex issue! I'm not dealing with this exact situation myself, but I work in HR for a tech company and I have to say - reading through all these experiences is really eye-opening about how many employers are apparently not handling their multi-state compliance correctly. For what it's worth, your employer was absolutely supposed to register and pay UI taxes in California from day one of your remote work arrangement. This isn't a gray area at all - it's a clear legal requirement that they failed to meet. The fact that so many people in this thread have dealt with identical situations and won their appeals shows this is unfortunately becoming a common problem as remote work has expanded. I really hope your DE 1000M appeal goes smoothly! Based on everything I'm reading here, you have a very strong case. It's frustrating that workers have to fix their employers' compliance failures just to access benefits they've rightfully earned. Wishing you the best of luck with the process!

Great to hear you got your new claim approved! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - make sure you keep detailed records of all your job search activities. EDD can ask for proof that you're actively looking for work, especially if there are any issues with your claim later. Also, since you mentioned the contract work, be prepared that they might contact your previous employer to verify your employment dates and wages. Sometimes this can cause delays in processing, but it's just part of their standard verification process. Good luck with your job search and hope you find something stable soon!

For anyone else dealing with the entertainment industry side of things - I work in TV production and wanted to clarify a few things. Yes, we do cycle on and off unemployment between shows, but there are some important details people miss: 1. You still need to meet the minimum earnings requirements for each new benefit year, just like everyone else 2. The "same employer" rule can be tricky - if you work for different production companies even on the same network, those count as separate employers 3. You have to genuinely be available for work during your unemployment periods. You can't just collect benefits while you're committed to a specific future project that hasn't started yet The biggest advantage we have is that our industry is structured around temporary employment, so EDD understands that being unemployed between gigs is normal rather than suspicious. But we definitely don't get to "game the system" like some people think. Still have to follow all the same rules about job searching and being available for work!

I've been dealing with the same frustration for weeks now. What helped me was keeping a log of when I called and the results - turns out Tuesday and Wednesday between 2-4pm had the highest success rate for me. Also discovered that if you get the "all representatives are busy" message, hanging up and calling back immediately sometimes works better than waiting for the system to disconnect you. The lunch break blackout from 12-1:30pm is real and absolutely not mentioned anywhere official, which is maddening. Save yourself the headache and avoid calling on Mondays entirely - it's like the whole state decides to call EDD on Monday morning.

I've been tracking my call attempts too and can confirm the patterns everyone's mentioning. After 89 attempts over 10 days, I finally got through yesterday at 3:15pm on a Thursday. What worked for me was using the comma trick (dial the main number, then when the menu starts, press 1,2,1 really quickly to skip the long intro). Also noticed that when you get the busy signal, waiting exactly 2-3 minutes before calling back seems more effective than calling immediately. The system seems to temporarily "remember" your number if you call too rapidly. Tuesday-Thursday 2:30-4pm is definitely the sweet spot, and yes, avoid Mondays like the plague. Still took 45+ attempts even during the "good" times, but at least I knew I wasn't wasting my time during impossible hours.

Update: I called the number and was able to certify! For anyone who needs it in the future, you need your SSN and PIN, and you have to answer all the same questions as online. It took about 10 minutes to go through everything. Thanks everyone for your help!

Great to hear you got through @Layla Mendes! For future reference, I've found the phone system works best early morning (around 6-7 AM) or late evening (after 8 PM) when fewer people are calling. Also, if you ever need to check if your certification went through properly, you can call the same number and use option 2 to verify your last certification date - really helpful for peace of mind when you don't get that online confirmation.