Hey, just checking back - were you able to get through to a Tier 2 specialist? Sometimes it helps to mention specific keywords when you first get through to the general line. Try saying you need help with an "eligibility determination issue" rather than just saying your payments are pending. This often gets you to the right department faster.

UPDATE: For those having this phantom interview issue, EDD just posted about a system update they did in April that's causing these problems for people with mixed income (partial work + UI benefits). They're supposedly fixing it this week. Check your UI Online account daily because they may not call when it's fixed - the pending payments might just suddenly process. If your payments don't clear by next week, definitely call and ask for a Tier 2 rep as I mentioned before and reference the "April system update issue" - they'll know what you're talking about.

hi i just went thru this!! make sure u log into the hearing 10 mins early! my call dropped twice during my hearing and i almost missed it completely. also if u have any witnesses they have to be there from the start or judge might not let them talk later. my friend was gonna testify for me but couldnt get on at beginning so they wouldnt let her speak!! i still won tho bc my boss was lying about everything and judge saw thru it.

Just wanted to follow up - how did your hearing go? Did you win your appeal?

Whatever you do, DO NOT wait any longer to file!!! Each week you delay is potentially lost money. You're already about 2+ weeks behind. EDD allows backdating but there's a limit, and the longer you wait, the more explaining you'll need to do. The whole system is designed to make things difficult (IMO). Just start the claim online TODAY and worry about the backdating part later.

Update: I filed my claim online today. There was a section where I could explain the late filing, so I mentioned that I misunderstood the process and thought my employer would initiate something or that I'd receive paperwork first. The system accepted my claim with the March 24th date, but said my backdating request would be reviewed. I guess I'll wait and see what happens. Thank you everyone for your help!

Just to follow up - when you reopen your claim, be prepared to answer questions about why your seasonal job ended. Make sure you have documentation showing it was a layoff (like a termination letter or final paycheck stub with notes). EDD will verify with your seasonal employer that you were laid off and didn't quit or get fired for misconduct. This is separate from your appeal but equally important for qualifying for benefits going forward.

After reading all these comments, I think you'll be fine reopening your claim. The consensus seems to be that it won't affect your appeal. But EDD is so unpredictable these days, let us know how it goes! Good luck!

my letter came the day AFTER the certify deadline lol. still got paid tho

UPDATE: My letter finally arrived today! It took exactly 12 days from when I got the notification that I could certify. For anyone else with this problem, I was able to create my full account and certify for both weeks. The system allowed me to certify even though it was technically past the 14-day window they mentioned. Thanks everyone for your help!