California Unemployment

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Ask the community...

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  • DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
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Just a final thought - be sure to continue certifying this Sunday even if you haven't received the previous payments yet. Missing a certification can create even more delays. The money for the previous weeks will eventually come through (though I understand how frustrating the wait is), but you don't want to create any gaps in your claim.

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Definitely! I'll keep certifying on schedule no matter what. That's one thing I've learned from previous years - never miss a certification date even if there are other issues going on. Thanks for the reminder though, it's important!

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UPDATE: Finally got through to a Tier 2 specialist this morning! There IS a system-wide delay affecting Money Network card transfers for claims filed around the time mine was. The specialist confirmed my payments are approved and the money should be deposited in the next 48 hours. She added a note to expedite the transfer. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! If anyone else is experiencing this, definitely ask to speak with a Tier 2 specialist who can see the payment processing system.

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Great news! Thanks for updating us. This is really helpful information for others experiencing the same issue. Glad you got a knowledgeable specialist who could actually see what was happening rather than just telling you to wait!

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of course they only admit theres a 'system-wide delay' after we all waste days trying to figure it out ourselves!!! why cant they just post this info on their website?? so typical of edd making us do all the work!

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wait i'm confused... if u were in school full time how were u eligible for unemployment anyway? don't u have to be available for full time work?

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You're correct that generally, full-time students aren't eligible for unemployment because they're not considered available for full-time work. However, there are exceptions: 1. Students in approved training programs (like CTB - California Training Benefits) 2. Students who are willing and able to leave school for full-time work 3. Students taking primarily evening/weekend classes that don't interfere with standard work hours The original poster mentioned they were denied while in school, which is consistent with standard eligibility rules. Now that they've graduated and are looking for work, they would potentially be eligible (assuming the overpayment issue is resolved).

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oh that makes sense! thx for explaining

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btw make sure u check that they didn't take TOO MUCH money from ur refund. sometimes they mess up the calculations and take more than u actually owe. happened to my friend and he had to fight for months to get his $600 back

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That's a good point! I should double-check the exact amount I owed. The last letter I got said around $9,000 but I'm not sure if there were interest or penalties added. I'll definitely look into that.

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Just explain exactly what happened - that you're a substitute teacher trying to collect legitimate benefits during summer break, have been waiting X weeks, and can't get anyone on the phone who can actually help. They'll have you fill out a form authorizing them to inquire about your case. Their office deals with EDD problems constantly, so they know exactly what to do.

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Perfect, thank you! Between trying Claimyr, the specific call sequence, and reaching out to my Assembly member, I finally feel like I have a plan of attack. Will update here if anything works!

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I know this is frustrating, but there's actually a reason behind the school employee flags. EDD is required by federal law to verify that school employees don't receive benefits if they have "reasonable assurance" of returning to work after a break. The system automatically flags ALL school employees for this verification - it's not personal or targeted at you specifically. Once you have your interview, clarify your substitute status with no guarantee of hours. Having documentation ready will speed things up. After the initial interview, you might still see pending payments but they should resolve all at once when your eligibility is established.

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Thanks for explaining WHY this happens. No one at the district warned me about this when I filed. The frustrating part is spending hours trying to reach someone just to get disconnected. But at least now I understand the process better.

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Just a follow-up about the Money Network timing: if you certified early Sunday morning, your payment likely was processed in Monday's batch. Money Network typically receives the funds Tuesday, then takes 1-2 business days to make them available on your card. So Thursday is actually right on schedule. One tip: try setting up alerts in the Money Network app. This way, you'll get a notification as soon as funds are deposited.

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Just got the deposit notification a few minutes ago! Looks like you were exactly right about the timing. I'll definitely set up those alerts for next time. Thanks again for the help!

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this one time i certified and it said paid but money didnt come for TWO WEEKS!! found out there was a flag on my account for "excessive earnings" even tho i only reported like $120 from my side gig lol. EDD is weird sometimes but if urs already says paid ur probably fine

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THIS!!! They always find some excuse to hold our money! Meanwhile bills don't wait!

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my cousin got fired after 2 months and still got benefits they just asked more questions and had a phone interview

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Just make sure you SAVE EVERYTHING - any messages where she said you were doing a good job, the termination paper, EVERYTHING! EDD interviews are all about EVIDENCE. If you have proof she was initially happy with your work, that strengthens your case that there was no misconduct. The burden of proof is on HER to show why you shouldn't get benefits. The system isn't perfect but at least has SOME protections for workers!

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Good advice. I don't have text messages, but I do have some emails from the first two weeks where she compliments my work. I'll gather those up now before responding to EDD.

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