So glad you got this resolved! This is exactly why I always recommend people check for any small discrepancies in their personal info when they're having card delays. I went through something similar last year - my driver's license had "Jr." at the end of my name but my EDD application didn't include it, and that held everything up for weeks. The frustrating thing is that these kinds of verification issues should be flagged immediately during the application process, not after you've already been approved and are waiting for payments. Hopefully your experience helps other people know what to look for!

Just went through this exact same nightmare last month! The "preparing to send" status is basically meaningless - it's what their system defaults to when there's ANY kind of hold or verification issue. In my case, it turned out to be because my apartment number was formatted differently on my driver's license vs my EDD application (I had "Apt 2B" on one and "Apartment 2B" on the other). The Money Network automated system will never tell you the real reason for the delay, you absolutely need to get through to an actual EDD representative who can see the backend verification flags. Once they cleared the address formatting issue, my card was expedited and arrived in 6 days. Don't waste any more time calling Money Network directly - they can't fix verification holds, only EDD can. The Claimyr service mentioned above really does work if you can't get through the regular phone lines.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much better understanding how this works now. Just to summarize what I've learned for anyone else who finds this thread: 1) Work Sharing means reduced hours AND reduced pay, but UI benefits offset SOME of the lost wages 2) The program primarily helps avoid layoffs while reducing the financial impact 3) Weekly certification forms are required and different from regular UI 4) Benefit amounts vary based on your wage history and reduction percentage 5) You can work other jobs but must report those earnings I'll update after our HR meeting next week if I learn anything else important about how the program works!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that Work Sharing programs typically have a maximum duration - usually 26 weeks in California, though this can be extended during economic downturns. Also, your employer has to meet specific requirements to participate, like demonstrating at least a 10% reduction in business activity. If you're concerned about your company's long-term stability, it might be worth asking HR about their timeline for returning to full hours and what metrics they're using to measure when business conditions improve. This can help you plan your finances better during the Work Sharing period.

As a follow-up regarding these benefit year ending scams: EDD has actually published an alert about this specific phishing attempt. You can find it on their fraud prevention page. They recommend taking screenshots of the email for your records before deleting it. Also, be aware that once fraudsters target you, they often attempt multiple approaches - so be on high alert for phone calls claiming to be EDD as well.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Got an address verification email last month even though I haven't filed for unemployment in over 6 months. The email looked super legit with all the official EDD branding, but when I called the fraud hotline they confirmed it was fake. The rep told me these scammers are specifically targeting people around their benefit year end dates because they have access to old claim data. She said they've had hundreds of reports of this exact scam in recent weeks. Definitely don't click anything in that email and report it ASAP - they told me the sooner people report it, the better they can track the scammers and prevent others from falling for it.

UPDATE: My verification finally went through today! That's 15 business days total. My status changed from pending to paid this morning and I just got the notification that funds were transferred to my Money Network card. Thanks everyone for the advice and support - it definitely helped keep me sane during the wait. For anyone else going through this, hang in there!

I'm currently on day 13 of waiting for my ID verification to process and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! Like many others here, I submitted through ID.me and got their confirmation email, but EDD's system just shows "pending" with no updates. The lack of communication from EDD is honestly the worst part - they could save us all so much stress by just posting realistic timelines on their website instead of leaving us to figure it out through forums like this. Based on what everyone's sharing, it sounds like 12-18 business days is the current reality, which is way longer than their official "10 business days" estimate. Thanks Daniel for the detailed timeline and for coming back to update us - it gives me hope that mine will process soon too! 🤞

The waiting is the worst part of the whole process! When I was waiting for mine, I found that tracking my informed delivery from USPS helped ease my anxiety. You can sign up for free and they'll email you pictures of the mail coming to your address each day. That way you know if your card is arriving that day.

Don't stress too much about it! I went through the same anxiety when I was waiting for my first card. Since your payment shows as "paid" from 4 days ago, you're right on track for the typical 7-10 business day timeline everyone mentioned. The system actually works pretty smoothly - the payment gets loaded onto your card account immediately when it shows "paid," but the physical card takes time to be manufactured and mailed. One thing that helped me sleep better was calling my landlord early to give them a heads up that my payment might be a few days late due to waiting for the unemployment card. Most landlords are understanding about unemployment situations, especially if you communicate proactively. You might also ask if they accept any payment apps like Zelle or Venmo once you get your card and can transfer the funds. Hang in there - you're almost at the finish line!