Congratulations on getting through your hearing! It really sounds like you were well-prepared and handled it professionally. The fact that your employer couldn't provide documentation when the judge asked for it is definitely a positive sign for your case. I went through a similar appeal last year (also retail management with hour cuts) and won my case. A few things to keep in mind while you wait: 1. The 7-10 day timeframe is pretty accurate in my experience - I got my decision letter exactly 8 days after my hearing. 2. If you win, don't be surprised if there's a delay in actually receiving your backpay. I had to call EDD twice to get them to process it, but once they did, I received 4 months of back benefits within a week. 3. Keep checking your EDD account online - sometimes the status updates there before you receive the physical letter. Your preparation with the paystubs and text messages was exactly the right approach. Judges appreciate concrete evidence and specific financial details. Really hoping you get that favorable decision! Please update us when you hear - success stories help others going through the same process.

I went through a similar phone appeal hearing last year after my employer claimed I quit voluntarily when they essentially forced me out by cutting my hours drastically. Here are some additional tips that really helped me: **Before the hearing:** - Test your phone connection beforehand! I used a landline instead of my cell to avoid any dropped calls or poor audio quality - Have a notepad ready to jot down notes during the hearing - you might want to reference something your employer says when it's your turn to respond - Prepare a simple timeline of events with dates - when your hours were cut, when you asked for more hours, when you finally had to leave **During the hearing:** - The judge will likely ask your employer to present their case first, then you'll get to respond. Take notes on any inaccuracies in their version - If your employer makes claims without evidence (like yours did with "attendance issues"), the judge will notice. Don't get defensive - just calmly state the facts - Be specific about your financial situation. I calculated exactly how much my monthly income dropped and explained which bills I couldn't cover anymore **After the hearing:** - Don't stress too much about the wait time. I know it's nerve-wracking, but if you presented your case well with documentation like you did, you should be in good shape Your preparation sounds excellent, and the fact that your employer couldn't back up their claims with documentation is definitely a good sign. Wishing you the best outcome!

Congratulations on getting your first payment! That's such a relief when you're waiting for bills to be paid. The 24-hour timeline you experienced is pretty typical for BofA from what I've seen. Just a heads up - keep track of your certification dates going forward because the timing stays pretty consistent once you're in the system. Also, if you ever have issues with future payments, don't panic right away since sometimes there can be small delays during holidays or if there are system maintenance windows. Glad everything worked out for you!

That's such great news that your payment came through! 24 hours is actually really good timing for a first payment. I remember when I got my first EDD deposit, I was checking my account every few hours because I was so anxious about it. It's such a huge relief when that money finally hits your account, especially when you have bills waiting. Thanks for updating the thread too - it's really helpful for other people who might be in the same situation to see real examples of how long it actually takes!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and can share some practical tips that really helped me succeed at my hearing: **Most important thing:** Create a detailed job search log if you don't already have one. Even if you didn't keep perfect records originally, go back through your email, browser history, and any job site accounts to reconstruct as much as possible. Include dates, company names, position titles, and how you applied. **Phone hearing specifics:** - Find a quiet location with strong cell service or use a landline - Have all your documents printed and organized in chronological order - Keep a glass of water nearby (you'll be talking a lot!) - Dress professionally even though they can't see you - it helps your mindset **What to expect:** - You'll be sworn in under oath - The judge will ask you to explain your position first - EDD rep will present their case against you - You'll get a chance to respond to their arguments - Judge may ask specific questions about individual job applications **Key strategy:** Don't just defend what you didn't do perfectly - emphasize what you DID do. Frame it as "I made genuine efforts to comply with work search requirements and applied to X jobs per week, consistently exceeding the minimum." The judge in my case was actually very fair and listened carefully to all the evidence. I won because I could demonstrate consistent effort, even though my documentation wasn't perfect. Stay calm, be honest, and stick to the facts. You're going to do great!

As someone who just went through this process last month, I wanted to add a few more practical tips that really made a difference for my hearing: **Create a "cheat sheet" with key dates and numbers** - Write down things like your claim start date, the specific weeks in question, total number of job contacts you made, and your case number. Having these basic facts at your fingertips helps you sound confident and prepared. **Practice your opening statement multiple times** - I rehearsed a 30-second explanation of my situation until I could say it smoothly. When you're nervous, it's easy to ramble, so having a concise version memorized really helps. **Don't be afraid to pause before answering** - If the judge or EDD rep asks a complex question, it's totally fine to say "Let me think about that for a moment" rather than rushing into an answer you're not confident about. **Prepare for the "why didn't you..." questions** - They might ask things like "why didn't you apply to more jobs in your field?" Have honest but positive responses ready that show you were being strategic, not lazy. The hearing was way less scary than I built it up to be in my head. The judge was professional and seemed genuinely interested in understanding my situation. I won my appeal because I could show consistent effort and good faith compliance with the requirements. You're already doing great by preparing this thoroughly - that puts you ahead of most people going into these hearings!

Good news - I just checked and the EDD Appeals Office now has an online portal where you can request postponements! Go to https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Appeals.htm and look for the appeals portal link. You'll need the appeal case number and some personal information to access it. This is much faster than calling or faxing in most cases.

That's such a relief that you got the online portal to work! I just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - make sure to save/screenshot that confirmation page with the reference number. When I used the online portal last year, I didn't save the confirmation and then got paranoid that my request didn't go through. Having that reference number gives you something to reference if you need to follow up. Also, even though they said 24-48 hours, in my experience they usually respond within the first 24 hours if it's submitted during business days. Fingers crossed everything works out for your partner's case!

Reading through all these experiences really highlights how inconsistent EDD can be with their timelines! I'm currently on day 3 after my eligibility interview (also a mass layoff situation), and this thread has been incredibly reassuring. Paolo's 7-day success story gives me hope, especially since our situations sound similar. I've been setting calendar reminders to check UI Online twice daily rather than obsessively refreshing - definitely helps with the anxiety. Also taking notes on all the great tips here like checking spam folders and keeping track of interviewer details. It's wild that in 2025 we still have to use third-party services like Claimyr just to reach a government agency, but good to know that option exists if I hit the 10-day mark. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and experiences - this waiting game is so much easier when you know you're not alone in it!

As someone who just went through this exact process last month, I wanted to share my timeline to add to the data points here. I had my eligibility interview on a Tuesday for a company closure (not just downsizing - the whole business shut down), and my determination came through the following Monday - so exactly 6 business days. What I found helpful was setting up text alerts through UI Online for status changes, which I didn't see anyone mention yet. You can enable these in your notification preferences. I got a text at 6:47 AM saying my claim status had changed, which was actually faster than checking the website manually. The whole experience is definitely anxiety-inducing when you're already dealing with job loss stress, but it sounds like straightforward layoff cases like yours tend to move more quickly than complex separations. Hang in there!