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!

I went through this exact situation about 3 weeks ago and totally understand the stress! My Money Network card took 8 business days to arrive after my payment showed "paid" status. Here's what I wish someone had told me: Money Network usually gets your info from EDD within 24-48 hours, so try calling them again on Monday - they should be able to confirm your card was issued by then and might even give you tracking info. For the bank transfer question - once I got my card activated, transfers to my personal account took exactly 2 business days both times I did it. Way more reliable than paper checks in my experience. One heads up: the envelope looks like total junk mail - plain white with just your address, no branding at all. I almost tossed mine! There's tiny "IMPORTANT" text in the corner though. Based on your timeline (approved yesterday), you should have the card by Wednesday or Thursday next week. And definitely set up direct deposit immediately after activation so you never have to go through this waiting nightmare again for future payments! The whole process is annoyingly slow that first time, but you'll have access to your money well before the weekend. Hang in there!

I'm going through almost the exact same timeline as you! Filed my claim on March 10th and just got my first payment approved yesterday too. This whole thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was starting to panic about when I'd actually be able to access the money. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like we should expect our cards sometime between Tuesday and Thursday next week (7-10 business days seems to be the consistent range). I just signed up for that USPS Informed Delivery service that multiple people recommended - seems like it'll save a lot of anxiety about checking the mailbox constantly. One thing I'm definitely planning to do is call Money Network on Monday since by then we should both be in their system and they can hopefully give us tracking info or at least confirm the cards were issued. It's crazy how stressful this waiting period is when you have bills due, but hearing from so many people who went through the exact same thing and got their cards within that 7-10 day window is really helping my peace of mind. We should both have access to our funds well before next weekend! Also planning to set up that direct deposit feature immediately once I get my card so I never have to go through this nail-biting wait again for future payments.

wat happens if u get a second job? can u still get benefits if ur total hours still less than before?

Dylan, I went through almost the exact same situation about 8 months ago - hours cut from 35 to 14 per week at my retail job. I was so stressed about money but applying for partial UI was honestly one of the best decisions I made! A few things that helped me: - Apply ASAP since there's usually a waiting week before benefits start - Keep detailed records of your reduced hours/paystubs - EDD might ask for them - Don't stress too much about your employer finding out - mine was actually understanding since they knew they had to cut hours due to slow business - The online application is pretty user-friendly, took me maybe 30 minutes The partial benefits really helped bridge the gap while I looked for supplemental income. You've got this! The system exists exactly for situations like yours where your hours get slashed through no fault of your own.