I'm currently going through the CTB process myself and wanted to share some recent updates that might help! I submitted my DE 3100 form about 10 days ago for a project management certification program and just got word that it was approved. A couple things I learned that weren't mentioned yet: 1. **Documentation timing matters** - I made sure to submit the DE 3100 form on the same day I received it. The faster you respond, the faster they can process your request. 2. **Be specific about employability** - In my form, I didn't just say "this will help me get a job." I listed 3-4 specific job titles I was targeting, average salaries in my area, and exactly which skills from the program matched the job requirements I'd been seeing. 3. **Program format is key** - Your evening data analytics program is perfect because it shows you can still accept full-time employment. Make sure to emphasize this in your application. One heads up: even though my program was approved, I still had a brief phone interview where they asked about my commitment to job searching while in training. Just be honest that you'll continue applying and interviewing - that's exactly what they want to hear. Your situation sounds very similar to mine (long job search, skill gap feedback from employers) and data analytics is definitely in the "high-demand" category EDD looks for. I'd say go for it! The worst case is a few weeks of pending payments, but the upside of getting those skills could be huge for your job prospects.

I just wanted to add my perspective as someone who successfully completed a similar program while on UI benefits. I did a 5-month data science bootcamp in 2024 and got CTB approval without any major issues. A few practical tips that really helped me: 1. **Start the DE 3100 paperwork immediately** - Don't wait even a day. The faster you submit it, the faster they can review it. 2. **Document everything** - I kept screenshots of all my job applications during the review period. Even though CTB approval means you don't have to actively search, showing continued effort during the waiting period seemed to help. 3. **Connect with your school's career services early** - My program had job placement assistance, and I mentioned this partnership in my DE 3100 form. EDD seems to like when schools have employer connections. 4. **Prepare for income verification later** - Once I started getting interviews from my new skills, EDD asked me to report any freelance or contract work I picked up. Just be transparent about everything. The data analytics field is absolutely perfect for CTB approval right now. I've seen so many success stories with similar programs. After completing my bootcamp, I landed a role that paid 40% more than my previous job, so the temporary stress of the review process was completely worth it. You're making a smart investment in your future - the market really does value these technical skills right now. Just be patient during the review period and keep all your documentation organized!

I'm new to the EDD system and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently waiting for my claim to be approved but it's reassuring to know that these site outages are somewhat normal (though frustrating). I've bookmarked all the backup options mentioned here - the mobile site, incognito mode, and following their social media for updates. Question for the group: when these outages happen during certification periods, does it typically delay payment processing even after the site comes back up? Or do payments still go out on schedule once you're able to certify? Just trying to understand what to expect since I'll hopefully be certifying for the first time soon.

As someone who's been navigating EDD for over a year now, I can confirm this is unfortunately pretty typical. The site goes down almost every weekend during peak certification hours - it's like they never anticipated that most people would try to certify on Sunday mornings! I've learned to always have a backup plan: mobile site bookmarked, screenshots ready, and I even keep the EDD phone number saved just in case. Pro tip: if you're ever completely locked out on your certification day, don't panic. You can usually still certify the next day without penalties, and worst case scenario, you can call and explain the technical difficulties. They're actually pretty understanding about site outages since it happens so frequently. Glad to see the site is back up for most people now though!

I'm new to SDI and was panicking about the same thing earlier today! Reading through all these responses has been so helpful. It sounds like the consensus is to stick to your normal certification schedule since this is UI maintenance, not SDI. I'm dealing with a temporary disability from a car accident and every payment matters right now too. The stress of not knowing if delays will happen is almost worse than the actual delays sometimes! Going to follow everyone's advice and certify on my regular day. Thanks for asking this question - I'm sure lots of us newcomers were wondering the same thing but didn't know where to ask.

Hey everyone! I'm also new to SDI (started about 3 weeks ago for a work injury) and this thread has been incredibly helpful. I was literally about to call EDD to ask about the maintenance but now I understand it's just UI system maintenance, not SDI. The distinction between the two systems makes total sense now that it's been explained. I really appreciate how supportive this community is - dealing with an injury is stressful enough without having to worry about payment delays on top of it. Going to stick to my normal certification schedule. Thanks for creating such a helpful discussion!

New member here and just experienced this exact same frustrating issue! Got my CalJOBS letter 3 days ago and the pre-generated password they provided is completely broken - tried logging in at least 20 times and keep getting "invalid credentials" no matter what I do. This thread has been an absolute lifesaver! I was really panicking thinking I'd somehow jeopardize my unemployment benefits if I didn't use their specific pre-generated account. Reading everyone's experiences makes it crystal clear that this is a massive technical problem on EDD's end that affects tons of people. Based on all the excellent advice shared here, I'm going to stop wasting time trying to fix their broken system and just create my own CalJOBS account today. I'll make sure to use the exact same personal information and name spelling from my EDD paperwork so their systems can match everything properly. My certification is due in 5 days, so I have enough time to get the account set up and start documenting work search activities. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - this community is amazing for helping navigate these bureaucratic nightmares! It's such a relief to know that thousands of claimants have successfully used self-created accounts without any issues from EDD.

New member here and experiencing this exact same frustrating problem! Just got my CalJOBS letter yesterday and the pre-generated password they sent me is completely useless - I keep getting "invalid credentials" every time I try to log in. I've checked and rechecked that I'm typing everything exactly as shown in the letter, but it just won't work. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief! I was really worried that creating my own account would somehow mess up my EDD claim or cause my benefits to get delayed. It's clear from everyone's experiences that this is a super common technical issue on their end, not something we're doing wrong. I'm going to follow the advice here and create my own CalJOBS account today using the exact same personal information from my EDD paperwork. My certification isn't due for another week, so I have plenty of time to get some work search activities logged. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so helpful to know that thousands of people have dealt with this same issue and that EDD's systems match based on your SSN and personal details, not which specific login you use. This community is amazing for helping navigate these bureaucratic headaches!

This thread has been incredibly enlightening! I've been on EDD benefits for about 2 months after being laid off from my HR coordinator position (ironic, I know!), and I've been seeing these WOTC surveys everywhere but had no idea what they were really for. From my HR background, I should have known better, but honestly we never dealt with the WOTC program at my previous company. Reading everyone's explanations about the tax incentives has been eye-opening - I can't believe I've been skipping these surveys thinking they were just invasive data collection! What really strikes me is how this program is actually designed to combat unemployment discrimination rather than create it. The fact that employers get financial incentives to hire people receiving benefits is brilliant policy design. I'm definitely going to start completing these surveys honestly moving forward. For anyone still worried about discrimination - from an HR perspective, most legitimate companies have strict protocols to keep hiring decisions separate from tax credit eligibility information. The legal liability of using this info to discriminate would be huge, so most employers are very careful about maintaining that separation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge here. Time to update my job search strategy and start viewing these surveys as a potential advantage!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I just started my EDD benefits two weeks ago after being laid off from my nonprofit job, and I've been seeing these WOTC surveys on literally every application I submit. I had no idea what they were for and was getting really frustrated having to fill out the same questions over and over again. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such a relief - I was definitely overthinking this and worrying that admitting I'm on unemployment would hurt my chances. The fact that it could actually help because of the tax incentives is mind-blowing! I've probably been hurting myself by rushing through these surveys or skipping optional questions. I'm going to start being completely honest on these forms moving forward. It's amazing how this community can turn something that felt like a barrier into what might actually be an advantage. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this is exactly the kind of information that makes navigating unemployment so much less stressful! Now I just need to make sure I'm properly documenting all my applications for my EDD work search requirements. This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding both the WOTC process and how to stay compliant with EDD reporting.