I'm in this exact situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! Just graduated last month and my campus job at the financial aid office ended because it was restricted to currently enrolled students. I was completely lost about whether I'd even qualify for EDD benefits, but reading through all these detailed experiences has given me so much clarity and confidence. My situation: worked there for 18 months, consistently 20 hours/week during school and full-time during winter/summer breaks. About 80% university-funded, 20% work-study. I have CA SDI deductions on every pay stub and my HR separation letter says "position discontinued due to completion of degree program." The success stories from @Emma Wilson, @Noah Lee, @Alejandro Castro and others are incredibly encouraging - it's clear that many students in our situation do qualify for benefits on the university-funded portions of their employment. The advice about framing it as "position ended" rather than "I quit because I graduated" seems absolutely critical based on everyone's experiences. I was initially hesitant because I thought student jobs automatically disqualified you, but the consistent message here is clear: apply anyway! The worst they can say is no, and there's real evidence from this community that approvals (and successful appeals) happen regularly for situations like ours. Planning to apply online tomorrow morning and will definitely keep detailed records of my job search activities. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread should be required reading for any graduating student with campus employment! I'll update with my results to hopefully help the next person in this situation.

I'm in almost the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just graduated two weeks ago and my campus job at the student research center ended because it was only for enrolled students. I've been so worried about covering expenses during my job search, but reading all these success stories has given me hope. My situation: worked there for 2.5 years, about 22 hours/week during school and full-time during breaks. It was 100% university-funded (no work-study component) and I have CA SDI deductions on all my pay stubs. My termination letter says "employment concluded upon completion of academic requirements" - which seems like the perfect language based on everyone's advice here. The consistent theme from all the successful cases - @Emma Wilson, @Noah Lee, @Alejandro Castro, and others - is really encouraging. It's clear that framing this as "position ended" rather than "I had to leave because I graduated" is crucial, and the fact that multiple people got benefits for their university-funded portions gives me confidence this isn't impossible. I'm planning to apply online tomorrow after reading all this advice. Even if I get initially denied, knowing that appeals can be successful makes it worth trying. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support makes navigating EDD so much less intimidating! I'll definitely update with my results to help other students in similar situations.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! My ID.me account got suspended about a week ago while trying to file for unemployment after my company had layoffs. I was feeling completely lost until I found all this advice. I wanted to share one additional resource that helped me: if you're struggling to get through to ID.me or EDD by phone, try reaching out to your state assemblyperson's office. Many of them have constituent services staff who can help escalate issues with state agencies. I contacted mine yesterday and they said they'd submit an inquiry to EDD on my behalf within 48 hours. Also, for anyone dealing with the stress of this situation - don't forget to take care of your mental health too. The financial anxiety combined with the bureaucratic runaround can be overwhelming. Most counties have free counseling services through their health departments if you need someone to talk to while navigating all this. Giovanni, really hoping your Account Recovery Team review comes back positive soon! Your experience posting about this has created such a helpful resource for all of us going through the same nightmare.

I'm so glad this thread exists! I'm currently going through the exact same ID.me suspension nightmare - my account got locked right when I was trying to complete my EDD application after getting laid off from my tech job two weeks ago. The timing couldn't be worse since I have student loans due next week. Reading through everyone's advice here has been incredibly helpful. I'm planning to try the early morning ID.me call strategy tomorrow at 8 AM sharp and ask specifically for the Account Recovery Team like Liam suggested. I also just submitted a request for the EDD exception form (DE 1326E) after calling their technical support line. One thing I wanted to add - I discovered that some local libraries have "benefits navigation" programs where staff can help you with unemployment applications and other government services. My local branch actually has someone who specializes in EDD issues and they were able to help me organize all my documentation while I wait for these appeals to process. Might be worth checking if your library has similar services! Thank you Giovanni for starting this conversation and to everyone who shared their experiences. It's amazing how much less overwhelming this feels when you have a clear action plan and know you're not alone in dealing with these broken systems!

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! EDD intercepted my tax refund in February for a $1,850 overpayment, but my UI Online account still shows the full balance owed. It's been over 6 weeks now and I'm starting to get nervous. Reading all these comments makes me feel so much better knowing this is totally normal and can take 2+ months to update. I'm definitely going to call that Treasury Offset Program number (800-304-3107) tomorrow to at least confirm my payment made it through the system. It's so frustrating that in 2025 these government agencies still can't sync their databases faster, but I guess that's just how it is. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is exactly what I needed to see!

Just went through this exact situation last year! EDD took my entire $3,200 tax refund for an overpayment in March 2024, but my UI Online account didn't update until late May - almost 10 weeks later! I was panicking the whole time thinking they'd try to collect again or garnish my wages while the systems were out of sync. What really helped was keeping detailed records. I printed and saved everything - the IRS offset notice, screenshots of my UI Online account showing the balance, even took photos with my phone as backup. When the account finally did update, it showed a $0 balance and listed the tax intercept as the payment method. The waiting is absolutely brutal, but based on everyone's experiences here it sounds like 6-10 weeks is the norm. Your tax intercept just happened so you're still well within the typical timeframe. Just keep that IRS paperwork safe and try not to stress too much about the delay - it WILL eventually update!

I just had my EDD phone interview this morning and wanted to share my experience to help ease your worries! I was also laid off due to company restructuring after working at my job for 4 years, so I completely understand your anxiety. The interview was much more routine than I expected. Here's what happened: **The Process:** - They called exactly on time (showed as "Unknown Caller") - Started with basic verification of my personal info - Asked me to explain why I left my job in my own words - Verified my last day worked and final wages - Asked about my job search efforts and availability for work - Confirmed I hadn't turned down any job offers **What Really Helped:** - Having my termination letter nearby (though I didn't need to read from it) - Writing down key dates and facts beforehand - Taking the call in a quiet room with good phone reception - Remembering that this is just verification, not an interrogation The interviewer was actually very understanding and said "Layoffs due to restructuring are common and usually straightforward - we just need to confirm the details match what your employer reported." That immediately calmed my nerves! The whole call took about 22 minutes. Since you were laid off due to organizational restructuring after 6 years with the same company, you're in an excellent position. That's exactly what unemployment benefits are designed for - people who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. I was approved that same afternoon! Just be honest about what happened and you'll do great. The anticipation is definitely worse than the actual interview.

I just had my EDD phone interview two days ago and wanted to share my experience since I was in almost the exact same situation as you! I was also laid off due to organizational restructuring after 7 years with my company and was absolutely terrified about the interview. Here's what actually happened vs what I was imagining: **What I thought:** They'd grill me with trick questions and try to find reasons to deny my claim **Reality:** Professional, straightforward verification call that lasted about 20 minutes The interviewer started by saying "I see this was a layoff due to company restructuring - these are typically routine cases, so don't worry." That immediately helped me relax! **Questions they asked:** - Basic info verification - Last day worked and final pay received - My explanation of the restructuring situation - Current job search efforts and availability - If I had any work restrictions or had refused job offers **What helped me most:** - Having my termination paperwork nearby for reference - Writing down key dates/facts beforehand - Taking deep breaths and speaking clearly - Remembering that they process these cases every day Since you were laid off after 6 years due to restructuring, you're exactly the type of case unemployment benefits were created for. The interviewer even told me "Long-term employees affected by organizational changes are straightforward approvals when everything checks out." I was approved the next day! Just be honest about what happened - you lived through the restructuring, so you know the story better than anyone. The anxiety beforehand is definitely worse than the actual call. You've absolutely got this!

I'm currently dealing with a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! I was just terminated last Friday after being on a PIP for 5 weeks at my digital marketing agency. They wanted me to increase lead conversion rates by 40% while our advertising budget got slashed in half and we lost our best content writer. I kept explaining that the math just didn't work, but they insisted the targets were "achievable with better performance." Reading everyone's experiences here has completely changed my perspective on applying for unemployment. I honestly thought being fired for performance reasons was an automatic disqualification, but understanding the distinction between misconduct and genuine performance struggles is huge. I've been saving all my emails where I outlined why the conversion targets weren't realistic given our budget constraints and staffing changes. Based on all the advice shared here, I'm definitely applying for benefits today. It's so encouraging to hear from people who went through nearly identical situations and got approved. The documentation everyone mentioned keeping - emails about resource constraints, communications about unrealistic expectations - I have all of that saved. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and practical advice. This community support during such a stressful time means everything. For anyone else in a similar position, don't let your employer's discouraging comments about "performance issues" stop you from applying - it sounds like EDD really does look at the full picture!

I've been following this discussion and wanted to add some perspective as someone who recently went through this exact process. I was terminated after a 7-week PIP at my previous tech job where they expected me to single-handedly fix legacy code issues that the entire team had been struggling with for months. Like many of you mentioned, I was initially discouraged by HR's comments about "performance termination" but decided to apply anyway after doing some research. I got approved within 2 weeks with no contest from my employer, which honestly surprised me. A few things that I think helped my case: - I had saved screenshots of Slack conversations where I repeatedly asked for additional developer resources - I documented every overtime hour I worked trying to meet the unrealistic deadlines - I kept emails showing I had proposed alternative technical approaches that management rejected The EDD representative was very thorough during my phone interview but seemed to understand that there's a big difference between someone who's genuinely trying versus someone who's just not doing their job. She specifically asked about my efforts to communicate with management and request support, which turned out to be key. For anyone still on the fence about applying - don't let your employer's discouraging comments stop you. The worst that can happen is you get denied, but based on the experiences shared in this thread, it seems like most people with documented good faith efforts get approved eventually. Apply immediately since the waiting period starts from your application date, not your termination date.