California Unemployment
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Failed credential exam for teaching license - Will EDD deny my claim for misconduct?
I've been working as a provisional teacher for 2 years while trying to complete my credential requirements. Last month I failed the CSET exam for the 3rd time, and my school had to let me go since I can't teach without passing this test. I had my EDD eligibility interview yesterday, and the interviewer said I should hear back this week because she needs to contact my principal for his statement. While researching, I found the section on misconduct under "Quality of Work section 5 Unable to Renew License" which seems similar to my situation. According to what I read, if I genuinely tried to pass the exam but couldn't, it's not considered willful misconduct. Has anyone been through something similar with credential/license issues? Will my claim be approved? I'm so stressed about making rent next month.
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Do I need to fill out my ex-employer's termination report while on EDD benefits?
Quick question about something that's making me nervous. I've been receiving EDD benefits for about 6 weeks now after being laid off from my marketing job. Yesterday, my former employer emailed asking me to complete some kind of "termination report" they need for their HR files. They said it's just standard paperwork they need for all departing employees, but I'm worried - will filling this out affect my unemployment benefits? The form asks about my reasons for leaving and has a section for me to sign acknowledging company policies. I don't want to accidentally say something that contradicts what I told EDD when I filed my claim. Has anyone dealt with this before? Should I complete it or just ignore it?
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wait did you get fired or laid off? those r different for EDD i think
Yes, they are different for EDD purposes. Being laid off (reduction in workforce, position elimination, etc.) generally qualifies you for benefits without issue. Being fired can be more complicated - if it's for misconduct, benefits might be denied, but if it's for performance reasons or not being the right fit, you might still qualify. The original poster mentioned being laid off, which is why consistency in the termination paperwork is important.
Update: I talked to my former supervisor about my concerns. She explained that the form is just standard HR documentation they need to close out my file and doesn't get sent to EDD. I reviewed it carefully and made sure nothing contradicted my layoff status. Everything matched my layoff letter, so I felt comfortable signing it. Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! My benefits are still coming through normally.
Glad it worked out! It's always better to address these things directly rather than ignore them. Good job being proactive!
EDD claim after quitting hostile workplace that illegally docked 30 mins from timecard - can I qualify?
I just quit my job last week after dealing with a super toxic environment for almost 8 months. My manager started retaliating against me after I raised concerns about some questionable practices, including the company automatically deducting 30 minutes from EVERYONE'S timecards daily (regardless if we took breaks or not). The hostility got so bad I was having panic attacks before shifts and couldn't continue working there. I've never filed for unemployment before but I'm wondering two things: 1. Can I qualify for EDD benefits even though I quit? I've heard you normally don't qualify if you leave voluntarily, but this situation felt forced. 2. How do I report the illegal time clock deductions? That's wage theft, right? Should I contact the labor board first or include this in my EDD application? Really need guidance here as my savings won't last long. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
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Trying to reach EDD right now is IMPOSSIBLE. I've been trying for TWO WEEKS to get someone on the phone about my claim that's been pending forever. Keep getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and then they hang up! How is anyone supposed to get help?? I finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real EDD agent in about 45 minutes. You might want to check it out at claimyr.com when you need to talk to someone about your claim. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Especially since your situation is complicated with quitting and the hostile work stuff, you'll probably need to actually speak to someone at some point. Just my two cents from someone stuck in EDD hell right now.
Thanks for the tip! I was wondering how impossible it would be to get through. Has your pending issue been resolved since you got through to someone?
Yes! Finally got it fixed. Turned out there was a simple flag on my account they needed to remove. Would have been stuck for who knows how long if I hadn't gotten through. The whole system is so frustrating.
I've been helping people with EDD claims for years, and I want to emphasize something important: the difference between regular wage claims and EDD qualification comes down to DOCUMENTATION. For your EDD interview, prepare a clear timeline showing: 1. When the hostile behavior began 2. Specific incidents with dates 3. All attempts to resolve the issue internally 4. How it affected your health/wellbeing (get a doctor's note if possible) 5. Why continuing to work was not feasible For the wage theft issue (30 min deductions), calculate EXACTLY how much you're owed and gather: - Pay stubs - Time records if you have them - Employee handbook sections about breaks - Any communications about the policy File the wage claim with DLSE here: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/HowToFileWageClaim.htm Final tip: In your EDD interview, focus on how the environment affected your HEALTH and SAFETY, not just that it was unpleasant or unfair.
This is incredibly helpful, thank you. Should I submit the wage theft documentation with my EDD claim as well, or keep those processes completely separate? I'm worried about making my EDD claim too complicated.
Keep them completely separate. The EDD claim is specifically about why you had good cause to quit (hostile environment, retaliation). The wage theft is a completely different process through DLSE. Mixing them could actually confuse your EDD claim. However, you CAN mention in your EDD interview that one of the forms of retaliation/hostile environment was the illegal wage practice, and that you're pursuing that separately with DLSE. This shows you're being proactive and responsible, which looks good to EDD adjudicators.
EDD benefits exhausted - struggling with Medi-Cal approval while needing prescription meds
My UI benefits just ran out last week after my tech support position was eliminated in January. I'm in a really tough spot now with zero income. Since my layoff, I've submitted FOUR applications for Medi-Cal and CalFresh, but keep getting rejection letters saying I "exceed income limits" even though I clearly stated I'm now making $0. When I was on unemployment, I got $450/week which apparently was too much for a single person to qualify for benefits (seriously??). But now that I have NOTHING coming in, I'm still getting denied and the rejection letters make no sense. My biggest worry is my blood pressure medication - I'm down to my last couple pills. My doctor at Kaiser won't authorize refills since my insurance ended with my job, and I need to see a new doctor for evaluation before getting more meds. I've been taking them every third day instead of daily just to stretch them out, but that can't be good. Do I just show up at an ER and explain I have no insurance but need medical care? Will they help me apply for emergency Medi-Cal? I'm in Oxnard/Ventura County area and have no idea which medical facility to go to or how this works. Has anyone navigated this gap between EDD benefits ending and getting on Medi-Cal successfully? Any advice would be really appreciated.
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One more tip about the prescription situation - if you know the exact medication you need, use GoodRx.com to check prices without insurance. Sometimes it's surprisingly affordable (like $4-15 for generic meds) at certain pharmacies. You could potentially pay out of pocket for a month's supply while waiting for Medi-Cal approval if you can scrape together the money. Just need to find a community clinic doctor who can write the prescription first.
Just wanted to mention that in California, we have a law that pharmacies can provide emergency refills of certain medications (including many blood pressure meds) without a new prescription in urgent situations. It's usually a 3-5 day supply to bridge gaps in care. Explain your situation to the pharmacist where you last filled your prescription - they may be able to help with a small emergency supply while you get to a clinic appointment. Also, when you do get your Medi-Cal approved, remember it can be retroactive for up to 3 months from your application date, so keep all medical receipts during this period as you might get reimbursed.
I had no idea about the emergency refill option! I'll talk to my pharmacist tomorrow. Thank you for this information - the retroactive coverage is good to know too.
EDD UI Account login problems & payment timeline - Direct Deposit reliable?
I got my EDD paperwork in the mail yesterday with my account number, but I can't log into my UI Online account no matter what I try. The system keeps saying my information doesn't match their records?? So frustrated! I went ahead and certified for my weeks on Sunday by phone like the instructions said I could. Now I'm wondering - how long does it usually take for the payment to show up after certifying? Also, I've been reading horror stories about people having issues with direct deposit. I selected direct deposit when I applied but now I'm second-guessing myself. Should I have chosen the Money Network card instead? This is my first time dealing with unemployment and I'm already confused by the whole process. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Update: I tried clearing cookies, using incognito mode, and even a completely different browser but still having the same login issues. I tried calling the technical support line but of course couldn't get through. Starting to panic a bit since it's been 3 days since I certified and I have no way to check the status of my payment! Does anyone know if there's an email address I can contact about the account access problems?
Unfortunately, EDD doesn't offer email support for UI Online account issues. Your best option is to keep trying the technical support line (1-833-978-2511) early in the morning (8:00-8:30am) when they first open. You might also try the Ask EDD feature on the website, but select "Technical Support" as the category, not UI questions.
If ur payment gets stuck on pending for more than 3 days definitely call!! Don't wait like I did thinking it would fix itself. Wasted 3 weeks before I got someone to manually push my payment through. Good luck!
Thanks for the warning! I'll definitely call if I don't see anything soon. This whole system is so frustrating when you're already stressed about being unemployed.
Javier Torres
Question for anyone who knows - is this the same for professional licenses like real estate? My license expired and I didn't complete the continuing ed in time. Different situation I know, but wondering if anyone has experience with that.
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Keisha Robinson
That's actually a different situation. Not completing required continuing education could be considered negligence or a willful failure to maintain your license. The key distinction in OP's case is that they genuinely attempted to pass the exam but couldn't, versus choosing not to complete required education. Your situation might be viewed as misconduct unless there were extenuating circumstances that prevented you from completing the CE requirements.
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Javier Torres
Oh crud. Thanks for clarifying. Sorry for hijacking your thread OP!
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Yara Nassar
UPDATE: Just got the determination letter - I was approved! The letter specifically mentioned that my inability to pass the credential exam despite genuine efforts doesn't constitute misconduct. Thank you everyone for your help and support through this stressful time!
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GalaxyGuardian
congrats!! told ya it would be fine :
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Amina Toure
Lucky! At least someone at EDD knows how to follow their own rules for once!
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