UPDATE: I finally got through today! For anyone finding this thread later, here's what worked: Called at 8:17am (after the initial 8am rush), used prompt sequence 1-2-4 as suggested, waited on hold for about 50 minutes, then got connected to a rep. Turns out there was a mismatch between my ID.me verification and my claim info (my address on one was slightly different than the other). The rep fixed it immediately and said my payments should be processed within 48 hours. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help and suggestions! I would have never figured this out from the automated system or website alone.

So glad you got through and resolved the issue! The address mismatch between ID.me and your claim is actually super common - I work in customer service and see this all the time with government verification systems. They're very picky about exact formatting (like "Street" vs "St" or apartment numbers). Your update is going to help so many people who are dealing with the same "pending verification" status with no clear explanation. Congrats on persistence paying off!

To all those having trouble reaching a human at the EDD. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

I've had this exact issue before! Usually when you get the "technical issue" message at a BOA ATM, it's either the machine is temporarily out of cash or there's a connection problem with the card network. Since there's only one BOA in your town, I'd suggest trying a different bank's ATM that accepts your card (most unemployment debit cards work at multiple ATM networks). You can also try going inside the bank branch when they're open - the tellers can usually do a manual withdrawal even when the ATM is having issues. If it keeps happening, definitely call the customer service number on the back of your card to make sure there aren't any holds or restrictions on your account.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago and can confirm everything everyone is saying here! The key thing that helped me was treating each week completely separately when certifying. Week 1: fully unemployed (YES to job search, NO to earnings). Week 2: working (YES to job search because working satisfies the requirement, YES to earnings with exact amount for days worked). For your salary question - absolutely report 3/5 of your weekly salary since you only worked 3 days that week. EDD's system calculated everything perfectly - I got full benefits for Week 1 and zero for Week 2 since my earnings exceeded my weekly benefit amount. The certification notices stopped automatically after a couple cycles of reporting full-time earnings. One tip: keep documentation of your start date and earnings just in case, but honestly the whole process was seamless when I reported everything accurately. Don't stress about it - you're doing everything right by being thorough and asking questions first!

I'm a newcomer to this community but had to chime in because I just went through this exact situation two months ago! The advice everyone is giving is absolutely correct. I was so stressed about certifying properly when I started a job in the middle of my bi-weekly period, but it turned out to be much more straightforward than I expected. Here's what worked for me: Week 1 (unemployed): YES to work search, NO to earnings. Week 2 (started job Wednesday): YES to work search (because working counts!), YES to earnings with exactly 3 days worth of my salary. EDD paid me full benefits for Week 1 and zero for Week 2 since my new salary exceeded my weekly benefit amount. The whole thing processed smoothly with no issues or follow-up questions. The key really is just being completely honest about each week individually and not overthinking the question wording. Victoria, you're handling this perfectly by asking first - that shows you want to do it right! The system is definitely designed to handle these mid-period transitions. Congrats on the new job and don't stress about the certification!

Reading through this entire thread has been both heartbreaking and inspiring. Heartbreaking because it's clear how common this practice is - employers lying about layoffs to avoid paying unemployment taxes - and inspiring because of how thoroughly you've prepared to fight back. I went through something similar about 5 years ago when my company "eliminated my position" but told EDD I was fired for attendance issues (completely false - I had perfect attendance). The stress of fighting it while already dealing with job loss and financial pressure was overwhelming. What really struck me about your case is how systematic and thorough you've been in gathering evidence. That job posting you found is absolutely devastating to their argument - I've never seen such clear-cut proof that a company was lying about the reason for separation. Combined with your severance payment, positive performance review, and witness testimony, this feels like one of the strongest cases I've seen on this forum. One thing that helped me during my hearing was remembering that the administrative law judge has seen this exact scenario hundreds of times. They know the difference between legitimate terminations and cost-cutting measures disguised as misconduct claims. Trust in the process and let your evidence speak for itself. You've turned what could have been a devastating denial into a masterclass on how to appeal wrongful unemployment decisions. Win or lose (though I'm confident you'll win), you should be proud of how you've advocated for yourself. Best of luck on Thursday - we're all rooting for you!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stressful situation - it's absolutely infuriating when companies try to pull these kinds of dishonest tactics after years of loyal service. But I have to say, reading through all your updates, you've built an incredibly strong case that should definitely result in a successful appeal. As someone who's been following unemployment law cases for a while, I can tell you that the combination of evidence you've gathered is textbook proof of wrongful denial: • The job posting for identical duties at lower pay is probably the strongest single piece of evidence I've ever seen in one of these cases • Your recent positive performance review directly contradicts any misconduct claims • The severance payment proves this was a layoff, not a termination for cause • Having a witness who heard conversations about cost-saving makes their story even harder to defend The fact that you've been so methodical about documentation shows exactly how workers need to fight back against employers who try to game the system. Companies get away with this because most people don't know how to properly appeal or don't have the energy to fight while dealing with job loss. Your hearing is coming up soon and I'm confident you're going to win decisively. After 30+ years of paying into unemployment insurance, you absolutely deserve these benefits. The administrative judge is going to see right through your employer's attempt to avoid their tax obligations. Keep us posted on how Thursday goes - this thread is going to be such a valuable resource for others facing similar situations!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Got married 4 months ago and just lost my job at a tech startup last week. Filed for unemployment yesterday and of course EDD is still showing my maiden name even though I updated everything with ID.me using my new driver's license. This thread has been such a lifesaver - I was honestly panicking that my claim would get rejected or stuck in limbo because of the name mismatch. The consistent advice about keeping your SSN the same on all documents is really reassuring, and I love the tip about having medical forms include both names if needed. I've been trying to call EDD for two days straight with no luck - just busy signals and disconnections. Definitely going to try that Claimyr service everyone's recommending. It's so frustrating dealing with these bureaucratic issues when you're already stressed about being unemployed, but knowing so many others have successfully navigated this same situation gives me hope. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and practical advice!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Got married 5 months ago and just filed for unemployment after being laid off from my accounting firm. My EDD account is still showing my maiden name despite updating everything through ID.me with my new married name on my driver's license. This thread has been such a relief to find - I was really panicking that my benefits would get delayed or rejected because of the name discrepancy. The consistent advice about keeping your SSN the same across all documents is incredibly reassuring, and I love the practical tips about having medical forms include both names if needed. I've been trying to reach EDD for three days straight with nothing but busy signals and disconnections - so frustrating when you're already stressed about job loss! Definitely going to try that Claimyr service since everyone seems to have had success getting through. It's honestly comforting to know so many others have navigated this same bureaucratic maze successfully. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and detailed advice - this community is invaluable when you're trying to figure out EDD's confusing systems!