I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation! As someone new to this community, I've been reading through all the incredible advice and support you've received here, and I'm really encouraged by how many people have successfully fought similar false statement penalties. Your situation sounds exactly like what several others have described - a vague termination ("we're letting you go") that you reasonably interpreted as a layoff, but your employer may have reported differently to EDD. The fact that there was office chatter about budget issues and restructuring makes your interpretation completely understandable. What really strikes me is how well-prepared you are now thanks to everyone's guidance. You have a clear action plan: get that DE 1101CZ form from EDD Records, document every detail of your termination conversation while it's still fresh, continue certifying religiously, and prepare for appeal with solid evidence. The success stories here prove these employer miscommunication cases are absolutely winnable. A couple additional thoughts that might help: - When documenting your termination, include the overall company context you were aware of (budget talks, restructuring rumors) that influenced your reasonable interpretation - That recent positive performance review you mentioned is excellent evidence this wasn't about misconduct or poor performance - Don't let the financial stress make you give up - remember that successful appeals result in full back pay for all those penalty weeks You've got an amazing support network here and all the tools you need to fight this successfully. The bureaucracy is frustrating, but you're not facing it alone anymore. Keep us posted on what you discover from that employer response - I have a feeling you're going to have strong grounds for appeal!

I'm really sorry you're going through this incredibly stressful situation! As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the amazing advice everyone has shared, and I'm genuinely hopeful for your case based on the success stories here. Your situation with the vague termination ("we're letting you go" with zero explanation) really does sound like a classic employer miscommunication case that many people have successfully appealed. The fact that there was office talk about budget issues and restructuring makes your interpretation completely reasonable - any employee would assume that meant layoffs rather than termination for cause. What's encouraging is how organized your action plan has become thanks to everyone's help: requesting that DE 1101CZ form from EDD Records, documenting every detail of your termination conversation, continuing to certify religiously, and gathering supporting evidence like that positive performance review you mentioned. The multiple success stories in this thread prove these cases are absolutely winnable when there's genuine miscommunication. One thing that really stands out to me is that your employer's vagueness actually works in your favor. If there had been legitimate performance or misconduct issues, any responsible employer would have been specific about that instead of just saying "we're letting you go" and walking away. While you're dealing with the financial stress, definitely take advantage of the emergency assistance resources people mentioned like 211.org. Remember that if you win your appeal, you'll get full back pay for all those penalty weeks - think of it as temporarily delayed rather than lost income. You've got this! The community support here is incredible, and you have all the tools needed to fight this successfully. Keep us posted on what you find out from that employer response - I have a strong feeling you're going to have excellent grounds for appeal.

I'm currently in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! Filed my claim about 2 weeks ago after quitting due to a hostile supervisor who was making my work environment unbearable, and my interview is scheduled for August 1st. Like everyone else here, I was totally confused when I received the certification notice while also having a pending eligibility interview. I actually called the EDD number about 20 times trying to get clarification but never got through - the busy signals were driving me crazy! Based on all the excellent advice in this thread, I've been certifying every two weeks and can confirm my payments are showing "PENDING" status, which I now understand is completely normal for voluntary quit cases. It's such a relief to know this is how the system is supposed to work. I've spent this weekend organizing my documentation using the timeline approach that so many people recommended: - Screenshots of inappropriate messages from my supervisor - Email showing I attempted to resolve issues directly with them first - Formal complaint I submitted to HR when that didn't work - HR's response that was basically useless and didn't address my concerns - Documentation showing the hostile behavior continued and actually got worse - My final resignation letter clearly stating the work environment was unbearable Reading about everyone's success stories here gives me so much hope, especially hearing about people getting approved the day after their interview and receiving all their backpay immediately. I was really worried I made the wrong decision quitting without another job lined up first. Thank you for starting this discussion - it's been a lifesaver for understanding how this whole process actually works! I'll definitely keep certifying leading up to my August 1st interview. Fingers crossed we all get positive outcomes!

I'm going through almost the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim 3 weeks ago after quitting due to workplace discrimination and have my interview scheduled for August 18th. Like you, I was completely confused when I could certify but still had the pending eligibility interview. This entire thread has been so helpful - I had no idea the system worked this way! I've been certifying every two weeks and all my payments show "PENDING" which I now know is totally normal. Based on everyone's advice here, I've organized my documentation chronologically: - Initial attempt to resolve issues directly with my manager - Formal discrimination complaint filed with HR - Follow-up emails showing the discrimination actually got worse after I complained - Request for transfer that was ignored - Final resignation letter citing the discriminatory treatment It's so encouraging to read all these success stories of people getting approved and receiving immediate backpay! I was really doubting whether I did the right thing quitting, but it sounds like EDD does recognize when workplace situations become genuinely intolerable. The waiting is definitely stressful, but knowing that having an interview scheduled is actually a good sign (rather than an automatic denial) makes me feel more optimistic. I'll keep certifying every two weeks no matter what happens with the timing. Thank you for posting this question - connecting with others going through the same process has been incredibly reassuring! Good luck with your July 24th interview - sounds like you're well prepared with your documentation!

I'm new to this community but just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently facing a similar situation where my hours at a big box store just got reduced from 40 to 24 hours per week starting next Monday. I was honestly feeling pretty hopeless about my financial situation until I found this discussion. The amount of practical, real-world advice shared here is amazing - from taking screenshots of schedules to understanding the benefit calculation formula to knowing about the waiting period. What really strikes me is how many people are going through these hour cuts right now across so many different industries. It makes me feel less alone and more confident that partial unemployment is a legitimate option for situations like this. I'm definitely going to file my claim this week following all the guidance shared here. Special thanks to everyone who provided specific dollar amounts and timelines - that really helps set realistic expectations. @Zara Ahmed thank you for being brave enough to ask this question initially! You've created such a valuable resource for people navigating hour reductions. This community support is exactly what people need during stressful financial situations like this.

I'm new to this community and just wanted to add my voice to this incredibly helpful conversation! I'm currently dealing with a very similar situation - my hours at a local pharmacy got cut from 36 to 20 hours per week about 10 days ago due to "reduced customer traffic." Like so many others here, I had absolutely no idea that partial unemployment was even an option until I stumbled across this thread while frantically googling what to do about my income drop. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences and practical advice has been such a game-changer for me. The specific tips about documenting schedule changes, keeping screenshots, understanding the benefit formula, and knowing about the waiting period have all been invaluable. What really stands out is how supportive this community is - sharing real dollar amounts, timelines, and honest experiences that you just can't get from official websites. I'm planning to file my partial UI claim tomorrow morning armed with all the wisdom shared here. @Zara Ahmed thank you so much for having the courage to ask this question! You've clearly helped dozens of people (including me) discover resources we desperately needed but didn't even know existed. The ripple effect of community members sharing their knowledge and experiences is exactly what makes spaces like this so valuable during tough financial situations.

OMG this is exactly what I've been dealing with for the past month! My Money Network card from EDD gets declined for literally every online purchase but works perfectly fine at stores and ATMs. I've been going absolutely crazy trying to figure out what's wrong! @Arjun Patel THANK YOU so much for sharing that specific phone number and menu sequence! I had no clue about CNP transactions being a thing or that online purchases were disabled by default. I've probably wasted 25+ hours calling the regular customer service number and getting stuck in that horrible automated system that just loops forever. I'm definitely calling 1-866-323-2322 tomorrow morning with those exact menu steps (option 4, then 2, then 3). It's honestly ridiculous that Money Network doesn't explain ANY of these restrictions when they send you the card - like how are we supposed to know we need to enable special features just to use our own unemployment benefits online?? Reading through everyone's success stories after getting CNP enabled gives me so much hope! I really need to pay my electric bill and phone bill online this week, and I was starting to panic that I'd have to ask family for help again. This thread has been more helpful than months of trying to reach actual Money Network customer service. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share detailed solutions instead of just complaining - you're all lifesavers!

I just want to echo what everyone else has been saying - this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I got my EDD Money Network card about 6 weeks ago and have been dealing with this exact same nightmare. Every single online purchase gets declined while the card works perfectly fine everywhere else. @Arjun Patel you are seriously a hero for sharing that specific phone number (1-866-323-2322) and those detailed menu instructions! I had zero clue about CNP transactions or that online purchasing was basically turned off by default. It's absolutely crazy that Money Network doesn't include ANY of this crucial information when they mail out the cards. I've been stuck in that automated phone hell probably 30+ times over the past month and never got through to a real person. So incredibly frustrating when you're trying to pay rent and utilities online and nothing works! Reading through all these success stories has given me so much hope. I'm definitely calling tomorrow morning and following those exact menu steps to get CNP transactions enabled. I really need to pay my internet bill and renew my car insurance online this week. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share detailed solutions and come back with updates - this community is honestly more helpful than Money Network's entire customer service department!

This thread is incredible - thank you everyone for such detailed and practical advice! I'm about to start this process after getting divorced and needing to change my name back to my maiden name. Reading through all these experiences has been so helpful and way less intimidating than I expected. I'm definitely following the gameplan that's emerged from everyone's advice: 1) Make sure Social Security is updated first (doing that next week), 2) Get all my documents organized including the court order for my name change, 3) Call that 1-800-300-5616 number on Tuesday or Wednesday at 8am sharp, 4) Ask for the emailed checklist, and 5) Use certified mail for everything. One question for those who've been through this - did anyone deal with changing FROM a married name back to a maiden name? I'm wondering if the process is any different than changing TO a married name, or if the court order works the same way as a marriage certificate for verification purposes. Either way, feeling so much more prepared thanks to this amazing community! You all have probably saved me weeks of frustration and confusion. 🙏

I actually went through this exact same process (divorce name change back to maiden name) about 6 months ago! The process is basically identical - the court order works just like a marriage certificate for verification purposes. The EDD rep I spoke with said they handle both types of name changes the same way, so all the same advice in this thread applies perfectly. Just make sure your court order is certified (not just a copy) - learned that one the hard way and had to go back to the courthouse. Also, when you update with Social Security first, bring both your divorce decree AND the court order for the name change since they're sometimes separate documents. The 1-800-300-5616 number and Tuesday 8am strategy worked great for me too. Took about 5 weeks total but my benefits continued without any issues. Hang in there - the whole thing is tedious but definitely manageable! You've got a solid plan based on everyone's advice here. 💪