I'm also doing gig work while on unemployment and this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been doing DoorDash for about a month and honestly had no idea about most of these reporting requirements. The gross vs net distinction especially - I've been reporting what actually hits my bank account, not realizing I needed to include DoorDash's service fees. One thing I'm still confused about though - when you're tracking tips that come in late, how do you handle the situation where a customer adjusts their tip downward after you've already delivered? I've had a few instances where someone left a good tip initially, but then reduced it a day or two later. Do you go back and adjust your previous week's reported earnings downward, or just account for it in the current week as negative income? The Instacart and DoorDash apps don't make this very clear in their earnings summaries. Also, for anyone still struggling to get through to EDD - I've found that using the automated callback feature (when it's working) is sometimes faster than sitting on hold for hours. You can request a callback and they'll usually call you back within the same day, though sometimes it takes until the next business day. Thanks again to everyone for sharing all this detailed advice - definitely saving me from making some costly mistakes!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation with Uber Eats and was making the exact same mistakes with reporting. One thing I wanted to add that helped me organize everything - I started using the "Notes" app on my phone to quickly jot down earnings right after each shift while it's fresh in my memory. Then I transfer it to my spreadsheet later. Sometimes when you're tired after a long day of deliveries, it's easy to forget to log things properly, but having those quick phone notes as backup has saved me several times. Also, for anyone worried about the EDD call wait times - I've had better luck calling on Wednesdays or Thursdays rather than Mondays when everyone is trying to reach them after the weekend. The gross vs net reporting thing is such a common mistake - EDD really needs to make this clearer in their certification questions!

Hey Sophia, I'm sorry this happened to you - getting blindsided like that is such a terrible feeling. I wanted to add something that might help ease your mind: California is an "at-will" employment state, which means employers can terminate employees for almost any reason OR no reason at all, as long as it's not discriminatory or retaliatory. The fact that your boss said "going in a different direction" without giving specifics actually works IN YOUR FAVOR for unemployment purposes. It suggests this was a business decision rather than anything you did wrong. When you file (which you absolutely should do immediately), make sure to mention that you received no prior warnings, write-ups, or performance issues during your 14 months there. That's a solid employment history that shows you weren't terminated for misconduct. Also, start documenting your job search efforts right away - you'll need to show you're actively looking for work when you certify. Hang in there, you've got a strong case for benefits!

I'm really sorry to hear about your sudden termination - that's incredibly stressful! The good news is that based on what you've described, you should definitely qualify for unemployment benefits. Being fired without cause or documentation is actually one of the clearer cases for eligibility. A few things that will help your case: 1) You worked there for 14 months with no documented performance issues, 2) Your employer gave a vague reason ("different direction") rather than claiming misconduct, and 3) You were never formally disciplined. When you file online, select "discharged" as your reason and briefly explain you were terminated without specific cause. The key is to file IMMEDIATELY - don't wait even a day. During your eligibility interview (which you'll likely have), stick to the facts and emphasize your clean employment record. Most importantly, start your job search right away and document everything - you'll need to show 3 job search activities per week when certifying. The process can take 3-5 weeks for first payment, but once approved, you'll get back pay for all eligible weeks. Stay strong - you've got a solid case!

Ya probaste reiniciar tu reclamo? A veces eso desbloquea pagos atrasados. Solo asegúrate de tener toda tu info correcta antes de hacerlo.

¡Hola Dylan! Siento mucho que estés pasando por esta situación tan estresante. He estado leyendo todos los comentarios aquí y hay muchísimos consejos útiles. Lo que más me llama la atención es la combinación de estrategias que han funcionado para diferentes personas - desde llamar temprano en la mañana hasta usar la nueva app EDD Mobile que mencionó Freya. Mi recomendación sería que pruebes un enfoque múltiple: intenta llamar temprano siguiendo los consejos de Javier, envía un correo electrónico detallado como sugirió Paolo, y si tienes redes sociales, considera el consejo de Mei sobre Twitter. También revisa si puedes descargar la nueva app que parece estar ayudando a algunas personas. Lo más importante es no rendirse. Veo que ya lograste comunicarte según tu actualización, pero para cualquier persona nueva que lea esto, estos consejos realmente parecen funcionar cuando se combinan con persistencia y paciencia. ¡Espero que recibas tu pago pronto! 🙏

I'm in the exact same situation! My first EDD payment just showed "paid" this morning and I'm also using Bank of America direct deposit. This thread is a goldmine of information - I had no idea about all these tracking tricks and timeline expectations. Just spent the last 20 minutes setting up all the alerts everyone mentioned: the custom BofA deposit notification for my payment amount, mobile app push notifications, and I bookmarked that Account Activity page to check for pending deposits. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like I should expect 2-3 business days for this first payment, which actually makes me feel way less anxious than not knowing what to expect at all. The practical tips about calling the BofA automated line and checking online vs the app are so helpful too. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences and timelines - it's making this whole process so much less stressful for those of us going through it for the first time! 🙏

I've been getting EDD payments through Bank of America for over a year now, and I can definitely confirm what everyone is saying about first payments taking longer. My initial payment took 3 business days, but now my regular bi-weekly payments are super consistent - they almost always hit my account exactly 2 business days after showing "paid" in UI Online. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that the time of day your payment shows as "paid" can affect when it actually deposits. If it shows paid early in the morning (like before 10 AM), you're more likely to see it hit your account the next business day. But if it shows paid later in the afternoon, it usually takes the full 2 days. Also, I've noticed that payments that show as "paid" on Mondays tend to hit Wednesday morning like clockwork, while Friday "paid" status usually means Tuesday deposit. The EDD system definitely has its quirks, but once you get familiar with the patterns it becomes much more predictable. Your rent situation will work out - just give it those 2-3 business days for the first one!

I'm dealing with this exact same ID.me nightmare right now! My university email got deactivated after graduation and I've been locked out of my EDD account for almost 2 weeks. This thread is absolutely incredible - I had no idea there were actual solutions that work! Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm definitely going to try the Trusted Referee video call first. The technical tips about using incognito mode, clearing browser cache, and not navigating away during the wait are game-changers. I would have made all those mistakes without this advice! If the video call doesn't work, knowing I can create a new ID.me account and use Claimyr to reach EDD gives me a solid backup plan. It's really reassuring to see that multiple people have confirmed EDD agents are understanding about the dual account situation when you explain the email access issue properly. This whole system is unnecessarily complicated, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing their real experiences and specific technical solutions here. This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource - it's better than any official help documentation! I'll definitely update with my results to help the next person stuck in ID.me purgatory.

I just successfully resolved this exact same issue last week! My old work email got deactivated and I was locked out for almost a month. Here's what finally worked: I tried the Trusted Referee video call first (thanks to everyone who mentioned it in this thread!) and it worked perfectly on the second attempt. First attempt failed because of browser issues, but the second time I used Chrome incognito mode and made sure to have perfect lighting and all my documents ready. Key things that made the difference: - Used incognito mode and cleared all browser data first - Had driver's license, Social Security card, and utility bill ready - Made sure I was in a well-lit room with stable internet - Started early morning (around 9am PT) for shorter wait time - Did NOT navigate away from the tab during the 35-minute wait The whole video verification process took about 15 minutes once connected, and they were able to update my email address while keeping my original account intact. I was back into my EDD account within 2 hours! For anyone still struggling with this - the Trusted Referee option really does work if you follow all the technical tips people have shared here. This thread saved me from weeks more of stress. Hang in there!