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I'm on SDI right now and honestly the uncertainty around maintenance is one of the most stressful parts of this whole process. Like you, I depend on these payments for rent and basic expenses, so any delay can really mess things up. From what I'm reading here it sounds like since it's UI maintenance and not SDI, we should be okay, but I totally get the anxiety. I've learned to always certify on my regular day no matter what because waiting seems to cause more problems than it solves. Hope your payment comes through on time for rent! The financial stress on top of whatever health issue you're dealing with is just awful.
Thank you so much for understanding! You're absolutely right that the financial stress on top of health issues makes everything so much harder. It's reassuring to hear from someone else going through the same situation. I'm definitely going to certify today based on everyone's advice here - it sounds like waiting would just create more problems. Really appreciate this community for helping each other navigate all the uncertainty with EDD. Hope your payments stay consistent too!
I'm new to SDI and was panicking about the same thing earlier today! Reading through all these responses has been so helpful. It sounds like the consensus is to stick to your normal certification schedule since this is UI maintenance, not SDI. I'm dealing with a temporary disability from a car accident and every payment matters right now too. The stress of not knowing if delays will happen is almost worse than the actual delays sometimes! Going to follow everyone's advice and certify on my regular day. Thanks for asking this question - I'm sure lots of us newcomers were wondering the same thing but didn't know where to ask.
Welcome to SDI! I'm also pretty new to this (only been on it for about 2 months) and this community has been a lifesaver for figuring things out. Car accidents are so scary - I hope you're healing well! You're right that the uncertainty is sometimes worse than actual delays. I was so anxious about this maintenance thing but everyone here really helped calm my nerves. Definitely going with the advice to certify normally since it's UI maintenance only. Feel free to ask questions here - people are really helpful and understanding about the stress of dealing with disabilities AND navigating EDD at the same time.
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I'm about 10 weeks out from my balance hitting zero and this thread has been absolutely invaluable - honestly wish I'd found it months ago! Reading everyone's experiences has given me so much practical information that I never found on any official EDD site. The California Training Benefits program sounds like exactly what I need. I'm in project management and have been wanting to get my PMP certification but couldn't afford it. If CTB covers that kind of training, it could actually make this whole situation into an opportunity to level up my credentials while keeping some income coming in. I'm 32 and have been really resistant to the idea of taking retail or service jobs because I thought it would hurt my professional image somehow. But hearing from so many experienced professionals who've successfully navigated this has completely changed my perspective. The story about meeting a future boss at a coffee shop really hit home - you never know where opportunities might come from. Planning to start my backup job applications this week at places like Target and maybe look into some freelance project management work on Upwork. Also going to call my local workforce center and research CTB options. Thanks to everyone for being so open about your situations - it's scary but knowing we're all in this together and that there are actually options makes it feel way more manageable!
I'm in almost exactly the same situation - my balance runs out in about 3 weeks and I've been searching in operations management for 6 months with very little luck. This thread has been incredibly helpful and honestly the first place I've found real answers about what happens after benefits end. I had no idea about the California Training Benefits program or that you could get partial unemployment with part-time work - those are huge game changers for planning! I've been putting off the reality of needing temporary work because at 35, applying for retail jobs feels like such a step backward. But reading all these stories from other professionals has really shifted my perspective. You're absolutely right that keeping a roof over your head is more important than pride. I'm definitely going to start applications at places like Costco and Target this week while continuing my operations search. Also planning to look into CTB for Six Sigma or supply chain certifications - those would actually make me more competitive for the roles I'm targeting anyway. The advice about starting early instead of waiting until you're completely broke is spot on. I wish I'd been this proactive months ago instead of just hoping something would come through. Thanks for sharing your story so openly - knowing other experienced professionals are navigating this same struggle makes it feel way less isolating. We've got this!
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This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently seeing the same "DQ redetermination qualification" status on my account for the past 3 days and was absolutely panicking until I found this discussion. I got laid off from my healthcare job about a month ago and this whole unemployment system is so confusing and stressful. Reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much relief - it sounds like this status actually means good news rather than bad! @Ezra Beard thanks for posting this and updating everyone with your progress. It's so reassuring to see that yours got resolved quickly and automatically. Based on all these responses, it seems like most people see their payments go through within a few days to a week after this status appears. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking when bills are piling up, but knowing that so many others went through the exact same thing and got paid gives me hope that mine will resolve soon too. This community is amazing for helping each other navigate EDD's confusing system!
@Holly Lascelles I m'so glad this thread helped you too! I literally just went through this exact same situation about two weeks ago - same status, same panic, same relief after finding this discussion. Healthcare layoffs are especially tough right now, so I really feel for what you re'going through. What really struck me about everyone s'experiences here is how consistent they are - almost everyone who saw DQ "redetermination qualification ended" up getting paid within 3-7 days without having to do anything extra. It really does seem like this is just EDD s'way of saying they re'double-checking something before releasing your payment. I know the waiting feels endless when you re'worried about bills, but based on all these stories, you re'definitely on the right track! This community really is a lifesaver for making sense of EDD s'confusing status messages. Hang in there - it sounds like you ll'see that status change to paid very soon!
This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same "DQ redetermination qualification" status right now - it's been showing for about 5 days and I was absolutely convinced I had messed something up on my certification. I've been unemployed for about 6 weeks after my company downsized and let go of half our department. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - it really sounds like this is actually EDD working to fix something rather than there being a major problem with my claim. The consistency in everyone's stories is amazing - almost everyone got paid within a week of seeing this status! @Ezra Beard thank you so much for posting this question and following up with updates. It's exactly what I needed to see right now. The waiting is definitely stressful when rent is due soon, but knowing that so many people went through the same thing and got positive results gives me hope that mine will resolve soon too. This community is incredible for helping navigate EDD's confusing system!
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This is incredibly frustrating but you're definitely not alone! I went through this exact same issue last month when I got laid off. The EDD portal gets completely confused by old COVID-era claims and creates this endless loop that's impossible to escape on your own. Here's what finally worked for me: Call 833-978-2511 (not the main 800 number) at exactly 8:03 AM - seems to be the sweet spot after the initial 8:00 AM rush but before it gets completely swamped. Be prepared to redial multiple times - I had to hit redial about 30 times before getting into the hold queue. When you finally get a rep, use these exact phrases: "I need you to purge my expired COVID claim and clear the benefit year end date so I can file a new claim." Don't just ask them to "close" it - they need to completely purge it from the system or you'll still be stuck in the loop. Most importantly: Once they clear your old claim, have them walk you through filing the new one while you're still on the phone! Don't hang up and try to do it yourself later because you might hit another glitch. The rep can complete your new filing right then and there. I know it seems impossible right now, but literally everyone in this thread eventually got through. Your persistence will pay off! Make sure you have all your employment info from the last 18 months ready to go. Good luck! 🍀
Carlos, thank you SO much for this detailed breakdown! I'm actually dealing with this exact nightmare right now - been laid off for a week and completely stuck in that same COVID claim loop. Your timing suggestion of 8:03 AM is really smart - I've been trying right at 8:00 and getting nowhere fast. And those specific phrases about "purging" and "clearing the benefit year end date" seem to be the magic words everyone keeps mentioning. I never would have known to ask for that specifically! The tip about staying on the line to file the new claim immediately is brilliant too - why risk another glitch when you've finally got someone who can help? I'm setting my alarm for 7:55 AM tomorrow and going to give this strategy a shot. Really appreciate you taking the time to share what actually worked - gives me hope that there's light at the end of this bureaucratic tunnel! 🙏
I'm going through this EXACT same nightmare right now! Just got laid off yesterday and I'm completely stuck in that same infuriating loop with my old COVID claim from 2020. It's such a relief to find this thread and realize I'm not the only one dealing with this broken system! Based on everyone's advice here, I'm planning my attack strategy for tomorrow morning: calling 833-978-2511 at 8:03 AM with all the magic phrases ready - "purge my expired COVID claim and clear the benefit year end date." I've already gathered all my employment info for the past 18 months just in case I can get them to file the new claim while I'm on the phone. It's absolutely insane that we need a whole battle plan just to access unemployment benefits we're legally entitled to, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing what actually works. The fact that this takes a 5-minute fix from their end after we spend days or weeks trying to figure it out ourselves just shows how broken this system really is. Fingers crossed I can break free from this digital purgatory tomorrow! Will definitely report back with results to help anyone else who gets trapped in this loop. Thanks to everyone for the hope and practical strategies! 🤞
Norman, you're absolutely right that it's insane we need a battle plan just to file for unemployment! I'm a newcomer here but dealing with the exact same issue - got laid off two weeks ago and stuck in that same COVID claim loop. Reading through everyone's strategies has been incredibly helpful. That 8:03 AM timing and the specific "purge and clear benefit year end date" language seems to be the key based on what worked for others. It's frustrating that EDD hasn't fixed this widespread issue, but at least we have this community sharing real solutions. Good luck tomorrow - hopefully you'll be able to break free and help the next person who gets trapped in this bureaucratic maze!
Sebastián Stevens
This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! I'm currently doing IHSS for my elderly father and just found out my retail job is ending next month due to store closure. Reading through all these detailed experiences, I now feel confident that my IHSS wages will count toward my UI benefits since I'm caring for my parent (not spouse or minor child). The breakdown of the $99 threshold and 75% reduction formula is especially useful - I had no idea how that calculation worked! One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned yet - has anyone dealt with seasonal variations in IHSS hours affecting their weekly certifications? My father's care needs fluctuate based on his health, so some weeks I might work 20 IHSS hours and other weeks might be 35+ hours. I'm wondering if these fluctuations will complicate the certification process or if EDD is used to seeing variable part-time earnings. Also, does anyone know if there's a limit to how many hours of IHSS work you can do while still being considered "available" for other employment? Thanks to everyone for sharing such valuable real-world experiences - this thread should be bookmarked for anyone dealing with IHSS and unemployment!
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James Martinez
•The fluctuations in IHSS hours shouldn't complicate your certifications at all - EDD is definitely used to seeing variable part-time earnings from all types of work. When you certify each week, you'll just report whatever IHSS hours and earnings you actually worked that specific Sunday-Saturday period, whether it's 20 hours or 35+ hours. The key is accuracy for each individual week rather than consistency across weeks. As for hour limits while remaining "available" for other employment, there's no specific IHSS hour cap that I'm aware of, but EDD does expect you to be able to accept suitable work if offered. Since caregiving often has flexible scheduling (especially family care), most people can demonstrate availability for traditional employment. Just be prepared to explain how you can balance both if asked during any interviews. The variable nature of your father's care needs actually supports the argument that your schedule is adaptable to accommodate other work opportunities!
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Miles Hammonds
This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm providing IHSS care for my disabled aunt and just got notice that my hotel job is being eliminated due to budget cuts. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences, I now understand that my IHSS wages will definitely count toward my UI calculation since I'm caring for my aunt (not spouse or minor child). The information about the $99 threshold and 75% reduction formula is incredibly helpful - I had no idea how that worked! One question I haven't seen addressed yet: has anyone had experience with how EDD handles IHSS providers who work for multiple recipients? I actually provide care for both my aunt and a non-related elderly neighbor through separate IHSS cases. Do I need to report these as two different "jobs" on my unemployment application, or can I combine them since they're both county IHSS work? I want to make sure I handle this correctly from the start. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences - this thread is going to save me so much confusion and stress when I file my claim next week!
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