Great advice from everyone here! I went through something similar last year and want to add a few practical tips: 1. Start gathering your employment documents NOW - pay stubs, tax forms, etc. You'll need these when filing your claim. 2. If your company offers any career transition services or job placement assistance as part of the severance package, take advantage of those. They often count toward your work search requirements. 3. Consider setting up direct deposit for your EDD payments when you apply. It's faster than waiting for debit cards or checks to arrive. 4. Screenshot or save confirmation pages when you certify online. Sometimes the system has glitches and having proof you submitted on time can save you headaches later. You're smart to plan ahead - January gives you time to get organized instead of scrambling after your last day. The combination of severance, part-time work, and EDD benefits should help bridge you to your next full-time opportunity. Don't panic, you've got this!

As someone who's been through the EDD process multiple times, I want to emphasize one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - keep DETAILED records of everything! Create a simple spreadsheet or notebook to track: - Your severance payment dates and amounts - Every hour worked at your part-time job with exact earnings - All your work search activities (job applications, interviews, networking events) - Screenshots of your certification submissions I learned this the hard way when EDD requested documentation during an eligibility review. Having everything organized saved me weeks of stress trying to reconstruct my records. Also, if you haven't already, create your EDD online account now so you're familiar with the system before you actually need to file. The interface can be confusing when you're already stressed about losing your job. One more tip: if your severance comes as a lump sum, ask your HR department exactly which pay period it will be reported under for tax purposes. This helps you report it correctly on the right certification weeks. Good luck!

Hey Oscar, congrats on landing the job after 7 months - that's huge! I'm actually going through something similar right now. Just started a new position last week but won't see my first paycheck for another 10 days due to their pay cycle. Everyone here has given you solid advice about reporting accurately. I just wanted to add that when I called EDD yesterday about my situation, the rep emphasized that you report work hours based on the week you performed the work, regardless of pay date. So for your Sep 3-9 week with 24 hours, you'll report those hours and estimated gross earnings ($432). Since that's under your $450 weekly benefit, you should get a small partial payment. One resource that's been a lifesaver for me - check if your county has a "workforce development" or "back to work" assistance program. Mine offers emergency bridge funding specifically for people transitioning from unemployment to employment. They gave me a $300 grocery voucher and helped with my car insurance payment to get me through until my first check. Also, don't overlook your local community college's student services - even if you're not a student, many have emergency food pantries and financial assistance that they'll extend to community members in crisis. The gap period is brutal but you're handling it right by planning to report everything honestly. That warehouse job is going to feel so good once those paychecks start rolling in regularly!

Hey Oscar! Huge congrats on the new job - what an amazing feeling after 7 months of searching! I completely understand the stress of this cash flow gap situation. I went through something very similar when I started my current job about 8 months ago. Just want to reinforce what everyone's been saying - you absolutely must report those work hours when you certify, even though you haven't been paid yet. For your partial week (Sep 3-9), since you worked 24 hours at $18/hr ($432 gross), you'll likely still qualify for a small partial benefit since it's just under your $450 weekly benefit amount. Every little bit helps during this transition! One thing that really saved me during my gap period - check if your local United Way has an emergency assistance fund. They often have specific programs for people transitioning back to work. Also, many grocery stores have "customer assistance" programs where they can provide gift cards for people in temporary financial hardship - worth asking at customer service. The timing is brutal, but you're doing everything right by planning to report accurately. That first warehouse paycheck is going to feel incredible when it finally arrives! You're so close to having steady income again - just push through these next couple weeks. You've got this!

I just want to say how helpful this thread has been! I'm in a similar situation - got laid off from my retail management job last month and haven't filed for unemployment since 2020. I was also worried about whether my old account number would still work, but reading everyone's experiences has put my mind at ease. It's really reassuring to see so many people confirm that the EDD Customer Account Number stays the same permanently. I found my old paperwork from 2020 and was hesitant to use it, but now I feel confident moving forward. The tips about keeping a photo of the account number on your phone and being patient with the UI Online system are super practical too. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is such a lifesaver when dealing with EDD's confusing processes!

I can confirm that your EDD Customer Account Number absolutely stays the same! I've been using mine since my first claim in 2014 and just used it again successfully in 2024. It's tied to your Social Security Number and personal information, so it remains constant no matter how many years pass between claims. One thing that helped me when I was unsure: if you still have any old EDD mail or documents, the account number should be printed on benefit statements, correspondence letters, or your original award notice. It's usually formatted as a series of numbers, sometimes with your SSN partial on the same document for verification. The UI Online system will recognize your returning status once you log in with the correct account number and SSN. Don't worry about "messing up" your new claim by using the old number - that's exactly what you're supposed to do! The system is designed to handle returning claimants this way. Good luck with your new claim!

I just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been working part-time while on partial unemployment for about a year now. I work at a small veterinary clinic (about 22 hours/week) and have never had any issues with EDD notifying my employer about my claim status. The key points that have worked for me: - Always report your gross earnings for the actual week you work (not when you get paid) - Keep a simple log of your daily hours and wages - I just use my phone's notes app - Remember that working part-time while on benefits is completely legal and common - Your weekly benefit will be reduced by roughly 75% of what you earn, but you can still receive partial payments I actually did choose to tell my supervisor about my situation early on, not because I had to, but because I wanted to be transparent. She was completely understanding and said several other employees had done the same thing during tough times. But that was purely my choice - there's absolutely no requirement to disclose this. The anxiety you're feeling is so normal, especially after dealing with penalty weeks. But honestly, once you get into the routine of accurate reporting, it becomes pretty straightforward. Focus on doing great at your new job - that's the most important thing right now. Congratulations on the new position and good luck!

I can relate to your anxiety about this situation! I went through something very similar about 8 months ago when I started a part-time job at a local restaurant while still on unemployment benefits. Like you, I was really worried about whether my new employer would somehow find out about my claim. Here's what I learned from my experience: - EDD does NOT automatically notify your new employer about your unemployment claim status - this would actually be a privacy violation - They only contact employers to verify wage/employment information if there are discrepancies in reporting - You absolutely must report all earnings accurately when you certify (learned this the hard way myself!) - Keep detailed records of your hours and gross pay - I use a simple notebook that I keep in my car Since you're working 25 hours/week part-time, you'll likely still qualify for partial benefits as long as your weekly earnings are below your weekly benefit amount. The reduction is typically around 75% of your gross earnings. The fact that you're being so careful about following the rules properly after your penalty weeks experience shows you're handling this responsibly. I totally understand the stress, but honestly once you get into the routine of accurate reporting every two weeks, it becomes much more manageable. Congratulations on landing the new job! Try not to let the EDD worries overshadow this positive step forward. You've got this!

As someone who just discovered this community while desperately searching for solutions to this exact problem, this thread is absolutely incredible! I've been stuck with the Money Network card for 2 months and have probably attempted to switch to direct deposit 20+ times with that same maddening "unable to verify account information" error. I can't believe all the hidden requirements that nobody tells you about - the 8am-2pm weekday restriction, Firefox vs Chrome making a difference, exact name formatting including middle names, checking for leading zeros in account numbers, and even making sure there are no old account flags blocking changes. This is like a master class in navigating EDD's broken system! I've been doing literally everything wrong: trying on weekends, using Safari, being casual about name formatting, and never thinking to check with my bank about account number formatting. Those Money Network fees have probably cost me over $60 already - money I really can't afford to lose right now. Tomorrow morning I'm going to follow this community-created playbook: Firefox browser at 9am, verify current routing number with my bank, match my name exactly to my EDD profile, remove any leading zeros from my account number, and clear my browser cache first for a fresh session. Thank you to everyone who shared their hard-won solutions here. This thread should honestly be featured on EDD's official website - it's more helpful than anything they've provided! Will definitely report back with hopefully another success story to add to this amazing collection.

As someone completely new to both this community and dealing with EDD benefits, I'm blown away by how helpful this thread has been! I've been struggling with this exact same direct deposit issue for about 3 weeks now - getting that frustrating "unable to verify account information" error every time I try to escape the Money Network card. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such an education. I had no idea about any of these system quirks: the 8am-2pm weekday timing restrictions, Firefox vs Chrome browser differences, exact name formatting requirements, removing leading zeros from account numbers, or checking for old account flags. It's absolutely mind-boggling that EDD doesn't provide any of this crucial information on their official website! I've been making every mistake in the book - trying late at night, using Edge browser, being careless about name details, and never thinking about account number formatting. Meanwhile those Money Network fees keep draining my already tight budget ($2.50 ATM fees, $1.00 balance inquiry fees, etc.). This community has essentially crowd-sourced a complete troubleshooting manual that puts EDD's own support to shame. Tomorrow morning I'm going to follow the proven playbook: Firefox browser at 8:30am, current routing number verified with my bank, name matched exactly to my EDD profile including middle name, remove any leading zeros from account number, and start with a clean browser session. The collective problem-solving here is incredible - turning individual frustrations into solutions that help everyone. Thank you all for sharing your hard-earned knowledge! I'll definitely update with my results to hopefully add another success story to this amazing resource.