EDD asking about school/training during certification - will answering 'Yes' stop my payments?

DO NOT LIE ON YOUR CERTIFICATION!!! EDD can and will flag your account for fraud if they find out you're taking classes but answered No. I made that mistake last year and ended up with a 6-week penalty and had to repay benefits. You should answer Yes but then indicate that you're still available for full-time work. There's a section where you can explain that it's a flexible online course that won't interfere with your job search.

Answer truthfully but don't panic. The school/training question is there because EDD needs to know if you're still able to work full-time. When you answer 'Yes', they'll likely schedule an eligibility interview to confirm your training doesn't affect your availability for work. Your payments might be pending until after that interview. Since it's just a short online Excel course, you should be fine as long as you explain it clearly.

wait did u already start the class or just sign up for it??? i think the question is if u BEGAN attending, so if u just enrolled but havent started yet maybe u can say no??? not sure tho lol

The EDD system is designed to PUNISH people for trying to better themselves! I answered yes to that question when I started a night class and they froze my payments for 6 WEEKS while "investigating" if I was available for work. Had to borrow money from family to pay rent. The whole system is rigged against us!!

Have you looked into the California Training Benefits (CTB) program? If you're taking a course to improve job skills, you might qualify for CTB, which would allow you to attend school/training AND still receive benefits without having to look for work during that period. For a short Excel course, it might be overkill, but worth knowing about for the future if you decide to pursue more extensive training.

Here's what normally happens when you answer "Yes" to the school/training question: 1. Your certification may be marked as "pending" until EDD verifies your availability 2. EDD schedules an eligibility interview (can take 1-3 weeks currently) 3. During the interview, explain your course schedule and confirm you're available for full-time work 4. If approved, they release all pending payments If you need to reach EDD quickly to explain your situation or check on pending payments, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They connect you with EDD phone representatives without the endless busy signals. Their video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Be honest on your certification - a short online Excel course shouldn't disqualify you as long as you're available for work.

this happened to me too!!! i started a youtube course on photoshop and answered yes and then my payment got stuck for like forever. so stressful. but my friend said i could have just said no since it wasnt like a real school thing?? idk the whole system is so confusing

good luck with your excel class!! i took one last year and it really helped me get my current job. hope edd doesnt give u too much trouble!!

Once you answer Yes, make sure you keep certifying for benefits every two weeks even if your payments are pending! A lot of people make the mistake of stopping certification while waiting for EDD to resolve the school issue. Then when they finally approve you, they can only pay for weeks you properly certified for.

I went through this exact situation about 3 months ago when I started an online QuickBooks course while on unemployment. I answered "Yes" truthfully and here's what happened: my certification went to pending status for about 10 days, then I got a phone interview where they asked about my course schedule and availability for work. Once I explained it was a flexible online course that wouldn't interfere with job searching or accepting work, they approved me and released all the pending payments. The key is being prepared for that interview - have your course details ready (hours per week, schedule flexibility, end date) and emphasize that you remain available for full-time employment. Don't let the pending status panic you too much, it's pretty routine for them to verify this stuff. Better to deal with a short delay than risk fraud penalties later!

I'm in a similar situation - just enrolled in an online project management certification course while collecting unemployment. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm definitely going to answer "Yes" on my certification. It's scary thinking about potential delays, but the fraud penalties sound way worse than waiting for an interview. For what it's worth, I called my local workforce development office and they said short-term skill-building courses are generally viewed favorably by EDD as long as you're still actively job searching. They even suggested documenting how the training relates to your job search goals in case you need to explain it during an interview. Carmen, it sounds like your Excel course is exactly the kind of thing that should help your accounting job search - I'd emphasize that connection if you do get called for an interview. Good luck with both the course and the EDD process!

I went through this exact same situation last year with an online Excel course! Here's my experience: I answered "Yes" truthfully and my payments were put on hold for about 2 weeks while they scheduled an eligibility interview. During the phone interview, the EDD representative was actually pretty understanding - I explained that it was a flexible online course, showed them my course schedule (only a few hours per week), and emphasized that I was still actively job searching and available for full-time work immediately if offered a position. They approved me on the spot and released all my pending payments. The key things that helped me were: 1) Having my course syllabus ready to show the limited time commitment, 2) Explaining how Excel skills directly related to my job search goals, and 3) Being honest about my continued availability for work. Yes, the waiting period was stressful, but it's SO much better than risking fraud charges. The interviewer even mentioned that they appreciate when people are upskilling to improve their job prospects! Just make sure to keep certifying every two weeks even while pending, and be prepared to answer that interview call when it comes.

I'm a tax preparer who deals with a lot of EDD clients, and I can confirm what others are saying - always answer truthfully! I've seen too many people get into serious trouble for misrepresenting their training status. What I'd suggest is when you answer "Yes," also keep detailed records of your job search activities during the course period. EDD wants to see that you're still actively looking for work. Save your job applications, interview confirmations, networking emails, etc. If they do schedule an interview, having this documentation shows you're serious about finding employment while improving your skills. Also, since you mentioned you were laid off from accounting - Excel skills are HUGE for accounting positions right now, so definitely frame it as directly related to your job search goals. The course being only 4 weeks and online/flexible should work in your favor. Good luck!

I'm actually a career counselor who works with unemployment clients, and I want to reassure you that taking a short-term Excel course is exactly the kind of proactive step that employers love to see! You're absolutely doing the right thing by being honest on your certification. Here's what I tell my clients in similar situations: prepare a simple one-page summary that includes your course schedule, how it enhances your accounting qualifications, and examples of recent job applications where Excel skills were required. This shows EDD that you're strategically upskilling, not just taking random classes. Most importantly, the course being only 4 weeks and flexible means you can easily demonstrate continued availability for immediate employment. I've had dozens of clients go through this process successfully - the temporary inconvenience of an eligibility interview is nothing compared to the long-term benefits of improved job prospects and staying honest with EDD. Your Excel skills will definitely make you more competitive for accounting positions!

I'm currently dealing with this exact situation! I just started an online data analysis course while on unemployment and went through the same panic about what to answer. After reading all these responses, I answered "Yes" on my last certification and sure enough, my payment went to pending status. Got the eligibility interview call yesterday and it went really smoothly - the representative was actually encouraging about me taking steps to improve my job prospects! She asked about my course schedule (it's self-paced, maybe 5-6 hours per week), confirmed I'm still available for full-time work, and approved me immediately. All my pending payments were released within 24 hours. The key was being prepared to explain how the course relates to my career goals and having examples of jobs I'm applying for that require these skills. Carmen, your Excel course sounds perfect for accounting positions - definitely emphasize that connection if you get called for an interview. The temporary stress is so worth avoiding any fraud issues later!

I just wanted to add my experience from when I took a similar online course while on unemployment benefits. I was taking a 6-week QuickBooks certification course and was terrified about answering the school/training question honestly. But after talking to several people who had been through it, I decided to answer "Yes" and I'm so glad I did. My payments were pending for about 12 days, then I got the eligibility interview call. The EDD representative was actually really professional and seemed to appreciate that I was being proactive about improving my skills for accounting work. She asked about my weekly time commitment (about 8 hours), whether I could drop the course immediately if offered a job (yes), and how it related to my job search. I had prepared a list of recent job postings that required QuickBooks experience, which really helped demonstrate the connection. She approved me right away and all my pending payments came through the next day. The whole process was much less scary than I expected! Just make sure you can clearly explain how your Excel course directly helps with accounting positions - that seems to be what they really care about.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I enrolled in an online Excel certification course while on unemployment after being laid off from my bookkeeping job. I was absolutely terrified about answering "Yes" to the school/training question, but after doing research and talking to others, I knew I had to be honest. Here's what happened: my certification went to pending for about 8 days, then I got the eligibility interview call. The EDD representative was actually really understanding and asked straightforward questions - how many hours per week (I said 4-5 hours), if I could start work immediately if offered a job (yes), and how it related to my career goals. I explained that Excel proficiency was mentioned in 80% of the bookkeeping and accounting assistant positions I was applying for, and I even had specific job postings saved to reference. She approved me on the spot and my pending payments were released within 2 days. The whole interview took maybe 10 minutes. My advice: definitely answer truthfully, keep applying for jobs during your course (and document it), and prepare a simple explanation of how Excel skills directly support your accounting career goals. The temporary stress of pending payments is nothing compared to the risk of fraud penalties, and honestly, completing that course did help me land my current position! You're making a smart investment in your career - EDD generally views legitimate skill-building positively.

I just went through this exact situation last month! I was taking an online accounting software course while on unemployment and was terrified about the school/training question. After reading horror stories online, I almost answered "No" but decided to be honest. Here's what happened: I answered "Yes," my payments went to pending for about 2 weeks, then I got the eligibility interview call. The EDD representative was actually really supportive - she said they appreciate when people are improving their job skills! I explained that my course was only 6 hours per week, completely flexible, and I was still actively job searching and available for immediate employment. She asked for examples of how the skills related to jobs I was applying for, which I had ready. She approved me immediately and all my pending payments came through the next day. The key was being prepared to show: 1) Limited time commitment that doesn't interfere with work availability, 2) Direct connection to your career field, and 3) Continued active job searching. Carmen, your Excel course sounds perfect for accounting positions - definitely emphasize that connection! The temporary stress is so worth avoiding fraud issues, and honestly, the skills I learned did help me get interviews. Stay honest and you'll be fine!

I'm so glad you posted this question because I was literally in the exact same situation a few months ago! I took an online Excel course while on unemployment after being laid off from my accounting assistant position. I was absolutely terrified about answering "Yes" to the school/training question, but after reading experiences like the ones shared here, I knew I had to be honest. Here's what happened: my certification went to pending status for about 10 days, then I got the eligibility interview call. The EDD representative was actually really professional and seemed genuinely interested in how the course would help my job search. She asked about my time commitment (about 6 hours per week), whether I could start work immediately if offered (absolutely yes), and how Excel skills related to accounting positions. I had screenshots of job postings that specifically mentioned "advanced Excel skills required" which really helped show the direct connection. She approved me right away and my pending payments were released within 48 hours. The whole interview took maybe 8 minutes! My biggest advice: definitely answer truthfully, keep detailed records of your job applications during the course period, and prepare a simple explanation of how Excel directly supports accounting work. The temporary inconvenience of pending payments is nothing compared to fraud penalties, and honestly, those Excel skills have already helped me in interviews. You're making a smart investment - EDD generally views strategic upskilling very positively when it's clearly connected to your career goals!