EDD sent paper check instead of Money Network debit card after interview - what happened?
I'm so confused right now! I had my eligibility interview with EDD last Thursday, and the interviewer specifically told me I would receive my benefits on a Money Network debit card (he said they replaced BofA cards). I've been checking the mail every day, and yesterday I finally got something from EDD, but it was just a paper check instead of the debit card he promised! The check amount is correct ($763), but I'm worried about future payments. Did something go wrong with my claim? Has anyone else had this happen? I thought paper checks were being phased out completely. Will all my payments come as checks now or will I still get a card eventually?
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Sean O'Donnell
This actually happened to me back in January. The first payment often comes as a paper check while they're setting up your Money Network card. You should receive your debit card in a separate envelope within 7-10 business days. Just make sure to activate it as soon as it arrives. All your future payments will go to the card automatically once it's activated.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•Oh thank goodness! I was worried I messed something up during the interview. That makes me feel better. I'll keep checking the mail. So I'm guessing I should go ahead and cash this check in the meantime?
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Zara Ahmed
I got paid with checks for my ENTIRE CLAIM!!! Never got a stupid card at all!!
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StarStrider
•That's actually quite unusual for claims in 2025. The standard process now is to issue a Money Network card for all continued payments. Did you specifically request paper checks on your application? There's an option for that, but it's not the default.
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Luca Esposito
Wait wait wait - you actually got your payment after just ONE interview?!?! I've had THREE interviews and still nothing but a pending status for 6 weeks now. How did you get approved so fast? Was there something special you said during your interview?
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Anastasia Sokolov
•I don't think I did anything special during the interview. The rep just asked me questions about my last job, why I'm not working there anymore, and verified my identity. Maybe it depends on your specific situation? Mine was a pretty straightforward layoff with documentation from my employer. Have you been able to speak with someone at EDD about why yours is still pending?
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Luca Esposito
•I can't get through to ANYONE!!! I've called like 50 times and always get the stupid "we're experiencing high call volume" message before it hangs up on me. It's driving me INSANE. My rent is due next week and I have no idea what's going on with my claim.
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Nia Thompson
You should try Claimyr to get through to EDD. It bypasses the busy signals and gets you in the queue to speak with an actual person. I was in the same situation - couldn't get through for weeks, then used their service and got through in about 45 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Their website is claimyr.com. It saved me so much frustration after weeks of failed call attempts.
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Luca Esposito
•Does that actually work? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. Has anyone else used this service?
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Mateo Rodriguez
•I used it last month when my certification got stuck. Got through to a rep who fixed it right away. Worth it to not spend days hitting redial.
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Aisha Abdullah
paper check is better anyway u can just cash it instead of dealing with those stupid atm fees on the card. my freind got charged $3.50 just to check her balance lol
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StarStrider
•That's outdated information. The new Money Network cards don't charge fees for balance inquiries if you use their app or website. They also offer one free ATM withdrawal per deposit period. The old Bank of America cards had more fees, but EDD switched providers in late 2023.
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Sean O'Donnell
Just to follow up on what I said earlier - you should also know that you can set up direct deposit once you get your Money Network card. Log into the Money Network app or website, then look for the direct deposit option in the account settings. It takes about 5-7 business days to process the change, but then future payments will go straight to your bank account instead of the card. Much more convenient!
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Anastasia Sokolov
•That's super helpful, thank you! I definitely prefer direct deposit. So to summarize: I'll get this check now, probably get a Money Network card in the mail soon, and then can set up direct deposit for future payments through the Money Network website. That makes perfect sense now.
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Ethan Wilson
This is actually a common occurence with EDD. The first payment is often issued as a check to ensure you receive funds quickly, while the Money Network debit card is being processed and mailed separately. You should receive the card within 7-10 business days. This approach ensures claimants aren't waiting for funds while cards are being processed. One important tip: when you receive your Money Network card, make sure to activate it immediately and create your online account. Even if you cash this check, future payments will automatically go to your card unless you specifically set up direct deposit through the Money Network portal. The EDD contact center can confirm this if you're concerned, but this split payment method (initial check followed by card) is standard procedure for many new claims in 2025.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•Thank you for such a detailed explanation! I feel much better knowing this is normal procedure. I'll keep an eye out for the card and make sure to activate it right away.
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Zara Ahmed
my neighbor said the first payment is always a test to see if your address is correct lol
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StarStrider
•That's not accurate. The first payment isn't a "test" - it's a legitimate benefit payment. EDD sometimes issues the first payment as a check for expediency while the card is being processed, but it's not to verify your address. Address verification happens during the application and ID.me verification process.
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Carter Holmes
I went through this exact same situation about 2 months ago! Got my first payment as a paper check even though the interviewer told me it would be on a card. I was panicking thinking something went wrong with my claim, but it turns out this is totally normal. The Money Network card arrived about 8 days later in a plain white envelope (almost threw it away thinking it was junk mail!). Once I activated the card, all my subsequent payments went straight to it. Definitely cash that check - it's real money and you've earned it. The system is just designed this way to get you paid faster while they process the card.
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Freya Collins
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience! That's exactly what I needed to hear. I was getting really worried that something had gone wrong with my claim, but knowing this happened to you too and everything worked out makes me feel so much better. I'll definitely cash the check and watch for that plain white envelope - good tip about almost throwing it away! It's reassuring to know the system is actually designed to get us paid faster, not because there's a problem.
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Diego Mendoza
I'm a new claimant and this thread is so reassuring! I just finished my eligibility interview yesterday and the rep told me the same thing about getting a Money Network card, so I was expecting that in the mail. Now I know to look for both a check first and then the card separately. It's really helpful to see so many people confirming this is the normal process. One quick question - when you all got your checks, did they come in a regular EDD envelope or was it in some special packaging? Just want to make sure I don't miss it when it arrives!
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