I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - had my phone interview two weeks ago and three of my pending weeks just switched to disqualified yesterday. Like others mentioned, I'm still being asked to certify for new weeks which was confusing me too. Reading through these responses has been really helpful though! I haven't received my Notice of Determination yet but I'm checking my UI Online inbox daily. It's reassuring to know that disqualified weeks don't necessarily mean your whole claim is dead. The stress of not knowing what's happening while bills are piling up is the worst part. Definitely going to start documenting everything super carefully for future certifications based on the advice here. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My two pending weeks just switched to disqualified yesterday after my eligibility interview, and I've been panicking thinking my whole claim was rejected. But reading everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - it sounds like this is actually pretty common and usually just affects those specific weeks, not the entire claim. I'm still being prompted to certify for this Sunday too, which was confusing me until I read the explanations here. I haven't gotten my Notice of Determination yet but I'll be checking my UI Online inbox obsessively now. The waiting and not knowing what's happening while bills keep coming is honestly the most stressful part. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with EDD's confusing system!

Thanks everyone for all the great advice! I'm going to: 1. Research UX programs on the EDD approved list first 2. Complete the DE 8736 form for CTB approval BEFORE enrolling 3. Gather documentation showing UX design is in demand in my area 4. Try to time the approval close to when my regular benefits end Really appreciate all the insights - this community is amazing. Will update once I hear back from EDD about my application!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this recently. I was in a similar situation - graphic designer who got laid off and wanted to transition to UX. One thing that really helped my CTB application was creating a "career transition plan" document that showed how UX design directly builds on my existing graphic design skills. I included salary comparisons, job growth projections for UX vs traditional graphic design, and even found specific job postings that mentioned "graphic design background preferred" for UX roles. The EDD rep during my determination interview was impressed that I had a clear career progression strategy rather than just picking a random program. She said it strengthened my case that this was genuine workforce development, not just extending benefits. Also - start collecting those job demand statistics NOW. I used Bureau of Labor Statistics data, LinkedIn job insights, and local job board searches to show UX demand in my metro area. Having concrete numbers ready made the interview go much smoother. Your timing sounds good with 10 weeks left - that should give you enough buffer to get approved and start the program before your regular benefits expire. Best of luck!

For anyone still trying manually: make sure you're calling M-F between 8am-5pm Pacific. Don't waste time calling weekends or outside business hours.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now. Been calling for 4 days straight and can't get through either. My unemployment got suspended and I have bills due next week. Reading all these comments about hundreds of calls just to maybe get on hold is terrifying. Starting to think I need to look into those callback services people are mentioning because this manual calling approach clearly isn't working for any of us.

Just wanted to add my experience to help others who might find this thread in the future! I had the exact same thing happen to me about 3 weeks ago - EDD called at 12:15pm for a 4-6pm interview slot while I was in a dentist appointment. I followed the advice that everyone's been sharing here: immediately sent a message through UI Online explaining the situation with exact times, then called the rescheduling number from my interview notice. It took me about 6 tries over two days to get through, but once I did, the rep was actually pretty understanding. They rescheduled me for the following week and noted that EDD had called outside the window. My benefits weren't interrupted at all during the process. The key really is acting fast and having all your documentation ready. It's such a relief to see how many people have successfully resolved this issue - gives me hope that EDD isn't completely impossible to work with when they make mistakes on their end!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! This exact situation is unfortunately way too common with EDD. I went through something similar a few months ago - they called me at 9:30am for a 2-4pm window while I was at a medical appointment. Here's what worked for me: First, immediately log into your UI Online account and send a detailed message explaining that they called outside the scheduled window (include exact times). Then look at your interview notice carefully - there should be a separate phone number specifically for rescheduling missed interviews that's different from the main EDD line. That number is usually much easier to get through! When you speak with them, ask for a "good cause" exemption since they called outside their own protocol. Take screenshots of your original appointment notice as proof of the correct time window. Don't panic - this is fixable if you act within 24-48 hours. The key is being persistent and documenting everything. Most people in this situation get successfully rescheduled without any impact on their benefits. You've got this!

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread to read through! As someone who's been on EDD for about 4 months now, I had no idea how to handle contract work with delayed payment. The consensus here is super clear and reassuring. What I'm taking away is: 1. Report work when you actually do it, not when you get paid 2. Keep detailed daily records of hours worked 3. Be as precise as possible when estimating earnings 4. Your remaining weeks get preserved for later use (within your benefit year) 5. Have clear contract documentation with start/end dates The stories from people who actually went through this exact situation are so valuable. It's clear that being honest and proactive with reporting is the way to go, while trying to hide work or delay reporting just leads to overpayment headaches and penalties later. @dd84d3bd2424 you're definitely approaching this the right way by planning ahead. This thread should give you all the confidence you need to handle your 2-week freelance project properly while preserving those 3 remaining benefit weeks for when you really need them!

This thread has been incredibly educational! I'm currently on EDD and have been wondering about this exact scenario with freelance work. Reading through everyone's experiences has really cleared up my confusion about the timing of reporting work vs. payment. It's so helpful to see the consistent advice from multiple people who've actually been through this - report when you work, not when you get paid, and EDD will preserve your remaining weeks. The emphasis on keeping detailed records and being precise with earnings estimates is really valuable too. @dd84d3bd2424 it sounds like you have a solid plan now based on all this great advice. The fact that so many people have successfully navigated this same situation should give you confidence that you're handling it the right way. Good luck with your freelance project!