Aria, your situation with the sudden job duty change without discussion or training sounds incredibly frustrating - and potentially illegal depending on your employment contract! The fact that they called manual warehouse work a "lateral transfer" from customer service is pretty ridiculous. To answer your question about the hearing - definitely include BOTH angles in your case. The medical documentation about your back injury is absolutely relevant evidence, especially if the new duties aggravated a pre-existing condition. This isn't "making excuses" - it's showing that the employer created working conditions that were genuinely unsuitable for you personally. But also focus heavily on the procedural issues: no discussion, no training, completely different job duties than what you were hired for. That shows they didn't act in good faith about the "transfer." For medical documentation, include: - Any doctor's notes about your back injury (even old ones) - Documentation if you informed your employer about the injury - Any communications where you raised concerns about the physical demands This creates a strong case for "good cause" to quit - they essentially forced you into a job you physically couldn't do and weren't hired for. Great job getting started with CalFresh and DoorDash! The gig work grind isn't fun but it helps bridge the gap. Your case sounds really strong with all that email documentation about the duty changes. Keep organizing everything chronologically like others suggested - you've got this! 💪

I'm at week 4 of my appeal process after being disqualified for "voluntary quit" when my employer cut my hours from 32/week down to 12/week with no explanation or discussion. Found this thread through a Google search and honestly it's been more helpful than anything EDD has provided! The timeline everyone's describing is both terrifying and helpful to know - at least I can plan for 7-10 weeks instead of hoping for something unrealistic. I've been doing Uber Eats to survive but it's barely covering gas and basic expenses. Already started implementing advice from this thread: - Applied for CalFresh last week (still waiting to hear back) - Created a timeline document with all the hour reduction communications - Gathering pay stubs showing the dramatic decrease - Found my local legal aid clinic and scheduled an appointment One thing I'm struggling with is whether to include information about my manager's attitude change toward me before the hour cuts started. She became really hostile after I requested a few days off for a family emergency, then my hours got slashed two weeks later. Is that too speculative to include, or could it help show a pattern of retaliation? The mental health aspect of this is brutal - the uncertainty combined with financial stress is overwhelming. But seeing everyone support each other here gives me hope. Thanks for creating such an invaluable resource for those of us navigating this nightmare system! 🙏

mines finally came through this morning!! check ur account again

So glad to see everyone's payments are starting to come through! I'm new to unemployment benefits and this was my first holiday delay - I was definitely stressed out like Giovanni was. It's really helpful to know this is normal and happens with every holiday. I'll bookmark this thread for future reference since I'm sure I'll need these reminders for July 4th and other holidays coming up. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice!

I just went through this exact situation last week! Unfortunately, if you're still on hold after 8PM, the system will automatically disconnect you - there's no callback feature for after-hours holds. I learned this the hard way after waiting 3+ hours. My suggestion is to hang up now and save your energy for tomorrow. Try calling at exactly 8:00 AM using one of those shortcut methods Tom shared - that's how I finally got through after weeks of trying. Also, have your Social Security number, claim number, and any relevant documents ready before you call so you can move quickly once connected. The EDD system is frustrating, but persistence pays off! You've got this!

I've been in your exact shoes! Unfortunately, EDD will automatically disconnect you at 8PM when their system shuts down - no callback option for after-hours holds. I know it's painful to hang up after hours of waiting, but you're better off calling fresh tomorrow at 8AM sharp. That's when I finally got through after multiple failed attempts. Use one of those shortcut videos Tom posted - they really work! Also, prep all your info tonight (SSN, claim number, documents) so you're ready to go quickly once connected. The waiting game is brutal but don't give up - you'll get through!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact process in December 2024! My regular UI benefits exhausted right before the holidays (talk about stressful timing), but the extension process worked pretty much exactly as everyone here described. A few things that might help ease your anxiety: 1. I got my extension notice on day 6 after exhaustion, and payments resumed on day 8 - so right in that 7-10 day window everyone mentioned 2. The "California Extended Duration Benefits" program gave me the full 13 weeks at my same weekly amount ($580) 3. Most importantly - I kept certifying during the gap and all those certifications were honored once the extension kicked in One thing I wish I'd known: when you get the extension notice in UI Online, there's a small PDF attachment that explains the new work search requirements. Make sure to download and read it carefully because the requirements ARE slightly different for extensions (as someone mentioned about needing to expand your industry search). For medical device sales - have you looked into companies doing medical AI or remote monitoring devices? That sector is exploding right now and they really value traditional medical sales experience. A friend of mine transitioned from pharmaceutical sales to a company making AI diagnostic tools and said the earning potential is actually better than traditional med device. Hang in there - both the extension and the job market will work out. The system really has gotten more reliable over the past year!

I'm a newcomer here but going through a very similar situation! My regular UI benefits exhaust in about 3 weeks and I've been losing sleep over what happens next. This entire thread has been like finding gold - so much practical, real-world advice that you just can't get from the EDD website. A few questions for the group: 1. For those who've gone through the extension recently, did you notice any changes to your UI Online dashboard during that 6-8 day waiting period, or does it just look like your claim is dead until the notice appears? 2. I'm also in medical sales (surgical devices) and the job market feels brutal right now. Has anyone had success with contract or temp-to-perm roles while waiting for permanent positions? I'm wondering if that might be a good bridge strategy. 3. For the work search requirement expansion - when they say you need to look at other industries, do they actually verify this through the job contacts you report, or is it more of a general expectation? I'm definitely going to implement all the tips shared here - setting up text notifications, creating a tracking spreadsheet, and reaching out proactively to my landlord about potential payment timing. Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences. It's amazing how much more manageable this feels when you know what to actually expect!

Romeo, I was in almost the exact same situation last month! Filed my claim, got approved with my weekly benefit amount, then waited what felt like forever to certify. In my case, it was 18 days before the certification option showed up in my UI Online account. The waiting is nerve-wracking, especially when bills are due, but it sounds like you're following the normal timeline based on what others have shared. One thing that helped me was setting up a daily reminder to check my UI Online account at the same time each day (I did it with my morning coffee) so I wouldn't obsess over it throughout the day. Since your effective date was April 12th, you're probably looking at being able to certify around April 26th. Hang in there - the backpay will cover those waiting weeks once everything kicks in!

I went through this exact same waiting period about 6 months ago after being laid off from my job. The 15-day wait feels eternal when you're stressed about money, but from what I experienced and what everyone here is saying, you're right on track. My certification didn't show up until day 17, and then I was able to certify for all the back weeks at once. One thing that really helped me during the waiting period was calling 211 to see if there were any local emergency assistance programs for utilities or food while I waited for EDD to kick in. Some counties have programs specifically for people waiting on unemployment benefits. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're documenting any job search activities you're doing now - you'll need to report those when you do start certifying. The wait is frustrating but sounds like you're doing everything right!