Military spouse here who went through this exact process in 2024 when we PCS'd from Edwards AFB to Fort Campbell! You absolutely qualify for California UI benefits under the military spouse relocation provision - it's well-established in their system. A few things that really helped me: **Document prep**: Start gathering everything now - PCS orders (with both names), marriage certificate, and your final pay stub. I also recommend getting a brief letter from your employer stating your resignation is due to military orders. Not required, but it can speed up processing. **Filing timing**: This is crucial - file your claim after your last day of work but BEFORE you leave California. Once you're out of state, you'd have to deal with a different state's unemployment system. **Phone interview**: Mine was about 2 weeks after applying and took maybe 10 minutes. They just verified timeline details and asked if I explored remote work options. Having dates written down beforehand really helped. **Work search**: You can apply to remote jobs and positions near Fort Liberty while receiving benefits. I started connecting with military spouse employment groups in the area before our move, which gave me great networking opportunities. The whole process took about 3.5 weeks from application to first payment for me. California handles military spouse situations really well compared to other states. That unemployment cushion made our PCS so much less financially stressful! You're smart to research this ahead of time. Fort Liberty has an amazing military spouse community - you'll love it there! Best of luck with everything! 💪

Military spouse here who went through this process in 2023 when we PCS'd from Point Mugu to Fort Polk! You definitely qualify for California UI benefits under the military spouse relocation provision. Just wanted to add a couple things I haven't seen mentioned yet: **Bank account setup**: Make sure your direct deposit information is correct in the EDD system before you move. I had to update mine after we relocated and it delayed one of my payments by about a week while they processed the change. **Tax implications**: Remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have taxes withheld from your payments (there's an option for this during setup). I learned this the hard way when tax season rolled around! **Certification reminders**: Set up phone/calendar reminders for your bi-weekly certifications. Missing even one can pause your benefits and require calling to get them restarted. I almost missed one during our actual moving week because everything was so chaotic. The whole process took about 4 weeks for me from application to first payment. Having that financial cushion during PCS was such a relief! You're going to do great, and Fort Liberty has an awesome military spouse community. Welcome to the area in advance! 🎖️

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this Maria! I went through the exact same shock when I first filed - it's incredibly frustrating that EDD doesn't make the waiting week policy crystal clear upfront. You're absolutely right to feel blindsided by this. Just to confirm what others have said - yes, this is the standard "waiting period week" and unfortunately you won't get paid for it at the end of your claim either. It's basically a one-week deductible that everyone has to absorb when filing a new claim. Since you mentioned rent is due next week, definitely look into the emergency rental assistance programs others mentioned. Also, many landlords will work with you if you contact them proactively and show proof of your pending unemployment benefits - don't wait until you're already late! One thing that helped me budget during this transition was creating a simple spreadsheet tracking my expected payment dates so I could plan ahead better. The good news is that once you get past this first hiccup, the payments should come regularly every two weeks. This whole system really needs better communication - no one should have to discover major policy details like this after the fact when they're already financially stressed. Hang in there, and I hope things stabilize for you soon!

I'm so sorry you had to discover this the hard way Maria! This exact same thing happened to me when I first filed - I was counting on both weeks of payment and felt completely blindsided when only one showed up. The waiting week policy is real and unfortunately permanent (you never get that week back), but what makes it worse is how poorly EDD communicates this crucial information. Since your rent is due soon, definitely call your landlord today and explain the situation. Most are understanding when you're proactive and can show proof of your unemployment claim. Also, if you haven't already, apply for emergency rental assistance through your county - many programs can help cover that gap while you get stabilized on unemployment benefits. For immediate needs, call 2-1-1 for local food banks and emergency assistance. Some churches and community centers also have small emergency funds specifically for situations like this, even if you're not a member. The silver lining is that once you get past this first payment hiccup, your benefits should come regularly every two weeks. Keep documenting your job search activities and hang in there - this system is frustrating but you'll get through it!

¡Ánimo Isaiah! Estoy viendo todos los consejos increíbles que han compartido aquí y quería agregar algo que me funcionó recientemente. Además de todo lo que han mencionado, te recomiendo que también intentes contactar al 2-1-1 - es un servicio gratuito donde te conectan con recursos locales y a veces tienen líneas directas especiales para el EDD que no están públicamente disponibles. También, si tienes cuenta en las redes sociales, he visto que algunos han tenido suerte enviando mensajes directos a las cuentas oficiales del EDD en Twitter (@CA_EDD) - no siempre responden, pero cuando lo hacen suelen ser más útiles que las llamadas telefónicas. Una cosa más: si después de probar todas estas estrategias sigues sin resultados, considera contactar a los medios de comunicación locales. Muchas estaciones de televisión tienen segmentos de "problema resuelto" donde ayudan a la gente con problemas burocráticos, y el EDD tiende a responder rápidamente cuando hay presión mediática. ¡No pierdas la esperanza! Con toda la información valiosa que han compartido aquí, tienes muchas opciones para explorar. ¡Mantennos al día con tu progreso! 💪✨

¡Qué situación tan desesperante! Yo también estuve en una situación similar hace unos meses y entiendo completamente la frustración. Una cosa que me ayudó mucho fue hacer un horario específico para las llamadas - yo llamaba todos los días a las 8:00 AM exactamente y usaba la función de redial automático en mi teléfono. También quería mencionar algo importante que no he visto aquí: revisa tu cuenta del EDD en línea para ver si hay alguna "interview" o cita pendiente que tal vez no notaste. A veces te asignan una cita telefónica automáticamente y si la pierdes, tu caso se queda pausado indefinidamente sin que te notifiquen claramente. Otra cosa que me funcionó fue crear un email específico solo para correspondencia del EDD y agregarlo como contacto alternativo en mi perfil - esto ayudó porque a veces mandan notificaciones importantes que terminan en spam. He visto todos los consejos excelentes que han compartido aquí y realmente es increíble cómo nos apoyamos entre todos. @148935461000 especialmente gracias por esa información tan detallada sobre los números alternativos y lo del asambleísta estatal. ¡No te rindas Isaiah! Con toda la información que hemos recopilado aquí, tienes muchas herramientas para resolver esto. Mantennos al tanto de tu progreso 💪🙏

This thread is so helpful to read through! I'm in a really similar spot - had my eligibility interview 5 days ago after being laid off from my marketing job. The interviewer was professional but didn't give me much of a sense of how things looked. Reading everyone's experiences here really helps with the anxiety of waiting. It sounds like 4-8 days is pretty typical for straightforward layoff cases. I've been checking my UI Online account obsessively but trying to be patient since it hasn't been the full 10 days yet. @Gemma Andrews so glad yours got approved quickly! That's a huge weight off your shoulders I'm sure. Did you get any kind of email notification or did you just see the status change when you logged in? Trying to figure out the best way to stay on top of updates without driving myself crazy refreshing the page constantly. Also really appreciate the tip about switching to electronic notifications - just made that change too!

The waiting period after an eligibility interview is definitely nerve-wracking! I went through this same process about 6 months ago and remember that anxious feeling all too well. In my case, it took exactly 6 days from interview to decision. What helped me stay sane during the wait was setting specific times to check my UI Online account (like once in the morning and once in the evening) instead of constantly refreshing throughout the day. One thing that might ease your mind - the fact that your interviewer was nice and professional is actually a good sign. In my experience, if there were major red flags with your case, the tone would probably be different. The tech startup layoff sounds pretty straightforward, especially if you have documentation about the company restructuring. Keep certifying for benefits if you're in that cycle already, and definitely keep doing your work search activities during this waiting period. The backpay will cover any weeks you were eligible for once approved. Hang in there - you're almost through the hardest part!

One more thing to consider - since you mentioned this is a 2-year contract completion bonus, make sure you have documentation showing it was earned through work completed BEFORE your layoff date. EDD sometimes gets confused about the timing and might think you're doing ongoing work for your former employer. I'd suggest keeping a copy of your original employment contract that mentions the bonus terms, any emails about the bonus eligibility, and your official layoff notice with dates. This way if they question it during an eligibility interview, you can clearly show it was compensation for past work, not current employment. Better to have too much documentation than not enough with EDD!

I went through something very similar when I got laid off from my software company last year. Had a quarterly bonus coming that I'd already earned but wouldn't receive until after my last day. Here's what I learned from the experience: 1. **Report it during certification for the week you receive it** - not when you earned it 2. **Use the gross amount** before taxes/deductions 3. **Keep all documentation** - employment contract, emails about the bonus, layoff notice 4. **It only affects that one week** - your regular benefits resume the following week 5. **Be prepared for possible eligibility interview** - they may want to confirm it wasn't ongoing work The process was actually pretty straightforward once I understood the rules. When I certified for that week, I selected "Yes" for other income, chose "Bonus" from the dropdown, and entered the gross amount. My benefit was $0 that week since the bonus exceeded my weekly amount, but everything went back to normal the next certification period. One tip: if you get nervous about the process, you can always call EDD before you certify to confirm how to report it properly. They're usually helpful when you're being proactive about reporting income correctly.