I'm a newcomer to this community but unfortunately dealing with a very similar situation! My check from 2.5 weeks ago shows as "paid" in my UI Online account but never made it to my mailbox. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea about resources like the 211 service or local emergency rental assistance programs. Based on what I'm learning from this thread, it sounds like the key strategies are: - Document EVERYTHING (screenshots, call logs, etc.) - Use the mandatory 10 business day waiting period to prepare and gather resources - Call EDD at 8 AM sharp on business day #10 with all info ready - Reach out to local assistance programs immediately rather than waiting One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I contacted my local community action agency yesterday and they have an emergency assistance program specifically for people waiting on delayed government benefits. They were able to help with groceries and said they might be able to assist with partial rent if I bring documentation showing my EDD payment was issued but lost. This whole system is absolutely maddening when you're already struggling financially, but this community has provided more practical, actionable advice than any official resource I've found. Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know there are people who've made it through this nightmare and can offer real guidance! For anyone else dealing with this, don't give up. From what I'm reading here, persistence and having backup support systems in place seems to be the key to surviving the wait. We'll get through this! 💪

I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with the exact same situation right now! My check from 3 weeks ago shows "paid" but never arrived. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about so many of these resources and strategies. A few things I'm taking away from this thread that I wish I'd known earlier: - The 10 business day wait is mandatory, so use that time to gather documentation and reach out for help - Document everything (screenshots, call logs, payment details) - Call 211 for emergency assistance - multiple people mentioned this saved them - Contact landlord/utilities proactively with EDD documentation - Call EDD at 8 AM sharp on business day #10 with all info ready I just called my local 211 today after reading about it here and they connected me with two emergency assistance programs I didn't even know existed. One can help with groceries and the other might be able to assist with partial rent while I wait for this mess to get sorted out. It's frustrating how we all have to become experts at navigating this broken system just to get our own money, but this thread has been more helpful than any official EDD resource I've found. Thank you to everyone for sharing your real experiences and practical advice - it makes this whole nightmare feel less isolating when you know others have made it through! For the OP and anyone else dealing with this, hang in there. Based on what everyone's shared, persistence and having backup support systems seems to be the key. We'll get through this! 💪

This thread has been such a relief to read! I just filed my claim two days ago and was already anxious about what to expect with my first certification. Seeing how many people went through the exact same confusion and panic over the waiting period really helps me feel prepared. It's honestly shocking that EDD doesn't explain this basic requirement anywhere obvious - like during the initial application process or even in a simple FAQ on the main page. You'd think after dealing with thousands of confused claimants every week, they'd figure out that a one-sentence explanation could prevent so much unnecessary stress. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is proving way more informative than EDD's actual website! At least now I'll know that seeing "waiting period" is totally normal and not a sign that I messed something up.

I'm reading through all these responses and it's honestly shocking how many of us went through the exact same panic! I just got my first certification results yesterday and that "waiting period" with $0 literally made me think the system was broken or that I'd somehow failed my application. It's so reassuring to know this is completely normal, but seriously - why doesn't EDD put a simple explanation right on the certification results page? Something like "Waiting Period: This is your required unpaid week per California law" would save so many people from freaking out. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this thread has been more helpful than anything I could find on EDD's actual website!

I'm new to this community but wanted to chime in since I just went through a very similar situation about a month ago! I was also transitioning from SDI to unemployment and had uploaded my CalJOBS resume about 20 days late due to technical issues with my old account. My eligibility interview ended up being exactly what everyone here has described - entirely focused on my work capacity after disability, with zero mention of the late CalJOBS upload. The interviewer asked about my injury, when I was medically cleared, any current restrictions, and my job search efforts. The whole call took maybe 10 minutes. I was so stressed beforehand about the CalJOBS delay, but it really seems like these interviews are automatically triggered by the SDI-to-unemployment transition and they're just checking the box that you're able to work now. Having your medical clearance ready is definitely the most important thing. You're clearly well-prepared and have all the right documentation. Don't let the CalJOBS timing stress you out - from everything I've seen, it's really not their focus for this type of interview. Good luck on Wednesday, and definitely update us on how it goes!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it sounds almost identical to yours! I just had my eligibility interview two weeks ago after transitioning from SDI to unemployment. My CalJOBS resume was also late - about 14 days because I had forgotten my old account password and kept putting off dealing with it. The interview was completely focused on my work capacity after disability. They asked about the nature of my injury, when I was medically cleared to return to work, whether I had any current restrictions, and if I was actively job searching. The whole call lasted maybe 15 minutes and CalJOBS never came up once! I had been so worried about the late upload, but it's clear from my experience and everyone else's here that these interviews are automatically generated when you transition from SDI and they're really just verifying you're able to work now. The interviewer was professional and straightforward - no gotcha questions or compliance interrogation. You're already well-prepared with your medical clearance and seem to have a good handle on your job search activities. Based on everything I've read in this thread, you're going to do just fine on Wednesday! The pattern is so consistent across everyone's experiences. Looking forward to your update!

This thread has been so helpful! I'm actually going through something similar right now - got my first eligibility interview completed about a month ago, everything seemed fine, got a few payments, but now I have another interview scheduled after my latest certification. Reading through everyone's experiences here really puts my mind at ease. It sounds like this happens more often than you'd think, and most of the time it's either employer paperwork, system glitches, or just routine reviews rather than any real problem with your claim. @Grace Patel thanks for sharing your outcome - it's really encouraging to see that calling EDD actually worked and they were able to resolve it quickly once you got through to someone. I'm definitely going to try calling tomorrow morning before just waiting around for my scheduled interview. For anyone else dealing with this, it seems like the key takeaways are: 1) Don't panic, it's more common than you think, 2) Try calling EDD first to see if they can explain what triggered it, and 3) Have all your documentation ready just in case you do need to go through the interview again. This community is amazing for sharing real experiences with these confusing EDD processes!

As someone who's been dealing with EDD for over a year now, I can tell you that multiple interviews unfortunately aren't that uncommon, especially with how backed up and glitchy their system has been lately. What likely happened is that your employer submitted additional documentation after your first interview (maybe their HR department was slow to respond initially), or there was some kind of wage discrepancy that flagged your account for review. The good news is that since you already passed one eligibility interview and received payment, you're probably in good shape. The second interview will likely just be them verifying the new information against what you already told them. Definitely call them ASAP though - like others mentioned, they might be able to clear it up over the phone and release your payment without making you wait for the scheduled interview. I've had success calling right at 8am when they open. Have your claim number ready and be prepared to explain that you already completed an eligibility interview and received payment. Don't let this stress you out too much - it's frustrating but very solvable! Keep us posted on how it goes.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Losing someone you've been caring for is incredibly difficult both emotionally and financially. I wanted to add something that might help based on my experience working with EDD claims - if you encounter any issues during the certification process, there's actually a specific category in EDD's system for "lack of work due to client/recipient unavailability" which is exactly what happened in your situation. Some representatives are more familiar with this than others. Also, since you mentioned you've never applied for unemployment before, here's something that caught me off guard when I first certified: they ask about your availability for work every week, and one of the questions is whether you were "too sick to work" on any day. This includes mental health days, so if you need time to grieve, it's okay to answer honestly - just know it might affect that week's benefits. The IHSS work you did absolutely counts as legitimate employment history. You've been paying into the system and deserve these benefits. From everything shared here, it sounds like you're doing all the right things with your application. Keep us posted on how it goes - your experience will definitely help other IHSS providers who might face this situation in the future. Take care of yourself during this transition.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I just wanted to say that reading through this entire thread has been incredibly helpful and heartwarming to see how supportive this community is. I'm currently an IHSS provider for my elderly mother, and while I hope I won't need this information for a long time, it's reassuring to know that if something happens, there are resources and people who understand the process. The detailed advice everyone has shared here - from listing the county Public Authority as the employer to being prepared for potential confusion from EDD staff - is invaluable information that I'm saving for future reference. It's clear that IHSS providers do qualify for unemployment benefits, but the process can have some unique challenges that this community really knows how to navigate. Thank you to everyone who shared their personal experiences, especially during what I know were difficult times in their lives. This kind of knowledge-sharing is exactly what makes communities like this so important for people in caregiving roles. I hope your claim process goes smoothly, and please do update us on the outcome when you can.