I just went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Here's what I learned from navigating the EDD claim with pending severance negotiations: **File your claim TODAY - don't wait!** I made the mistake of hesitating for a few days thinking I needed all the details first, but that just cost me benefits I was entitled to. When I filed, I checked "yes" for expected severance and wrote in the additional comments: "Severance package currently under legal negotiation - amount and timeline TBD, will report immediately upon determination." My negotiations ended up taking 9 weeks through my attorney, but my UI claim processed normally and I received benefits the whole time. I just continued my bi-weekly certifications, answering "no" to income questions until I actually received the severance payment. **Key tips that saved me:** - Screenshot every page of your application showing you disclosed pending severance - Keep detailed notes of what you report in each bi-weekly certification - Call EDD immediately when your severance is finalized (don't try to figure out the online reporting on your own) When my severance finally came through, I called EDD and the rep said this is super common. They allocated my 6 weeks of severance pay to the first 6 weeks after my termination date, so I owed back some benefits for those weeks. But they automatically set up a payment plan with no penalties since I reported it promptly. The system is actually designed for exactly this situation - don't let the uncertainty keep you from filing and getting the benefits you're entitled to while lawyers work out the details!

I'm in this exact same situation right now - just got laid off yesterday and my attorney is handling severance negotiations too! After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm feeling much more confident about how to proceed. The overwhelming consensus seems to be: FILE IMMEDIATELY and don't wait for negotiations to finish. I was initially worried about not having all the details, but it's clear from multiple people's stories that EDD is actually set up to handle this common scenario. My plan based on all the advice here: 1. File my claim today and clearly indicate severance is pending legal negotiations 2. Keep detailed documentation of everything (screenshots, certification notes, etc.) 3. Continue bi-weekly certifications normally until I actually receive severance 4. Call EDD immediately when the amount is finalized to report it properly What really stands out to me is how many people mentioned that EDD reps said "this happens all the time" and were understanding about the situation. It's reassuring to know the system can handle uncertainty around severance timing. One quick question for those who've been through this - when you eventually called EDD to report your final severance amount, roughly how long did you have to wait on hold? I'm trying to mentally prepare for that phone call when the time comes. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this thread has been infinitely more helpful than anything on EDD's website!

Wow, what a journey this thread has been! I just went through something very similar last week with a different set of documents, and reading through all these solutions makes me wish I'd found this community sooner. I ended up spending three full days trying that same fax number with zero success, then finally stumbled across the off-hours strategy on my own around 2 AM - worked like a charm! The Claimyr service mentioned here is absolutely worth the small fee if you need to talk to an actual person quickly. One additional tip I'd add: if you're using a FedEx or UPS store for faxing, ask them to try sending during their slowest hours (they usually know when that is) and some locations will actually attempt multiple sends for you if the first few don't go through. It's ridiculous that we need all these workarounds in 2025, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people actually share real solutions that work!

This entire thread is an absolute masterclass in community support! I've been dealing with EDD on and off for the past year and have bookmarked so many random forum posts trying to piece together solutions, but this single conversation has more practical, actionable advice than everything else combined. The progression from Ethan's initial panic to his successful resolution, with everyone chiming in with real strategies that actually work, is exactly what makes online communities invaluable. I'm particularly impressed by how people shared specific details - exact times that worked, actual service recommendations with links, even the insider info about FedEx store timing. As someone who's about to face my own document submission deadline next month, I now have a complete battle plan: attempt during off-hours first, use Claimyr if I need to speak with someone, document everything obsessively, and don't be afraid to ask for extensions when their systems inevitably fail. It's honestly criminal that EDD's infrastructure is this unreliable, but threads like this prove that we can outsmart their broken systems when we work together!

This whole thread is like reading my own nightmare documented by dozens of other people. I've been stuck in EDD hell for 4 weeks now - calling every single day, multiple times per day, following every "pro tip" mentioned here, and I've gotten through to hold exactly TWICE, only to have both calls drop after 90+ minutes. The psychological toll of this is unreal. I'm starting to develop anxiety just thinking about making the calls, but I can't stop because my benefits are frozen and I'm running out of savings. The fact that we're all here sharing war stories and call statistics like survivors of some bureaucratic disaster zone shows how completely this system has failed us. After reading everyone's experiences with Claimyr and similar services, I think I need to just accept reality and pay for what should be free government access. It goes against everything I believe about how this should work, but I can't afford to keep playing a rigged game while my life falls apart. Thank you to everyone sharing their stories - knowing I'm not alone in this insanity is literally the only thing keeping me functional right now.

I'm completely devastated reading through all of these experiences because it's exactly what I've been going through for the past month. I've made over 150 call attempts, documented every single one with timestamps, and I've gotten through to an actual human being exactly zero times. ZERO. The closest I got was sitting on hold for 3 hours and 20 minutes before the call just died. I'm behind on my car payment, my credit cards are maxed out, and I'm eating ramen noodles for every meal because I can't access my own benefits. The worst part is that my issue is probably something that could be resolved in 5 minutes if I could just talk to someone. After reading everyone's success stories with Claimyr and similar services, I'm swallowing my pride and trying it tomorrow. I hate that I have to pay a private company to reach my own government, but I literally cannot continue living like this. To everyone else stuck in this nightmare - you are not crazy, you are not alone, and this system is deliberately designed to break us. We deserve so much better than this.

I'm in the exact same boat as you! Just got my Money Network card a few days ago and was shocked when I could only withdraw $300 at the CVS ATM near my place. Really glad you asked this question because these responses are super helpful. Sounds like the key is finding a major bank ATM (Chase, Wells Fargo, etc.) during business hours rather than those convenience store ones. The $1,000 daily limit should definitely cover rent, but it's frustrating that individual ATMs have their own lower caps. I'm definitely downloading that Money Network app everyone keeps mentioning - seems like the ATM locator feature is essential for avoiding fees and finding machines that actually let you withdraw decent amounts. Thanks for starting this thread, really saved me from a lot of trial and error!

I've been using the Money Network card for about 8 months now and can definitely confirm the $1,000 daily ATM withdrawal limit. Here's what I've learned that might help you get your rent money without multiple trips: **Best ATM locations for higher withdrawals:** - Major bank branches (Chase, Wells Fargo, BofA) during business hours - these consistently allow $800-1000 per transaction - Credit union ATMs often have good limits and lower fees - Avoid convenience store/gas station ATMs - they usually cap at $300-400 **Alternative options if you need more flexibility:** - Bank teller withdrawal with ID: up to $10,000 per transaction - Cash back at grocery stores: $100-200 extra without counting against ATM limit - Online rent payment directly from card if your landlord accepts it **Essential tip:** Download the Money Network mobile app ASAP - the ATM locator shows fee-free locations and will save you tons in surcharge fees. I probably would have paid hundreds in unnecessary fees without it. For your immediate rent situation, I'd suggest heading to a Chase or Wells Fargo branch ATM during business hours. You should be able to get most or all of what you need in one transaction. Good luck!

One thing I'd add - if you're using tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block, they usually have an option to import your 1099G directly from EDD once it's available online. This can save time and reduce errors from manually entering the numbers. Just look for the "Import from EDD" or "Import Tax Documents" feature in your tax software. However, make sure the amounts match what you see on your actual 1099G form before submitting, since these automated imports can sometimes have glitches.

Just a heads up for everyone - I've been on unemployment for about 8 months now and I noticed that if you receive any overpayment notices or have to pay back benefits during the year, that can affect your 1099G amounts too. My friend had to repay some benefits from early 2024 due to an eligibility issue, and her 1099G showed the net amount (what she actually kept) rather than the gross amount initially paid out. So if you've had any overpayment situations, don't be surprised if your 1099G doesn't match your mental math of all the payments you received throughout the year. Just something to keep in mind when you're reviewing the form!