I'm really sorry you're going through this - what a terrible way to end what sounds like a solid work relationship! I've been following this community for a while and your situation unfortunately sounds all too familiar. I was let go from my retail management position about 6 months ago for "leadership concerns" despite never receiving any formal feedback or coaching about my management style. Like you, I had recent positive interactions (including successfully leading our busiest sales quarter) right up until the termination. I applied for EDD benefits the same day I was fired and was approved within about 2 weeks. My former employer tried to contest it, but when EDD asked them to provide documentation of the leadership issues they claimed existed, they couldn't produce anything substantial. The EDD representative told me that without progressive discipline or written warnings, it's very difficult for employers to prove misconduct worthy of benefit denial. The most important thing is to apply immediately through the UI Online system and be completely truthful about the circumstances. Don't downplay what happened, but also don't embellish - just state exactly what occurred. That positive performance review from 4 months ago is going to be incredibly valuable evidence if they do try to contest your claim. You absolutely deserve these benefits - you've been paying into the system, and sudden termination with vague reasoning and no documentation is exactly the type of situation unemployment insurance is designed to help with. Don't let them make you feel guilty about applying!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - it's incredibly frustrating when companies use vague termination reasons without any documentation to back them up! Your situation sounds textbook for EDD approval though. The fact that you received a positive performance review just 4 months ago and they can't provide specific examples of these "performance issues" really works in your favor. I went through something very similar about 8 months ago when I was let go from my project coordinator role for alleged "organizational deficiencies" but had never received any coaching or write-ups. I was terrified to apply for unemployment because I thought being fired meant automatic disqualification, but that's absolutely not true! EDD approved my claim because my employer couldn't demonstrate any pattern of warnings or progressive discipline. The key thing to remember is that poor performance ≠ misconduct in EDD's eyes. Misconduct requires willful disregard for your employer's interests, which clearly doesn't apply here. Apply through UI Online immediately and be completely honest about the circumstances - mention that positive review and the lack of any prior warnings. Even if your employer contests (which many do automatically), EDD consistently sides with employees when there's no real documentation of misconduct. You've paid into this system and absolutely deserve these benefits while you get back on your feet. Don't let them make you second-guess yourself - you know you were doing your job well, and EDD will see that too!

This situation is definitely stressful, but you're asking all the right questions! I went through something very similar when my company moved operations to Arizona last year. The most important thing to remember is that when a company relocates your position to another state and you can't reasonably follow, that's considered involuntary separation - NOT quitting. A few key points from my experience: First, definitely participate in the interview process for other positions if they're offering it. This shows good faith effort on your part and actually strengthens your unemployment case. Second, start documenting everything NOW - save all emails about the restructuring, and follow up any verbal conversations with written summaries sent via email. Third, when you eventually apply for EDD benefits, be very specific about the language you use - something like "position eliminated due to company relocation to out-of-state location." The whole process took about 2-3 weeks for my claim to be approved once I applied. EDD called both me and my former employer to verify the details, but it was pretty straightforward since I had all the documentation ready. Don't let your company make you feel like you're abandoning them - they're the ones making your job impossible to perform by moving it across the country. You should absolutely be able to count on EDD benefits if you end up without a position. Hang in there!

I'm in a very similar boat right now - my company just announced they're consolidating my department and moving it to Texas next quarter. I can't relocate because my elderly mother lives with us and depends on her local doctors here in CA. Reading through everyone's experiences is giving me so much hope that this won't be considered "quitting voluntarily." One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I called the CA Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) just to double-check my understanding of the law, and they confirmed that being unable to relocate due to family obligations is considered a "good cause" reason under California unemployment law. They said EDD recognizes that not everyone can just pick up and move to another state, especially when you have dependents or family care responsibilities. Also, for anyone worried about severance packages affecting unemployment - I learned that in most cases, severance pay doesn't disqualify you from benefits, it just might delay when they start. The key is making sure the severance agreement doesn't include language that makes it look like you resigned voluntarily. Definitely worth having someone review any paperwork before signing! Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it's making this whole stressful situation feel much more manageable knowing there's light at the end of the tunnel.

To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

I had a similar issue trying to reach PFL. What worked for me was calling the SDI number (1-800-480-3287) that Katie mentioned, but I had to call right when they opened at 8 AM to get through. The wait times are brutal, but early morning seems to be your best bet. Also, make sure you have all your documents ready before calling since they'll ask for a lot of information to verify your claim.

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with something similar right now - got my claim approved two weeks ago and just certified for the first time yesterday. Only received one week's payment so far, but after reading everyone's experiences here, I'm feeling much more confident that the second payment will show up in the next day or two. It's honestly ridiculous that EDD doesn't explain this processing delay anywhere - I was starting to think there was an error with my certification. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories, especially @Hugh Intensity for the detailed updates. This kind of peer support really makes navigating EDD's confusing system so much easier!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same nightmare about 6 months ago! The split payment thing on first certifications is SO common but EDD literally tells you nothing about it. I remember refreshing my bank account every hour thinking something was wrong with my claim. What's even more frustrating is that their customer service reps don't always know about this either - I called and got three different explanations from three different agents. The reality is their system just processes first-time certifications weirdly, usually paying one week immediately and the other within 72 hours. Really glad to see @Hugh Intensity got their second payment! For anyone else going through this, definitely wait at least 3-4 business days before panicking. And bookmark this thread - it's become like an unofficial EDD FAQ at this point!

As someone who recently went through the legitimate EDD identity verification process, I can confirm that it's ONLY done through ID.me and accessed through your UI Online account. The process involves uploading documents (license, passport, etc.) and taking a selfie for facial recognition - no video calls with agents whatsoever. The fact that the email domain ended in @ca-edd-verify.net is a dead giveaway it's a scam since EDD only uses @edd.ca.gov. Really glad you asked here first! These scammers are getting more sophisticated by including personal details like claim numbers, but the verification process itself never changes. Always go directly to UI Online when you need to check anything about your claim status.

Just wanted to add another red flag for anyone reading this - legitimate EDD communications never create urgency with threats like "your claim will be marked as fraudulent" if you don't respond within 48 hours. Real verification processes give you reasonable time frames and multiple ways to complete them. The pressure tactics are classic scammer behavior designed to make you panic and click without thinking. If EDD actually needed urgent action on your claim, it would show up prominently in your UI Online account dashboard, not just in an email. Always take a step back when you feel pressured by any official-looking communication!