I've been working part-time at a small restaurant (about 12-15 hours/week) while collecting unemployment for the past 2 months, and I can confirm that the EDD rep gave you accurate information! You absolutely can continue working at your coffee shop and still receive partial benefits. Here's what I wish I had known from the beginning: Set up a tracking system RIGHT NOW before you even do your first certification. I use a simple Google Sheet where I log my hours worked and gross pay for each day. When certification time comes, I just total up each week - it takes literally 2 minutes and eliminates all the stress. The partial benefit calculation works really well. My weekly benefit amount is $340, and when I earn about $195 at the restaurant, I still get around $193 in unemployment benefits. That's $388 total income versus just $340 from unemployment alone - so keeping the part-time job is definitely worth it! Key things that have kept me out of trouble: - Always report GROSS earnings (before taxes) for the week you actually WORKED (not when paid) - Keep every single pay stub as backup documentation - Don't worry about hour variations - some weeks I work 8 hours, others 20 hours, just report accurately - The certification process asks for both hours AND earnings, so track both Your coffee shop job is actually helping you in multiple ways - extra income, staying connected to work, and it counts toward your work search activities. Just be meticulous with record-keeping and completely honest with your reporting. You've got this!

I've been working part-time at a local gym (about 14 hours/week) while collecting unemployment for the past 3 months, and I'm so glad you asked this question because I was just as confused when I started! The EDD rep was absolutely correct - you can definitely work part-time and still receive partial benefits. Here's what's been working perfectly for me: I created a simple Notes app entry on my phone called "Work Tracking" where I jot down my hours and gross pay every single day I work. It takes like 30 seconds each day, but when certification time comes around every two weeks, I just open the note and have all my numbers ready to go. The math really does work in your favor. My weekly benefit is $305, and when I earn around $175 at the gym, I still get about $174 in unemployment benefits. So that's $349 total versus just $305 from unemployment alone - definitely worth the extra effort! The most important things I learned: - Report earnings for the week you actually WORKED (this tripped me up initially!) - Always use gross pay before any deductions - Don't stress about varying hours - I've had weeks with 8 hours and weeks with 22 hours, just be accurate - Keep all your pay stubs just in case Your first certification will feel intimidating, but it's actually really straightforward. You'll check yes that you worked, enter your hours and gross earnings for each week, and EDD automatically does all the calculations for you. You're making a smart choice keeping that coffee shop job - it shows you're actively working and actually helps with your job search requirements too. Just stay organized and be completely honest with your reporting. You've totally got this!

I just got my RESEA appointment notice yesterday and found this thread while searching for what to expect - thank you SO much to everyone who shared their experiences! As someone who's never dealt with unemployment benefits before, I was really worried when I saw that official notice in the mail. Reading through all these positive updates from people like Sergio, Fatima, Daniel, and others who came back to share how their appointments actually went has completely changed my perspective. It's amazing how the reality (supportive, resource-focused, genuinely helpful) is so different from what I was imagining (intimidating interrogation looking for reasons to cut benefits). I'm definitely going to follow the consistent advice I'm seeing: complete that form thoroughly beforehand, prepare a list of recent job applications with company names/positions/dates, and just be honest about my job search efforts. The fact that so many people mentioned getting useful job search tips and learning about resources they didn't know about is actually making me excited for the appointment now instead of dreading it. This is exactly the kind of real-world insight that makes these bureaucratic processes so much less scary - thanks to everyone who took the time to share their actual experiences rather than just speculating!

I just received my RESEA appointment notice this week and was feeling really overwhelmed until I discovered this amazing thread! Reading through everyone's real experiences has been such a relief - I went from panicking about potential "gotcha questions" to actually feeling prepared and even curious about what resources they might share. It's incredible how different the reality sounds (supportive career counseling session) compared to what I was imagining (intimidating benefit eligibility interrogation). I'm definitely following the tried-and-true advice that keeps appearing: completing the form beforehand, preparing a basic list of recent job applications with company/position/date info, and approaching it as a helpful conversation rather than a test to pass. The consistent theme of people getting valuable job search tips and learning about resources they didn't know about is really encouraging. Special thanks to everyone who came back to update us after their appointments - those follow-up posts from people like Sergio, Fatima, Daniel, and others have been incredibly valuable for newcomers like me. This is exactly the kind of peer support that makes navigating these systems so much less intimidating!

This happened to me too with my employer who has offices in both LA and San Francisco! I was so worried it would mess up my whole claim, but it turned out to be way easier to fix than I expected. I called EDD right when they opened (8:00 AM sharp) and got through after about an hour. The rep said these mix-ups with multi-location companies are super common and she corrected it immediately. She even gave me a confirmation number which made me feel way better. My advice: have all your docs ready (correct address, employee ID, paystub showing the right location), call right at opening time, and definitely mention the correction at the start of your phone interview. The whole thing updated in my account within 24 hours and didn't delay my benefits at all. You've got this - don't stress too much! 💪

I actually had this exact same issue earlier this year! My employer had offices in both San Jose and Santa Clara, and EDD somehow got them mixed up on my claim letter. Here's what worked for me: I called EDD right at 8:00 AM sharp and got through after about an hour and a half (which honestly felt like a victory lol). The rep I spoke with was really understanding and said address mix-ups with multi-location employers happen ALL the time. She fixed it immediately over the phone and gave me a confirmation number. Make sure you have ready: - The correct Sacramento office address written down clearly - Your employee ID if you have it - A paystub or offer letter showing the Sacramento location - Your exact hire date The change showed up in my UI Online account within 48 hours, and during my phone interview I mentioned the correction right at the beginning. The interviewer was totally cool about it and just noted it in my file. Don't panic - this won't delay your benefits as long as you get it sorted before your interview, which it sounds like you have time for! The EDD system is actually pretty used to handling these kinds of corrections. You got this! 💪

Glad to see you got it sorted out! This is such a common issue - the EDD really needs to improve their instructions for the Money Network card activation. For anyone else reading this thread who might be having similar problems, here are the key takeaways: 1) You CREATE your PIN during activation, you don't receive one, 2) If the automated system isn't working, call customer service directly, and 3) Consider setting up direct deposit to avoid card delays in the future. The whole process is way more confusing than it needs to be, but once you know the tricks it's manageable.

This whole thread is a perfect example of how broken the EDD communication system is. I went through this exact same nightmare 3 months ago and it's clear nothing has changed. The fact that so many people are confused about the PIN creation process shows that EDD needs to completely rewrite their instructions. It shouldn't take a Reddit-style community thread to figure out basic card activation! For anyone still struggling: call Money Network customer service at 1-866-320-8699, tell them you're trying to activate your EDD card and need help creating your PIN. Don't waste time with the automated system - go straight to a human. And definitely set up direct deposit ASAP so you never have to deal with this card nonsense again.

I'm going through something similar right now! Filed about 10 days ago for reduced hours at my restaurant job (went from full-time to maybe 15 hours a week). Still showing pending and no debit card yet. Reading through all these responses is actually really comforting - sounds like 2-3 weeks is pretty normal for part-time claims. @Avery Davis - one thing that helped me feel more prepared was screenshotting my work schedule each week and saving all my pay stubs. That way if they do call for an interview, I have everything ready to show that the hour reduction wasn't my choice. Good luck with your claim!

I'm in almost the exact same boat! Filed about 2.5 weeks ago for reduced hours at my retail job - went from 32-35 hours a week down to maybe 12-15. Still stuck on pending and getting anxious about it. Reading everyone's experiences here is really helpful though. It sounds like the 2-4 week timeline is pretty standard for part-time claims. I've been keeping all my pay stubs and work schedules like others suggested, just in case they need them for an interview. The waiting is definitely stressful when you're counting on those benefits to make ends meet! Has anyone here had success with calling the 1-833-978-2511 number, or is that just as impossible to get through as the main line? I'm trying to decide if it's worth the frustration of calling or if I should just wait it out another week like most people are suggesting.