Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who works in payroll and has seen this scenario countless times - you're absolutely doing the right thing by continuing to certify even during your high-earning weeks. The EDD system is specifically designed to handle fluctuating income situations like yours. One thing that might ease your mind: when you report earnings above your WBA, the system automatically calculates $0 benefits for that week, but it also maintains your claim status and benefit year timeline. Think of those weeks as "paused" rather than "lost" - your remaining benefit balance stays exactly the same and will be there when your hours drop again. Also, since you mentioned being stressed about reapplying - as long as you're within your benefit year (which you are until June 2025) and you keep certifying regularly, you'll never need to file a new claim. The only time you'd need to reapply is if your benefit year expires or if you stop certifying for an extended period and your claim goes completely inactive. Your on-call situation is actually pretty standard in today's economy, so don't feel like you're gaming the system or doing anything wrong. You're using UI exactly as intended - as a safety net during periods of reduced work!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! I work as an on-call substitute teacher and some weeks I get zero calls, then suddenly I'll get called for 3-4 days straight that puts me way over my WBA. What really helped me was calling EDD directly (took forever to get through) and the rep explained that as long as I keep certifying every two weeks and report everything honestly, my claim stays active even during those $0 weeks. She said the key is NEVER skip certifying, even when you know you won't get paid that period. One tip that might help - I started keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking my hours and earnings each week so when it's time to certify I have everything organized and accurate. Makes the whole process less stressful when you're prepared with exact numbers rather than trying to remember what you worked two weeks ago. You're definitely not alone in this - seems like more and more people are dealing with these irregular schedules while on UI. The system can handle it, just stay consistent with your certifications!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! Unfortunately, this seems to be happening more and more frequently with EDD interviews. I went through something similar a few months ago where they completely no-showed on my scheduled interview time. The good news is that you eventually got through and have a new date set for Friday - that's actually faster than many people are experiencing right now. When I had my rescheduled interview, I made sure to: 1. Have all my documents organized in a folder beforehand 2. Write down a simple timeline of events that led to my job separation 3. Keep my phone plugged in during the entire window (learned that the hard way!) 4. Call in about 5 minutes early just in case Since your situation involves a family emergency, make sure you can clearly explain why leaving your job was your only reasonable option. They're typically looking for "good cause" which medical emergencies definitely qualify for. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you're already dealing with financial stress, but hang in there! Once they approve your claim, you should get all those back weeks of benefits. Wishing you the best of luck on Friday - hopefully this will finally get resolved for you!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! Had my eligibility interview scheduled for yesterday morning and they never called. It's so stressful when you're already worried about finances and then EDD adds this extra layer of uncertainty. Reading through everyone's responses here has been really helpful though - especially knowing that this is a widespread issue and not something I did wrong. I'm going to follow the advice about documenting everything and trying to reach them in the next day or two. Thanks for posting about this because it's reassuring to know there's a community of people who understand what we're going through with EDD right now!

Another option to consider is getting a reloadable prepaid card like Green Dot or Netspend that allows cash deposits at participating retailers. You can load your cash tips onto those cards at places like CVS, Walgreens, or 7-Eleven (usually a small fee around $3-5). Then you can use that card for purchases or transfer the money to a regular bank account later. It's not as convenient as being able to deposit directly to your EDD card, but it gives you more flexibility than having to deal with money orders every time you get cash tips.

I'm in a similar situation with cash tips from my part-time job! What I ended up doing was opening a free checking account at a local credit union specifically for my side income. Credit unions usually have lower fees than big banks, and many offer completely free checking with no minimum balance. I deposit my cash there, then use their mobile app to transfer money to my main account when needed. It also makes it super easy to track my side income separately for when I file taxes next year. Plus having that separate account gives me a clear record of exactly how much I earned from tips each week when I do my EDD certifications.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where I need EDD payment proof for my apartment application. Based on all the advice here, it sounds like there are several good options: the payment history printout from UI Online (which worked for the original poster), the Monetary Determination letter that @Ruby Garcia mentioned, or calling EDD for an official verification letter. I'm going to try the payment history printout first since my application deadline is tight, but it's good to know about these backup options if my property manager needs something more official. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - it makes navigating this whole unemployment documentation process so much less stressful when you know what actually works!

As someone who's helped family members navigate EDD documentation, I'd recommend starting with the payment history printout since it worked for @Paolo Longo and most reasonable landlords. However, I've noticed some property management companies (especially the larger corporate ones) can be pickier about documentation format. If you run into resistance, don't panic - you have good backup options like the Monetary Determination letter through UI Online or the verification letter via phone/Claimyr. One thing I'd add is to always keep a digital copy of whatever documentation you end up using, because you'll likely need proof of unemployment income for other things down the road (utilities assistance, healthcare subsidies, etc.). The key is having multiple formats ready so you're not scrambling when deadlines hit!

Update: I called Money Network this morning and they confirmed my card was mailed on March 2nd as shown in my UI Online account. They said due to high volume, delivery can take up to 15 business days, which would be next Tuesday. The agent suggested waiting until then before requesting a replacement, since replacement cards take the same amount of time unless I pay for expedited shipping. I think I'll wait until Tuesday, and if it doesn't come, I'll use that Claimyr service to reach EDD directly to see if there's anything else that might be causing the delay. Thanks everyone for your help!

I went through something similar last summer. My card took 16 business days to arrive, and I was panicking about rent too. One thing that helped me while waiting was calling 211 (the United Way helpline) to ask about emergency rental assistance programs in my area. Some counties have programs that can help with rent while you're waiting for unemployment benefits to become accessible. Also, if you have a credit union or community bank, they're sometimes more willing to work with you on payment extensions when you can show proof of pending unemployment benefits. Hope your card arrives soon!