I'm going through this EXACT same verification loop nightmare right now! Just received my EDD Money Network card this morning and have been stuck trying to activate it for the past 4 hours. That spinning circle at the final verification step is absolutely infuriating - it just sits there forever while I'm stressing about bills that need to be paid. When I try calling the number on the back of the card, it immediately says my verification is "in process" and hangs up on me. Reading through all these detailed responses has been such a huge relief though - I was starting to think I was somehow messing up the process or that my phone was broken. It's clear this is a massive widespread system failure on Money Network's end that they just haven't bothered to fix despite affecting so many people who desperately need access to their benefits. Based on everyone's step-by-step advice here, especially the 8 AM calling strategy and the pressing 0 trick to bypass their broken automated system, I'm definitely going to call 1-866-320-8699 first thing tomorrow morning. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to develop workarounds for their faulty technology when we're already stressed about accessing our own money, but I'm so grateful this community has shared these proven solutions. Will definitely post an update after I try the phone method! Thanks to everyone for taking the time to share your experiences - this community is a lifesaver when the official systems completely fail us!

I'm dealing with this EXACT same verification loop issue right now! Just got my EDD card yesterday and have been stuck in that nightmare spinning circle for hours. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I was starting to think I was losing my mind or doing something fundamentally wrong with the app. It's absolutely insane that Money Network has such a widespread system failure affecting so many people who desperately need access to their benefits, yet they haven't bothered to fix it. Based on all the detailed step-by-step advice shared here, especially the 8 AM calling strategy and pressing 0 trick to bypass their broken automated system, I'm definitely going to try calling 1-866-320-8699 first thing tomorrow morning. Having to hack around their faulty technology just to access our own money is ridiculous, but I'm so grateful this community has figured out what actually works when the official systems fail us. Will update once I get through to them - fingers crossed! Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions and making me feel less alone in this frustrating mess.

This is incredibly helpful information! I've been stuck in the interview queue for about 8 weeks now and my situation is getting desperate. A few questions if you don't mind - when you say "hardship documents," what specific types of paperwork did you include? I have medical bills, notice from my landlord about late rent, and some utility shut-off notices. Also, when you called back after faxing, did you specifically mention the fax number (714-736-3103) to help them locate your documents faster? I'm definitely going to try this approach - thank you so much for sharing what worked for you!

This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been stuck waiting for an interview for 3 months now and my savings are completely depleted. Just to make sure I understand correctly - you fax everything to (714) 736-3103 with a cover letter that includes your account number, then call back in 1-2 days asking to speak to a tier 2 rep about the hardship documents you faxed? Did you have to explain your whole situation again over the phone or did they already have your fax when you called? Also, roughly how long did it take from when you faxed to when you actually got your backpay? Thank you so much for giving us hope!

I'm in a similar boat right now - just started a temp welding job that's paying way more than my weekly benefit amount. Reading all these responses has been super helpful! It sounds like the consensus is crystal clear: keep certifying no matter what. I was actually leaning toward stopping certification to "save myself the hassle" but now I realize that would create WAY more hassle later. It's good to know that EDD's system is designed to handle these temporary work situations and that the transition back to benefits is automatic when you're honest about your earnings. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating EDD's confusing processes!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago with a temporary electrical work contract! Everyone here is giving you solid advice - definitely keep certifying. I was making around $3200/month during my temp job, way over my $380 weekly benefit amount, but I certified every two weeks like clockwork. Just reported my earnings honestly and got the expected $0 payments, but my claim stayed active the whole time. When that job ended after 5 weeks, I literally certified the next week with no work and my benefits resumed immediately - no delays, no paperwork, no phone calls to EDD. The system worked exactly as designed. The key is being consistent with your certification schedule and accurate with your earnings reporting. Trust me, those few minutes every two weeks to certify are SO much better than potentially weeks of waiting to reactivate a claim later!

This whole thread is exactly what I needed to see! I'm in week 3 of waiting for my initial claim to be processed and have been so stressed about the timeline. Reading everyone's real experiences - especially that most people get their money within 2-3 business days after authorization - is incredibly reassuring. The EDD website doesn't give clear timelines so having actual community experiences is invaluable. I'm bookmarking this thread for when (hopefully!) my payment gets authorized. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories instead of just doom and gloom - it really helps us newcomers know what's normal!

This thread is so encouraging! I'm currently dealing with the same situation - my payment was authorized yesterday and I've been anxiously checking my bank account every few hours. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like I should see the money by Monday or Tuesday at the latest. It's such a relief to read actual timelines from real people rather than trying to decipher the vague information on the EDD website. The fact that most people are getting their direct deposits within 2-3 business days after authorization gives me so much peace of mind. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver for those of us navigating unemployment for the first time!

I'm in almost the exact same situation right now - just got laid off from my tech job last Friday with a 5-month severance package. I was planning to wait until the severance ended to file, but after reading through all these responses, I'm totally convinced that would be a huge mistake! The information about protecting your base period calculation is something I never would have thought of, and hearing about people losing thousands of dollars by waiting is eye-opening. I was feeling guilty about the idea of filing while getting severance payments, but everyone's explanations about how the system is designed to handle this situation really make sense. One question - when you report the severance as "other income" during certification, do you need to specify that it's severance pay, or do you just put it in as general other income? I want to make sure I'm being as clear as possible with EDD about what type of payment it is. Filing my claim first thing Monday morning! This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences and preventing me from making what would have been a very expensive timing mistake.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Got laid off from my consulting job three days ago with a 6-month severance package and was completely torn about when to file. I was leaning toward waiting until the severance ended because it felt "wrong" to file while getting paid, but reading through all these responses has completely changed my mind. The base period protection issue is something I had no clue about - the fact that waiting could cost thousands of dollars due to quarterly shifts is honestly shocking. I was focused on the ethics of filing while receiving severance and totally missed the financial mechanics of how benefit calculations work. What really sealed it for me was hearing from the employment lawyer about severance being "deferred compensation for work already performed" versus UI being "insurance against job loss." That distinction makes it crystal clear that these are separate entitlements, not double-dipping. I'm filing my claim tomorrow morning and will report my severance as other income during certification. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - this thread literally saved me from what would have been a very expensive mistake. The consensus is overwhelming: file immediately to protect your benefit year and base period calculation, even if you feel weird about it initially. The system is designed exactly for this scenario!