UPDATE: I certified on March 2nd as scheduled, and you all were right! They took $600 to clear my overpayment balance and released the remaining $300 to my EDD debit card. It took about 2 days for the payment to process. Thanks everyone for your help explaining how this works!

That's awesome news! Thanks for coming back to update us - it really helps other people who might be in the same situation. It's such a relief when EDD actually processes things the way they're supposed to. Now you can focus on your job search without worrying about penalty weeks hanging over your head. Hope things keep improving for you!

So glad to hear you found a better path forward with SDI! I went through something similar a couple years ago and the medical leave route really saved me. Just a heads up - make sure to keep copies of all the paperwork your doctor submits, and don't be surprised if SDI asks for additional documentation during the review process. They were pretty thorough with my case but ultimately approved it. Hope you get the time you need to recover properly. Taking care of your mental health is just as important as physical health!

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I work in HR and see these situations fairly often. The SDI route that you chose is definitely the smart move! One thing I'd recommend is also looking into whether your company offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - many do and they can provide additional mental health resources and sometimes even help navigate the leave process. Also, if your company has 50+ employees, you likely qualify for FMLA protection which means your job will be protected while you're on medical leave. This gives you peace of mind that you'll have a position to return to when you're ready. Make sure to formally request FMLA if you haven't already - it runs concurrent with SDI but provides the job protection piece.

I just wanted to add another perspective from someone who's been through this process recently. I missed my EDD appeal hearing about 3 months ago due to never receiving the notice, and like everyone here, I was absolutely panicking about the overpayment ($11,200 in my case). What really helped me was calling the Appeals office multiple times to make sure they had all my current contact information on file - phone, email, AND mailing address. Turns out they had my old email from 2 years ago! I also asked them to send any future correspondence via email AND regular mail to be extra sure. When I filed my Request to Reopen, I included a sworn declaration (you can find templates online) stating under penalty of perjury that I never received the hearing notice. This seemed to carry more weight than just a regular letter. The judge approved my request in about 12 days, which was faster than the 20 days they quoted me. My new hearing is actually scheduled for next week, so I can't report on the final outcome yet, but the process of getting the reopening approved went much smoother than I expected. Don't lose hope - the system may be frustrating but there are definitely ways to work through it when you're persistent and thorough with documentation. Hang in there everyone! We've got this! 💪

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare situation! I went through something very similar about 6 months ago and the stress was absolutely overwhelming. Like you, I never received the actual hearing notice - just the acknowledgment letter saying they got my appeal. Here's what worked for me: I immediately filed a Request to Reopen (you have 20 days from the decision date) and included a very detailed explanation about never receiving the notice. I also gathered any evidence I could - USPS tracking info, screenshots of my UI Online account showing my correct address, even a statement from my mail carrier about delivery issues in my area during that time period. The most important thing is acting fast and being thorough with your documentation. The judges do understand that EDD has serious mail delivery problems - I've read that they see these missed notice cases constantly. My Request to Reopen was approved in about 15 days, and my new hearing was scheduled 5 weeks later. I know $9,500 feels insurmountable right now, but don't give up! You're taking all the right steps by filing that request immediately. The fact that you were legitimately laid off and collected benefits according to the rules at the time should work in your favor. Keep us posted on how it goes - we're all rooting for you!

Something I wish someone had told me when I went through this - keep ALL your documentation organized from day one! I'm talking severance agreement, termination letter, pay stubs showing your last regular paycheck vs severance payment, bank deposit records, everything. When EDD inevitably has questions or if there's any confusion in their system, having that paper trail ready makes resolving issues SO much faster. I spent hours on hold with EDD trying to explain my situation without proper documentation the first time. Also, screenshot your EDD account after each certification showing exactly what you reported - I've heard of cases where people's reported amounts somehow got entered incorrectly in the system. Better to have the proof and not need it than be scrambling later when you're already stressed about finding work.

This thread is incredibly helpful! I just wanted to add something that might help with the timing confusion - when I was laid off from my startup last year, I called EDD's customer service line BEFORE filing my claim to ask specifically about my severance situation. Even though it took forever to get through, the rep walked me through exactly how to report my severance and what to expect week by week. She even noted my account so if I had issues later, there would be a record of the guidance I received. It was worth the wait because I avoided a lot of the confusion others have mentioned. Also, she told me that tech companies sometimes structure severance in ways that can be tricky to report, so having that conversation upfront helped me ask my HR team the right questions about payment timing and categorization. Definitely recommend this approach if you can get through to someone!

This thread is absolutely incredible and should be stickied! As someone who's been helping people navigate EDD issues for years, I can confirm that @Hailey O'Leary's experience is unfortunately very typical - employers misreporting termination reasons to avoid higher UI tax rates is more common than people realize. What makes me so frustrated is that EDD has the technology to send you detailed notifications about why your payment is pending, but they choose not to. The "pending" status with zero explanation is intentionally vague to discourage people from following up. For anyone new to this: if your first payment is pending more than 5-7 days, there's almost certainly a flag that requires manual removal by a specialist. Don't wait weeks hoping it will resolve itself - it won't. The tips shared here (early morning calls, tier 2 requests, documentation ready) are spot-on. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - you're literally helping people survive during their most vulnerable times when the system is designed to make them give up.

This thread has been absolutely amazing to read! As someone who's currently waiting on my first unemployment payment (been pending for 3 days now), seeing @Hailey O'Leary's complete journey from panic to resolution within one phone call gives me so much hope. I had no idea that employers could basically fabricate reasons for termination to avoid paying higher unemployment insurance premiums - that's honestly shocking and feels like it should be fraud! The practical advice everyone shared here (calling at 8:01am, requesting tier 2 specialists immediately, having all documentation organized) is incredibly valuable. It's sad that we have to rely on this community to understand how the system actually works instead of getting clear communication from EDD themselves. The fact that they could easily explain why payments are pending but choose to keep us guessing with vague statuses is really frustrating. I'm definitely not going to wait much longer before calling - this thread has convinced me that "pending" almost always means there's a specific issue that won't resolve itself. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences and tips!