To summarize what everyone is saying: 1. Severance typically counts as wages in California for UI purposes 2. How your severance was paid matters (lump sum vs. ongoing payments) 3. You likely did the correct thing by waiting until severance ended to file One additional point: your benefit year is still 12 months from when you filed in June, so you're not losing any potential weeks of benefits - you're just receiving them over a different timeframe. The maximum number of weeks you can collect in California is still 26 weeks within your benefit year. Since you're already receiving payments, focusing on maximizing your current benefits and job search is likely the best use of your time rather than trying to backdate the claim.

As someone who just went through a similar situation a few months ago, I can confirm you absolutely did the right thing! I was laid off in February with 12 weeks of severance pay and made the mistake of filing immediately thinking I could get benefits on top of severance. Big mistake - I had to report my severance income every two weeks during certification and received $0 in UI benefits until my severance ended. It was basically just extra paperwork for no benefit. When my severance finally ended in May, THEN I started receiving my weekly UI payments. Your approach of waiting until June was much smarter. You saved yourself months of pointless certifications and you're getting the same total amount of benefits anyway. Don't second-guess yourself - the system is designed exactly for situations like yours where people receive ongoing severance payments. The only time filing immediately makes sense is if you get a true lump sum payment all at once, but even then you'd only be eligible after that single week where you received it.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same worry! I've been collecting UI for about 7 months and have a money market account that earned around $20 total in interest. Like many of you, I was initially confused because the EDD system can be so unclear about what exactly needs to be reported. After reading through all these responses and doing my own research, I'm now confident that we only need to report income from actual work when certifying - not passive investment income like interest or dividends. The certification form is pretty specific about asking for work-related income. However, I do want to emphasize what others have mentioned - both your UI benefits AND any investment income still need to be reported on your tax returns, just not during the biweekly EDD certification process. It's frustrating that EDD doesn't make this distinction clearer, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where we can help each other navigate these confusing situations. Thanks OP for asking this question - I'm sure it's helped a lot of people who were silently worrying about the same thing!

I've been lurking on this community for a while but finally decided to create an account because this exact question has been stressing me out for weeks! I've been on unemployment for about 5 months and have a small CD (certificate of deposit) that matured last month and earned about $45 in interest. I was literally having nightmares about accidentally committing fraud because I wasn't sure if I needed to report it during certification. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief - the distinction between "work income" (which you report to EDD) and "passive investment income" (which you only report on taxes) finally makes sense. I went back and re-read my certification questions and you're all absolutely right - they specifically ask about work and earnings from work, not investment returns. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to research and share their experiences, especially those who called their banks to check actual amounts or clarified the EDD requirements. This is exactly why communities like this are so valuable - navigating unemployment is stressful enough without having to worry about accidentally breaking rules that aren't clearly explained. I feel like I can finally sleep better knowing I've been doing my certifications correctly!

I'm brand new to this community and just filed my first unemployment claim yesterday! This entire thread has been absolutely incredible - I was literally googling "do I report savings account interest EDD" at 2am last night because I was so stressed about it. My high-yield savings earns about $38/month and I was completely torn between wanting to be honest and not wanting to accidentally reduce my benefits over something that might not even matter. Reading through everyone's real experiences and the clear explanations about "work income" vs "passive income" has been such a lifesaver! It makes total sense that EDD only cares about money you actively earn through work or services, not interest that just accumulates automatically from your assets. The fact that so many people got official confirmation from EDD reps really gives me confidence going into my first certification. Thank you all for sharing your situations and helping us newcomers understand this confusing system - this community is amazing!

I'm completely new to this community and unemployment benefits in general, and this thread has been such a lifesaver! I just started my claim last week and have been absolutely terrified about making any mistakes during certification. I have a money market account that earns around $52/month in interest, and I was planning to report it just to be on the safe side. But after reading through everyone's experiences and explanations about the difference between "work income" (money earned from actually working/providing services) vs "passive income" (money that accumulates automatically from your assets), it's so much clearer now! It's incredible how many people were dealing with the exact same worry - makes me feel less crazy for stressing about it. The fact that multiple community members got direct confirmation from EDD representatives that bank interest doesn't need to be reported is really reassuring for those of us who are new to this whole process. Thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences and helping newcomers like me navigate this confusing system with confidence!

I'm actually an EDD case worker and wanted to jump in with some additional guidance that might help. A few key points that haven't been fully covered: First, regarding the gap in benefits while your CTB application is processing - you should continue certifying as normal and keep doing your work search activities. If your CTB gets approved, it will be retroactive to when you first reported attending school, so you won't lose those weeks of benefits. Second, for nursing programs specifically, make sure your school is listed in EDD's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). Most accredited nursing programs are, but it's worth verifying on the CalJOBS website before you submit your application. Third, document everything related to your layoff from the medical assistant position. If it was due to healthcare industry changes or facility restructuring, that can actually work in your favor for CTB approval since you're retraining within the same industry. One thing I always tell claimants - when you fill out the DE 2402 form, attach a personal statement explaining how your nursing training directly relates to your previous work experience and current labor market conditions. EDD likes to see a clear career progression plan. Also, don't just rely on online submissions. If you can, drop off your CTB paperwork in person at your local office and ask for a receipt. This creates a paper trail and often speeds up processing. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions about the process!

This thread has been a goldmine of information! As someone who just started the CTB process myself for a medical coding program, I wanted to add one more resource that helped me. The California Workforce Development Board website has a really helpful CTB fact sheet that breaks down all the requirements in plain language - much clearer than the official EDD forms. Also, if you're having trouble reaching your local EDD office, try calling first thing Monday morning around 8:05 AM. That's when I finally got through after weeks of busy signals. One last tip - when you're gathering documentation for your CTB application, include any correspondence about your layoff (termination letter, WARN notice, etc.). My case worker said this helps them understand your situation better and can speed up approval. Best of luck with your nursing program - healthcare workers are desperately needed right now!

I went through a very similar situation last year and want to share some additional tips that helped me win my appeal. First, document EVERYTHING - I created a timeline with dates, times, and exact quotes from conversations. Second, if you have any coworkers who witnessed positive feedback about your performance or heard the termination meeting, ask them to write brief statements for you (they don't have to attend the hearing). Third, look up your company's employee handbook - if they didn't follow their own progressive discipline policy before terminating you, that's huge evidence in your favor. The fact that they said you were "showing great improvement" just two weeks before letting you go is actually really strong evidence that this wasn't misconduct. Stay strong and don't let them intimidate you - the appeal process exists exactly for situations like this where employers try to avoid paying into the unemployment system by making false claims!

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! My employer told me they were "restructuring my position" but then reported to EDD that I was terminated for poor attendance (I had maybe 2 sick days in 8 months). The inconsistency between what they tell you vs what they tell EDD is SO common. From what I've learned researching my own case, California has a really high bar for proving misconduct - it has to be willful or deliberate violation of company policy, not just performance issues. The fact that your supervisor literally used the words "letting you go" and gave you positive feedback so recently makes this sound like a layoff/performance termination, not misconduct. Definitely appeal and emphasize that disconnect between their positive feedback and sudden termination. Also document everything NOW while it's fresh - exact quotes, dates, who was present. I'm rooting for you! These employers shouldn't be able to deny people benefits by changing their story after the fact.