Just wanted to add that when you do apply for CTB, make sure your nursing program is on the approved training list first! You can check this on the EDD website under "Eligible Training Provider List" or ask your program's financial aid office - they usually know. Some programs aren't approved and you'd waste time going through the whole process. Also, if you do get approved for CTB, you'll need to submit monthly progress reports to EDD showing you're maintaining satisfactory academic progress. Good luck with your application!

I went through this exact process last year! One thing I'd add is that if you do get approved for UI and CTB, keep detailed records of everything - your class schedules, grades, attendance, etc. EDD sometimes does random audits of CTB recipients and they'll ask for proof you're actually attending school and making progress. I got audited about 6 months into my program and had to provide transcripts and a letter from my program coordinator. It was stressful but having everything organized made it much easier. Also, don't be discouraged if your initial UI application gets denied - like others said, the appeals process can work in your favor if you have good documentation about trying to keep your job while starting school.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my claim last week and got awarded only $174/week when I know I should be getting much more based on my recent earnings. Reading through all these comments has been so helpful - I had no idea about the Alternative Base Period or that you have to specifically request it. Quick question for those who've been through this - when you submitted your appeal, did you include a cover letter explaining your situation, or did you just fill out the DE 1000M form? Also, has anyone tried calling EDD first to see if they can just recalculate it over the phone, or is the formal appeal process the only way? I'm gathering all my Q4 2023 paystubs now and will definitely use that formula someone mentioned to calculate what my benefit should be. This community is amazing - thank you all for sharing your experiences and helping each other navigate this confusing system!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm a newcomer here and had no idea that EDD doesn't automatically use the Alternative Base Period - what a sneaky way for them to minimize payouts. Reading everyone's experiences, it seems like the key takeaways are: 1. File the DE 1000M appeal form ASAP 2. Include detailed documentation (Q4 2023 paystubs, cover letter, calculations) 3. Be crystal clear that you're requesting ABP recalculation 4. Use certified mail AND upload online if possible 5. Keep certifying while waiting for the appeal For those who successfully appealed - did any of you face pushback from EDD initially, or were most appeals approved pretty straightforwardly once you provided the proper documentation? I'm trying to get a sense of how often they actually deny legitimate ABP requests. Also, has anyone dealt with this situation where you had multiple jobs during Q4 2023? I'm wondering if that complicates the calculation at all or if EDD just adds up all the earnings from that quarter regardless of how many employers. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find on EDD's website!

Wow, reading through all these experiences has been both frustrating and reassuring at the same time! I'm currently dealing with this exact issue - been locked out for about 10 days now because I can't remember my last payment amount from early 2022. It's honestly mind-boggling that they'd use such a flawed security system that locks out legitimate users while asking for information that's realistically impossible to remember after years. What really stands out to me from this thread is how Jackson came back to share his successful resolution - that kind of follow-up is so valuable for everyone else struggling with this! The 8 AM calling strategy seems to be the real key here, and knowing that EDD reps have alternative verification methods available gives me actual hope instead of just despair. I'm also really encouraged to hear they're phasing out these payment-related security questions. It's about time they recognized this was a terrible approach! For a system that's supposed to help people, creating barriers that prevent legitimate users from accessing their own accounts is just backwards. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and solutions here. This thread has convinced me to stop procrastinating and make that call tomorrow morning. The community support in dealing with these government bureaucracy nightmares really makes all the difference!

This thread has been incredibly helpful and shows exactly why peer-to-peer support is so valuable when dealing with government systems! I'm bookmarking this for future reference because the collective wisdom here is way better than anything on the official EDD website. What really strikes me is how this demonstrates a fundamental design flaw in their security system - asking people to remember specific dollar amounts from years ago is just setting everyone up to fail. It's like they prioritized creating barriers over actually helping legitimate users access their accounts. The 8 AM calling strategy that keeps coming up seems to be the real game-changer here. Jackson's 40-minute wait time is honestly much better than I expected based on all the horror stories floating around. And the fact that EDD reps have alternative verification methods available (but don't advertise this clearly) is both reassuring and frustrating at the same time. I'm really glad to hear they're finally phasing out those payment-related security questions. Hopefully other government agencies will learn from this mess and design better user experiences that don't punish people for being human and not memorizing every financial detail from their past!

To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

I'm dealing with a similar situation - pending payments for weeks now. One thing that helped me was calling right at 8:00 AM when they open, and I kept hitting the prompts quickly: 1-2-1 then your SSN, then 1. Sometimes it takes dozens of tries but I finally got through. Also, make sure you don't have any flags on your account that might be causing the hold - things like identity verification issues or work search requirements. When you do get through, ask them specifically what's causing the pending status. Don't let them just transfer you without an explanation. Good luck Santos!

Wow, thanks for the detailed update! This is super helpful. I've been struggling with the same verification code issue for my UI claim. I'm definitely going to check my contact info in UI Online tonight and try calling right at 8am tomorrow. It's encouraging to hear that you actually got through and resolved your issue. The fact that it was an employer documentation problem makes sense - seems like a lot of these "pending" claims are just waiting for some kind of verification or correction that could be handled much more efficiently. Fingers crossed I have similar luck!

This is exactly why I've been putting off dealing with my pending claim for weeks! The thought of waiting hours just to potentially get disconnected because of some verification code I might not receive is so demoralizing. Reading through everyone's experiences here though, it sounds like the key is really making sure your contact info is 100% accurate in UI Online first. I'm going to bite the bullet, double-check all my account details tonight, and try the 8am strategy tomorrow. It's ridiculous that we have to strategize this much just to get basic assistance, but at least there seems to be a path forward. Thanks for sharing your success story - gives me hope that persistence actually pays off sometimes!