I'm going through this exact same process right now and honestly the waiting is the worst part! I completed my ID.me verification on Wednesday (so 3 business days ago) and my claim is still showing pending. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really comforting though - sounds like 7-10 business days is pretty standard. What's been helping me manage the anxiety is making a little checklist of all the things people mentioned: ✓ completed ID verification, ✓ set up direct deposit, ✓ continuing to certify every two weeks, ✓ taking screenshots of my account status. Having that visual reminder that I'm doing everything right helps a lot. I'm planning to wait until next Thursday (that'll be day 10 for me) and if nothing changes by then, I'll try calling first thing Friday morning. The stories about backend flags that only reps can see are making me think it's worth the effort to get through to someone if it goes past the 10-day mark. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines - it really helps to know what to expect! I'll update this thread when my status changes too.

I went through this exact process about 6 weeks ago and want to share what worked for me. After completing ID.me verification, my claim stayed pending for 9 business days before switching to paid. Here's what I learned: The most important thing is to keep certifying every two weeks even while pending - I almost made the mistake of skipping a certification thinking I should wait, but thankfully read advice here to keep going. When mine hit day 12 with no change, I used the early morning calling strategy (called right at 8am when they open) and got through on my third try. The rep found that my employer had submitted conflicting information that created a flag requiring manual review. She cleared it immediately and my payments processed within 48 hours. My timeline breakdown: ID.me verification completed → 9 business days later status changed to paid → direct deposit hit my account 2 days after that. So about 2 weeks total from verification to money in bank. The waiting is absolutely brutal when you're stressed about bills, but based on everything I've seen, most people get resolved within that 7-10 business day window. Just make sure you have direct deposit set up and keep certifying on schedule!

I've been through this process twice in the past few years, and I wanted to add one important detail that might help you sleep better at night: when you do those final certifications with your new job earnings, you'll actually see the system acknowledge your work status. On the certification form, there's a question about whether you worked during those weeks, and when you answer "yes" and report earnings above your weekly benefit amount, the system will literally show "$0.00" as your payment amount with a note that it's due to excess earnings. This creates an official record that you returned to work - it's not like you just vanished into thin air. I kept screenshots of those final certifications just for my own records, and I'm glad I did. When I had to reopen my claim later (thanks, COVID layoffs), the EDD rep could see exactly when and why my benefits stopped the first time. Made the whole reopen process take about 10 minutes instead of potentially weeks of back-and-forth. Construction work can be unpredictable, so having that safety net properly maintained is worth the extra few minutes of paperwork. Good luck with those job leads!

I'm new to unemployment benefits and this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm currently employed but my company has been hinting at layoffs, so I'm trying to understand the system before I potentially need it. One thing I'm curious about from reading all these responses - when you're reporting earnings during those final weeks, do you report gross wages or net wages? And does it matter if you get paid weekly vs. biweekly vs. monthly at your new job? I imagine the timing of when you actually receive your paycheck might not align perfectly with the EDD certification weeks. Also, for someone who's never dealt with EDD before, is there anything else I should know about how the certification process works in general? This community seems to have a wealth of practical knowledge that goes way beyond what's on the official website. Thanks in advance - hoping I won't need this info, but better to be prepared!

This is such a stressful situation but you're not alone! I went through something similar last year where EDD claimed I had unreported wages that were way higher than what I actually earned. A few things that really helped me: 1. Document EVERYTHING - not just paystubs but also your work schedules, timesheets if you have them, and any communication with your employer 2. The fact that you found another employee with a similar name is HUGE - that's probably exactly what happened 3. Don't wait for the appeal if you can help it - keep trying to reach EDD directly as others mentioned One thing I learned is that when employers use automated payroll systems, name mix-ups happen more often than you'd think, especially in large companies. Your HR department should be able to provide a letter confirming the error and your actual wages. Stay strong and don't give up! The appeals process worked for me even though it took forever. You clearly have your documentation in order and a legitimate explanation for the discrepancy.

I went through almost this exact same situation about 6 months ago! EDD said I had earned $3,800 that I never reported, but I was only working part-time at a grocery store making maybe $1,200/month. Turns out it was a payroll system glitch where my wages got combined with someone who had a similar employee ID number. Here's what saved me: I immediately contacted my HR department and asked them to pull my wage records and compare them to what they reported to EDD. They found the error within 2 days and submitted a corrected wage report. The whole thing got resolved without even needing the formal appeal process. Since you found that other employee with a similar name, definitely start there with HR. Get them to confirm your actual wages and ask them to check if there was any mix-up in their reporting. Sometimes fixing it at the employer level is way faster than going through EDD appeals. Also keep all your documentation ready just in case, but hopefully HR can resolve this quickly. Don't let this stress eat you alive - these mistakes happen more than you think and most get resolved once the right people look into it!

Just an additional tip: keep VERY careful records of exactly which days you work and how much you earn each day. If your contract spans across different certification weeks, you'll need to calculate exactly how much to report for each week. EDD goes by Sunday-Saturday weeks. For example, if you work Thursday, Friday, Saturday of one week ($2,600) and then Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of the next week ($2,600), you need to split up the $5,200 accordingly when you certify. I learned this the hard way and had to deal with an overpayment notice because I didn't calculate it correctly!

Just wanted to add - definitely take that contract! That's an amazing rate. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to save some of that contract income for taxes since it won't have the same withholdings as regular employment. Also, make sure you get a 1099 from the company at the end of the year for tax purposes. The unemployment system is actually designed to encourage people to take temporary work like this. It's a win-win - you get great pay for two weeks, and EDD doesn't have to pay you benefits during that time. Your claim will be there waiting for you when the contract ends. Good luck with the gig! Sounds like it could be a great networking opportunity too even if it's just two weeks.

Thank you everyone for all this helpful advice! I've started my UI claim online and am documenting everything carefully. I'm going to speak with my union rep tomorrow about the possible discrimination aspect too. Quick follow-up question: once I start receiving partial benefits, if my employer increases my hours back to full-time, do I just stop certifying? Or do I need to formally close my claim? I'm worried they might temporarily give me more hours just to get me off benefits and then cut them again after a few weeks.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this during your pregnancy! This sounds incredibly stressful. I went through something similar (though not pregnancy-related) and can share what I learned about partial UI. Make sure when you file your claim that you have your pay stubs from before the hour reduction - EDD will need to see your previous earnings to calculate your benefit amount properly. Also, keep a detailed log of your schedule changes with dates. This will be helpful both for your UI claim and if you decide to pursue the discrimination angle. One thing that really helped me was setting up direct deposit for UI payments right away during the application process. It cuts down on delays once your claim is approved. Also wanted to mention - if you're in a union, definitely loop them in ASAP. They often have experience with these exact situations and can advocate for you with your employer. Sometimes just having union representation involved can get employers to back down from sketchy practices. Wishing you the best with your claim and congratulations on your pregnancy! 💕