One more thing to add - if your claim does get initially denied because of the previous issue (which happens sometimes because their system is BROKEN), make sure you appeal right away! You only have 30 days to appeal and the hearing process takes FOREVER so don't wait. Good luck!

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar last year. I had an overpayment of about $4,200 that I paid back in full, and when I needed to file again about 6 months later, the process went smoothly. The key thing is that since you paid it back and it wasn't fraud, you're in good shape. My application did get flagged for manual review which added about 2 weeks to the process, but once they verified the overpayment was resolved, everything went through normally. Just be patient if it takes a little longer than usual - that's totally normal given your history. And definitely take the advice here about being super careful with your certifications going forward!

BTW if u apply online its WAYYYY faster than paper forms. Paper forms took my brother like 6 weeks to get approved but when I did it online last yr I got approved in like 9 days. Also the SDI website actually WORKS unlike the crappy UI one that crashes all the time.

Just wanted to add that you should also keep track of any part-time or temporary work you might do between now and your surgery. Even if you pick up some gig work or short-term employment after UI ends, it won't disqualify you from SDI later as long as you're genuinely unable to work due to your medical condition when the time comes. Also, if your surgery gets moved up or delayed, you can always update your SDI application accordingly. The key is just making sure you apply within that 49-day window from when you actually become disabled. Good luck with everything!

UPDATE: I finally got through using the fraud department number that @angryedd4ever suggested! Turns out my account WAS flagged for suspicious activity because I logged in from the coffee shop. They were able to verify my identity over the phone and reset my access. I'm back in my account now and was able to transfer money for rent. Thanks everyone for your help!!!

Wow, this whole thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my Money Network app has been giving me errors for the past two days and I was starting to panic. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions gives me hope that I can get this resolved. It's frustrating that EDD uses such a glitchy system, but at least there's a community here to help each other out. Going to try calling that fraud department number first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and solutions!

glad it worked out for u! thats faster than mine took lol

Congrats on getting it resolved! This thread is super helpful for understanding how separation pay affects EDD benefits. I'm bookmarking this in case I run into the same issue. The Claimyr service sounds like a game-changer for actually getting through to a human at EDD - their phone system is brutal to navigate on your own.

Update us after your interview! I'm curious how it goes because I'm in a similar situation. My understanding is that as long as you're honest going forward and explain that you didn't realize you needed to report the 1099 work initially, you should be okay. They might reduce your weekly benefit amount based on what you earn from the contracts, but you should still qualify for something if your main job was providing most of your income.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! Lost my full-time W-2 job but had been doing some freelance graphic design work on the side that I initially forgot to mention. I was terrified about the interview too, but honestly being upfront about it was the best decision. Here's what helped me: I prepared a simple timeline showing when I started each 1099 contract (both were before my job loss), brought copies of the contracts, and had a rough estimate of monthly earnings from each. The interviewer was actually really understanding when I explained that I didn't think to include them initially because they were such a small part of my income. They did reduce my weekly benefit amount, but I still qualified and have been receiving partial unemployment for months now. The key is being honest and showing that you're actively looking for full-time work to replace your main income source. Good luck with your interview - you've got this!