Just explain exactly what happened - that you're a substitute teacher trying to collect legitimate benefits during summer break, have been waiting X weeks, and can't get anyone on the phone who can actually help. They'll have you fill out a form authorizing them to inquire about your case. Their office deals with EDD problems constantly, so they know exactly what to do.

I know this is frustrating, but there's actually a reason behind the school employee flags. EDD is required by federal law to verify that school employees don't receive benefits if they have "reasonable assurance" of returning to work after a break. The system automatically flags ALL school employees for this verification - it's not personal or targeted at you specifically. Once you have your interview, clarify your substitute status with no guarantee of hours. Having documentation ready will speed things up. After the initial interview, you might still see pending payments but they should resolve all at once when your eligibility is established.

Just a follow-up about the Money Network timing: if you certified early Sunday morning, your payment likely was processed in Monday's batch. Money Network typically receives the funds Tuesday, then takes 1-2 business days to make them available on your card. So Thursday is actually right on schedule. One tip: try setting up alerts in the Money Network app. This way, you'll get a notification as soon as funds are deposited.

this one time i certified and it said paid but money didnt come for TWO WEEKS!! found out there was a flag on my account for "excessive earnings" even tho i only reported like $120 from my side gig lol. EDD is weird sometimes but if urs already says paid ur probably fine

my cousin got fired after 2 months and still got benefits they just asked more questions and had a phone interview

Just make sure you SAVE EVERYTHING - any messages where she said you were doing a good job, the termination paper, EVERYTHING! EDD interviews are all about EVIDENCE. If you have proof she was initially happy with your work, that strengthens your case that there was no misconduct. The burden of proof is on HER to show why you shouldn't get benefits. The system isn't perfect but at least has SOME protections for workers!

I went thru this last year and ended up doing Instacart, which was better than food delivery cuz I didn't have to drive as much. just shopping and then dropping off in my neighborhood. not great money but better than nothing!

UPDATE: I got through to EDD this morning! The rep said I DO qualify for a new claim, but at a much lower benefit amount ($97/week vs. my previous $450). She said this is because my base period only includes that one quarter with the November job. It's not much, but it's something to help with groceries while I keep searching for work. She also confirmed the CalFresh application should be approved since my income is now so low. Thank you everyone for the advice and support. For anyone else in a similar situation - definitely check if you have ANY earnings during your benefit year that might qualify you for a new claim, even a small one.

just curious wht kind of job was this? retail? office? factory? different industries have different standards for what counts as "hostile" so it might matter

On the day of your hearing, arrive early (at least 30 minutes), dress professionally, and bring multiple copies of all your evidence (one for you, one for the judge, and one for the employer's representative). Also, as stressful as it may be, try to get a good night's sleep beforehand so you can think clearly. Finally, don't be afraid to respectfully ask the judge for clarification if you don't understand a question. And remember that if the employer doesn't show up for the hearing (which happens quite often), that significantly increases your chances of winning as long as you can articulate your case clearly.