I went through the exact same situation in February - got cut from 40 to 22 hours. The EDD website was confusing but I finally figured it out. One tip: after you apply, there's a mandatory one-week waiting period before benefits start. So you won't get paid for the first week you certify for - that threw me off when I first saw my claim summary. Also check out the Work Sharing program if your company has multiple employees in the same boat: https://edd.ca.gov/en/Unemployment/Work_Sharing_Program/

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I was in a similar situation last fall when my hours got cut from 35 to 18 per week. The partial UI definitely helped, but I'd also suggest looking into local food banks and utility assistance programs while you're waiting for your claim to process. In my area, 211 (dial 2-1-1) connected me to emergency rent assistance that helped bridge the gap during that first month. Also, if you have any skills like tutoring, pet sitting, or handyman work, consider picking up some gig work - just make sure to report those earnings accurately when you certify. The combination of partial UI plus a few extra gig hours helped me stay afloat until I found a better full-time position. Hang in there - this situation is temporary even though it feels overwhelming right now!

As someone completely new to this community and the unemployment system, I'm honestly both grateful and terrified after reading through all these experiences! I had my own eligibility interview scheduled for next month and was going in completely blind until I found this thread. The pattern everyone's describing is absolutely infuriating - EDD seems to be actively hunting for reasons to disqualify people rather than helping them during an already stressful time. Taking online courses, having family responsibilities that can be worked around, even just natural conversation pauses... these are all completely normal parts of life that shouldn't disqualify anyone from working! What's been incredibly valuable is all the specific language advice shared here. I'm definitely going to practice saying "ready, willing, and able to accept full-time employment immediately" and being super explicit about my availability hours instead of just saying "I'm available." It feels almost scripted, but clearly that's what this broken system requires to avoid dangerous misinterpretations. I'm also starting a much more detailed documentation system now - tracking every job application, networking event, and even my daily availability schedule. It's ridiculous that we have to be this defensive about proving we want to work, but at least this community is giving us real strategies that actually help people navigate EDD's adversarial approach. Thanks to everyone who shared both their frustrating disqualifications and successful appeals - it shows there's hope even when they get it wrong initially. This thread is worth more than all of EDD's official guidance combined!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by how helpful everyone's experiences have been! I just received my eligibility interview notice yesterday and was feeling pretty anxious about it until I found this thread. Reading through all these stories has completely changed how I'm going to approach the interview. What's really striking is how EDD seems to interpret the most normal life situations as red flags. It's like they're trained to find problems rather than help people get the support they need. The fact that taking online courses or caring for family members can be twisted into "availability issues" is just mind-boggling to me. I'm definitely going to prepare much more strategically now based on everyone's advice. I'll be practicing phrases like "ready, willing, and able to accept full-time employment immediately" and getting very specific about my availability hours. I'm also going to document everything thoroughly and prepare explanations for any activities that might be misinterpreted. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, especially those who provided updates on successful appeals. It gives me hope that even if things go wrong initially, there are ways to fight back. This community is providing invaluable real-world guidance that you just can't find anywhere else!

I'm on day 8 waiting for my Money Network card and this thread has been a lifesaver! Way more useful than calling EDD directly. It's reassuring to see that most people eventually get their cards, even if it takes longer than expected. I've already started checking every piece of mail super carefully after reading about the plain envelope situation - almost opened my neighbor's mail by mistake yesterday because I was so paranoid about missing it! Quick tip I discovered: if you create an account on the Money Network website using your SSN, sometimes you can see if a card has been issued even before it arrives in the mail. It won't show tracking info, but at least you'll know it's in the system. Might help ease some anxiety while waiting. Planning to give it until day 15 before calling Money Network directly. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and experiences - this community support makes such a difference when you're stressed about money!

Currently on day 13 waiting for my Money Network card and this entire thread has been incredibly reassuring! Way more helpful than any official EDD resource I've found. It's wild how much the delivery times vary - seeing everything from 7 days to over 3 weeks is both comforting and nerve-wracking. I took the advice about creating a Money Network account early and it does show that a card has been "issued" to me, which at least confirms it's in their system somewhere. Still no tracking info though. Also following the tip about checking ALL mail carefully - I've become that person who opens every single piece of mail no matter how much it looks like junk. My roommate thinks I've lost it but better safe than sorry! Planning to call Money Network tomorrow if nothing shows up (day 14 seems to be the sweet spot based on everyone's experiences). Has anyone noticed if calling earlier in the day vs later makes a difference in wait times? Trying to optimize my chances of actually getting through to someone helpful. Thanks to everyone sharing their timelines - knowing I'm not alone in this waiting game really helps with the stress!

I'm new to this community and wanted to share that I'm currently in an almost identical situation! I worked as a "freelance" brand strategist for a marketing consultancy for about 8 months, but they definitely controlled my work like a regular employee. They required me to work set hours (9am-5:30pm), attend weekly brand review meetings, use only their proprietary brand framework and presentation templates, and even had me complete monthly progress reports for my assigned "account director." When they terminated my contract last week saying they were "realigning their brand focus," I was completely shocked and worried about making ends meet. Like everyone else here, I always thought getting paid via 1099 meant automatic disqualification from unemployment benefits, but reading through this incredible thread about AB5 and worker misclassification has been such an education! Based on all the experiences shared here, it's obvious I was misclassified - they dictated my schedule, controlled my work processes and tools, required regular reporting and oversight, and managed me exactly like their full-time staff. The fact that they assigned me an "account director" for supervision seems like pretty clear evidence of an employee relationship. I'm planning to file my claim this week and gather evidence like meeting calendar entries, their brand framework documentation I was required to use, and emails about mandatory work hours. This community has completely changed my perspective and given me the confidence to pursue this rather than just accepting the "contractors don't qualify" myth. Thank you all for sharing your stories and practical guidance - I'll definitely keep everyone posted on how my case progresses!

I'm new to this community and wanted to share that I'm currently dealing with a very similar misclassification situation! I worked as a "contract" paid advertising specialist for a healthcare marketing agency for about 10 months, but they definitely treated me like an employee in every meaningful way. They required me to work standard office hours (8:30am-5pm), attend weekly campaign review meetings and daily morning huddles, use exclusively their ad management platforms and reporting templates, and even had me complete bi-weekly one-on-one check-ins with my assigned "team supervisor." When they suddenly terminated my contract yesterday claiming they were "optimizing their ad spend strategy," I was completely blindsided and panicked about my financial situation. Like so many others here, I had always believed that receiving 1099s automatically disqualified me from unemployment benefits, but reading through this amazing thread about AB5 and worker misclassification has been incredibly enlightening! Based on everyone's shared experiences, it's clear I was improperly classified - they controlled my daily schedule, dictated which platforms and processes I could use, required constant reporting and supervision, and managed me identically to their W-2 employees. The bi-weekly supervisor meetings seem like particularly strong evidence of an employee relationship rather than independent contracting. I'm planning to file my claim tomorrow and start collecting evidence like meeting invites, their detailed ad platform SOPs I was required to follow, emails documenting mandatory work hours, and records from my supervisor check-ins. This community has completely opened my eyes and given me the confidence to pursue benefits rather than just accepting the "1099 means no unemployment" narrative these companies push. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and practical advice - I'll definitely keep everyone updated as I navigate through this process!

I'm going through something similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I got laid off from my retail management job two weeks ago and just found out I'll be getting a severance payment next week. I was panicking because I wasn't sure how it would affect my UI benefits, but reading everyone's experiences here has really clarified things for me. It sounds like I need to report it honestly when I certify (which I definitely will after reading about those overpayment horror stories!) and just expect that I won't get benefits for that week. It's frustrating timing since I'm already tight on money, but knowing that the week gets added to the end of my benefit year makes it feel less like I'm actually losing money. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community has been such a lifesaver for navigating all these confusing UI rules as a first-timer!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I got laid off from my tech startup. Got a $5,200 severance payment and EDD did exactly what happened to you - skipped my benefits for that week completely. I was so confused at first because like you, I'd seen conflicting information online about whether severance affects UI benefits. Here's what I learned after calling EDD (took me literally 47 attempts over 3 days to get through): California treats severance as "wages" for the week it's received, regardless of what time period it actually represents. So even though your $4,300 was for 3 years of service, EDD sees it as income during that specific certification week. Since it was probably higher than your weekly benefit amount ($450 max in CA), they didn't pay you anything for that week. The good news is you didn't actually lose that week - it extends your benefit year by one week at the end. And honestly, reporting it truthfully was 100% the right move. I know someone who tried to hide their severance and ended up with a $6,000 overpayment demand that destroyed their credit. Your benefits should go back to normal for your next certification. Hang in there!