I'm going through something very similar right now! Just had my eligibility interview 5 days ago and have been refreshing UI Online constantly waiting for any sign of what's happening with my claim. Reading through everyone's experiences here is so reassuring - especially seeing that most people who are legitimately laid off do eventually get approved even when the interviewer doesn't give clear signals during the call. My situation was a company closure due to financial issues, and like others mentioned, the interviewer was completely neutral and professional but didn't hint at all about their decision. It's nerve-wracking when you're depending on these benefits to pay rent and bills! Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and outcomes - it really helps to know what's normal in this process. Natasha, so glad everything worked out for you! Hopefully I'll be posting a similar success update in a week or two 🤞

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I'm currently waiting for my eligibility interview to even be scheduled (filed my claim about 3 weeks ago) and the uncertainty is driving me crazy. It's so comforting to read success stories like Natasha's and see that the process does work, even when it feels like you're stuck in limbo. One thing I'm curious about - for those who've been through the interview process, how much detail did you go into about your job separation? I was laid off due to budget cuts at my marketing agency, and I'm wondering if I should prepare specific documentation or if a straightforward explanation is usually sufficient. Also, should I be worried that I haven't heard anything about scheduling my interview yet after 3 weeks? Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating this confusing process! 🙏

This whole CalJOBS pre-registration mess is such a common problem! I went through the exact same thing about 6 weeks ago - got the EDD letter with the username format and password instructions, tried every possible combination, and nothing worked. It's honestly embarrassing that they keep sending out these broken instructions when they clearly know the system doesn't work for most people. What ended up working for me was exactly what others have suggested: create a brand new CalJOBS account from scratch, make sure all your information matches your EDD claim exactly, and then call the CalJOBS technical support line at 1-800-758-0398 to have them manually link it to your EDD case. The tech support folks there are way more competent than anyone I've talked to at EDD - they actually know how their system works! Just make sure you have your EDD customer account number ready when you call. Once you get set up, the system is actually pretty useful for job searching and documenting your work search activities. It's just getting past that initial broken setup that's the nightmare.

I'm dealing with this exact same CalJOBS nightmare right now! Just got my EDD letter yesterday with the pre-registration username format and of course it's completely broken - keeps giving me "account doesn't exist" errors no matter what I try. It's absolutely infuriating that EDD keeps sending out these instructions when they clearly know the system is broken for most people. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to skip trying to make the pre-reg info work and just create a brand new CalJOBS account from scratch. That CalJOBS technical support number (1-800-758-0398) that several people mentioned sounds like a game-changer - I had no idea there was a separate tech support line that could manually link accounts to EDD cases. Thanks to everyone who shared their workarounds and experiences! This community is honestly more helpful than any official EDD support I've encountered. It's ridiculous that we all have to become experts in navigating broken government systems just to access our benefits, but at least we can help each other figure it out. I'll make sure to have my EDD customer account number ready when I call to get everything properly linked.

This has been such an incredibly thorough and helpful discussion! I'm in week 3 of unemployment after a layoff in retail management, and I was literally about to withdraw $3,000 from my 401k tomorrow morning before I found this thread. After reading everyone's experiences and advice, I'm completely changing course. The breakdown that Donna provided about the income thresholds was eye-opening - I had no idea that retirement withdrawals would be treated as income and could completely wipe out my weekly benefits. And hearing about Emma Johnson's experience with EDD catching unreported withdrawals 8 months later through IRS cross-matching really drove home how important accurate reporting is. I'm especially interested in the 401k loan option that Ava mentioned and the combination approach that Zoe successfully used. My plan administrator is Fidelity, so I'm going to call them first thing Monday to see what loan options are available. In the meantime, I'm going to start working through the assistance program applications that everyone outlined - CalFresh, calling 211 for local resources, utility assistance programs, and checking for emergency rental assistance in my county. The timeline information from Eli is really helpful for planning - sounds like I should apply for everything now while exploring the 401k loan as bridge funding. Even just pausing some subscriptions and looking into car payment deferral could buy me some breathing room. Thank you to everyone who shared such detailed, practical advice. This community potentially saved me from making a very costly financial mistake!

This thread has been absolutely incredible - I've been reading through everyone's experiences and advice, and it's like having a financial advisor, EDD expert, and support group all rolled into one! I'm about 7 weeks into unemployment after getting laid off from a marketing role, and I was also seriously considering a 401k withdrawal before finding this discussion. What really struck me was the real-world examples people shared - especially Zoe's combination approach using a 401k loan plus multiple assistance programs, and Emma Johnson's warning about EDD catching unreported withdrawals months later. Those kinds of specific experiences are so much more valuable than generic advice. I'm definitely going to follow the roadmap everyone has laid out: call my 401k provider about loan options, apply for CalFresh, contact 211 for local resources, look into utility assistance programs, and check for emergency rental assistance. The timeline info from Eli about most programs taking 2-3 weeks to process is really helpful for planning. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I just discovered that my credit union has a "Skip-a-Payment" program that lets you defer loan payments twice per year without penalty. It's worth checking with your bank or credit union about similar programs for auto loans, personal loans, or even credit card payments. Every little bit of cash flow relief helps while you're navigating all these assistance applications. Thanks to everyone for creating such a comprehensive resource here. This community is truly amazing for helping people avoid costly financial mistakes during unemployment!

This is such a helpful thread for newcomers! I'm in a similar situation - just got approved for EDD last week and was confused about the payment schedule. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. One quick question for those who've been through this: when you first certified, did you get any kind of confirmation email or notification that it went through successfully? I certified through UI Online yesterday and I'm second-guessing whether I did everything correctly since this is all new to me. Also really appreciate all the practical tips about the mobile app, direct deposit setup, and local resources - definitely going to look into setting up those calendar reminders and downloading the app before my next certification!

As someone who just went through this exact same confusion a couple months ago, I can definitely confirm it's bi-weekly in California! The waiting for that first payment is honestly the worst part - I was constantly refreshing UI Online checking for status updates. One thing that really helped me was setting up mobile banking alerts so I'd get notified the instant any deposit hit my account (once I eventually got the EDD card and set up direct deposit). Also, since you mentioned needing to pay rent soon, you might want to reach out to your landlord and explain the situation - many are understanding about unemployment delays, especially if you can show them your approval letter. I found that most people are pretty sympathetic when you're proactive about communicating. The bi-weekly schedule actually works out well once you get used to it because you can plan exactly 2 weeks ahead. Hang in there - that first payment arriving is such a relief and then everything becomes much more routine!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - being fired for requesting basic ADA accommodations is both infuriating and illegal. You absolutely have a strong case for UI benefits based on everything you've described. The key thing working in your favor is the clear timeline: 3 years of solid performance reviews, then termination just 3 months after requesting accommodations. That pattern alone tells EDD exactly what happened here - this wasn't about job performance, it was about your employer choosing discrimination over spending a few hundred dollars on reasonable accommodations. A standing desk and flexible breaks for a back injury are about as reasonable as accommodations get. Any employer claiming "undue hardship" for those basic requests is going to have a very hard time proving that to EDD, especially since you worked in customer service where these accommodations wouldn't impact core job functions at all. When you file, be completely honest and specific: "Terminated after employer determined they could not provide reasonable ADA accommodations for documented disability." Don't let them twist this into you being unable to do the job - you were willing and able to work with minimal accommodations. Your employer will probably contest the claim, but honestly, companies that fire people to avoid ADA costs usually lose these battles. EDD sees right through employers who use "undue hardship" as an excuse to discriminate rather than follow the law. You did absolutely nothing wrong by requesting legal accommodations. Stay strong and fight for those benefits - you've earned them and deserve support while finding an employer who actually respects workers' rights. Good luck with your claim!

I'm really sorry you're going through this situation - it's absolutely maddening when employers think they can just fire people to avoid basic ADA compliance. From everything you've described, you have an incredibly strong case for UI benefits. What strikes me most is how textbook this retaliation case is: 3 years of solid performance, then termination within 3 months of requesting accommodations. The accommodations you requested (standing desk and flexible breaks) are so reasonable that any employer claiming "undue hardship" is going to look ridiculous to EDD investigators. A few things that might help as you navigate this: **For your UI application:** Be crystal clear that you were "terminated after employer refused to provide reasonable ADA accommodations" - don't let them frame this as performance-related when you have years of good reviews. **Documentation to gather:** Keep everything organized - your accommodation requests, medical documentation of your back injury, those solid performance reviews, and their termination letter. The contrast will be obvious to EDD. **Expect pushback:** Your employer will likely contest, but companies rarely win these cases when the timeline is this clear-cut and the requested accommodations are this minimal. You absolutely did nothing wrong by requesting legal accommodations you're entitled to. A standing desk costs what, maybe $300? And flexible breaks cost them literally nothing. Their "undue hardship" argument is going to fall flat when EDD examines the actual costs versus their company size and resources. Stay strong and fight for what you've earned - you deserve support while finding an employer who actually values ADA compliance instead of looking for excuses to discriminate!