This has been such an incredibly helpful thread to read through! I'm currently on UI and had no clue about the "maximum benefit amount vs benefit year" distinction until reading everyone's explanations. Like so many others here, I just assumed my benefit year meant I'd get payments for the full 12 months - what a wake-up call! I'm in week 15 of my claim and enrolled in a nursing assistant program that I started without notifying EDD (clearly a very common mistake based on this thread!). After reading about @Sean Doyle's experience getting the retroactive training benefits paperwork, I'm realizing I should probably reach out to EDD proactively before my balance gets too low. The wealth of resources everyone has shared here is amazing - California Training Benefits, WIOA funding, emergency grants, even utility company partnerships. It's honestly frustrating that EDD doesn't provide this crucial information upfront, but I'm so grateful for this community's willingness to share real experiences and practical solutions. Healthcare is definitely in high demand right now, so I'm feeling more optimistic about potentially qualifying for training benefits after reading everyone's success stories and advice. Going to start tracking my remaining balance more carefully and look into CalFresh and other assistance programs as backup options. This thread should honestly be required reading for anyone starting UI benefits - the knowledge shared here is more valuable than anything I've found on the official EDD website!

I'm so grateful I found this thread! I'm currently on UI and in week 10 of my claim, enrolled in a medical coding certification program that I started without notifying EDD (clearly joining the club here!). Reading everyone's explanations about the "two separate timers" has been a total game-changer - I had no idea that my benefit year didn't guarantee payments for the full 12 months. After seeing @Sean Doyle's success getting the retroactive California Training Benefits paperwork, I'm definitely going to try reaching out to EDD proactively. Medical coding is in huge demand right now, especially with the shift to remote work in healthcare administration, so hopefully that works in my favor. The resources everyone has shared here are incredible - I had literally never heard of WIOA funding, emergency grants, or any of these assistance programs despite being on UI for months. It's mind-blowing that we have to discover this crucial information through community forums instead of getting it directly from EDD. I'm going to start tracking my maximum benefit amount immediately and look into the Claimyr service that was recommended. Also planning to contact my school's financial aid office about emergency grants - such a smart suggestion that I never would have thought of! This community has provided more actionable information in one thread than I've gotten from months of trying to navigate the EDD system on my own. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and resources - you're literally helping people keep their lives on track while pursuing career training!

Carmen, I'm so deeply sorry for the loss of your mother. What you're going through - grieving while also worrying about your financial security - is incredibly difficult, and it's completely understandable that dealing with unemployment paperwork wasn't your first priority. As someone new to this community, I've been reading through all these responses and I'm truly moved by how many people have shared their personal experiences to help you. The message is overwhelmingly clear: you absolutely qualify for unemployment benefits as an IHSS caregiver, and the family relationship doesn't matter at all. What really stands out to me is how many people have been in your exact situation and successfully received benefits. You've been a legitimate employee of the county IHSS program for 2.5 years - paying taxes, receiving paystubs, and contributing to the unemployment insurance system. These benefits aren't charity; they're something you've rightfully earned through your dedicated work caring for your mother. The advice everyone has given about backdating your claim due to grief, selecting "lack of work" as your separation reason, and having your documentation ready seems very practical. The 4-week delay won't hurt you - loss of a loved one is completely understandable. Please don't put this off much longer though. You deserve this financial support during such a difficult time, and this community is clearly rooting for you every step of the way. Take care of yourself, and know that you're not alone in this. ❤️

Carmen, I'm so deeply sorry for the loss of your mother. Having to navigate financial concerns while grieving such a profound loss must feel incredibly overwhelming. As someone new to this community, I've been reading through all the responses here and I'm genuinely amazed by the outpouring of support and shared experiences. It's clear that so many people have been in your exact situation - caring for a family member through IHSS and then needing unemployment benefits when their loved one passed away. Every single person who shared their story successfully received benefits, which should give you tremendous confidence. The consistent message from everyone, including professionals in the field, is reassuring: you absolutely qualify for unemployment benefits as an IHSS caregiver. The county IHSS program was your legal employer (as shown on your paystubs and W-2s), not your mother personally, so the family relationship doesn't affect your eligibility at all. You've been paying into the unemployment insurance system for 2.5 years - these benefits are something you've rightfully earned through your dedicated work. The practical advice everyone has shared about backdating your claim due to grief, selecting "lack of work" as your separation reason, and having your documentation ready seems very helpful. The 4-week delay is completely understandable given your circumstances and won't negatively impact your claim. I hope all the support and shared experiences in this thread give you the strength and confidence to apply soon. You deserve this financial assistance during such a difficult time. Take care of yourself, and know that this entire community is behind you. ❤️

Hey Justin! I completely understand that panic you felt when you saw "excessive earnings" - I had the exact same reaction about 2 months ago when it first appeared on my account! I literally spent the whole day thinking I'd somehow violated my UI claim terms. Everyone here has given you excellent advice - your claim is 100% safe! "Excessive earnings" is just EDD's confusing way of saying you earned more than your Weekly Benefit Amount for that specific week. Since you earned $487 and it sounds like your WBA is around $450, that explains the status perfectly. I've been working part-time at a local pharmacy while on UI, and my hours fluctuate between 16-22 per week depending on staffing needs. I've probably seen "excessive earnings" about 5 times now, and every single time my claim remained completely active. The weeks I worked fewer hours, I received partial benefits again without any issues. What really helped calm my nerves was understanding that this is actually how the system is supposed to work - you're being proactive by taking part-time work while job hunting, and some weeks that work pays enough that you don't need UI assistance. That's actually progress toward getting back on your feet financially! The warehouse job sounds like a smart move for staying stable during your job search. Keep certifying every two weeks regardless of the status, keep doing your work search activities, and definitely don't let EDD's poorly worded terminology stress you out. You're doing everything exactly right!

Hey Justin! I totally understand that panic you felt - I literally had the same meltdown when "excessive earnings" first showed up on my account about 3 months ago! I was convinced I'd somehow ruined everything by taking a part-time job. Everyone here has explained it perfectly - your claim is completely fine! "Excessive earnings" just means you earned more than your Weekly Benefit Amount for that specific week, so you get $0 for that week only. Since you earned $487 and your WBA sounds like it's around $450, that's exactly why you got that status. I've been working part-time at a local clinic while on UI, and my hours vary between 12-20 per week. I've seen "excessive earnings" probably 4-5 times now, and every single time my claim stayed active. The weeks I worked fewer hours, I got partial benefits again like normal. What really helped me was starting to view "excessive earnings" as a victory rather than a problem - it means you had a financially good week and didn't need UI assistance! Now when I see it, I actually feel proud that I'm working toward financial independence. Your warehouse job is perfect for staying stable while job hunting. Keep certifying every two weeks no matter what status you see, keep doing your work searches, and don't let EDD's confusing terminology discourage you. You're handling this exactly right - that status is actually proof you're being responsible and proactive!

I actually just completed this exact process! Moved from Bay Area to Denver while collecting CA EDD benefits and it was surprisingly straightforward. Here are the key things that made it smooth: 1. **Update your address in UI Online immediately after arriving in Colorado** - not before you leave CA 2. **Set up USPS mail forwarding** - EDD occasionally still sends things to old addresses even after updates 3. **Call your bank proactively** - let them know you'll be receiving CA unemployment payments from your new Colorado address to avoid fraud alerts 4. **Keep detailed work search records** - I used a simple spreadsheet with company, position, date, and application method 5. **Apply for both remote and local Colorado jobs** - gives you more opportunities and shows genuine availability The tech market in Colorado is fantastic - you'll have plenty of options for your work search requirements. Having that 6-week buffer before your new job starts is perfect timing to get settled without financial stress. One small tip: keep your CA phone number initially in case EDD needs to contact you. Also be aware of the time zone difference for certification deadlines (Colorado is 1 hour ahead but you still follow Pacific Time for EDD deadlines). You're making a great move - Colorado's work-life balance and outdoor scene are incredible compared to the Bay Area!

I'm actually in Colorado Springs and went through this same process about 6 months ago when I moved from Orange County! Everything everyone has said is spot on - you can absolutely keep collecting CA benefits while living here. One thing I'd add that helped me specifically in Colorado - when you're doing your work search activities, don't forget about the amazing startup scene in Boulder and the aerospace/defense companies around Colorado Springs if that matches your tech background. There are tons of remote-first companies here too which makes meeting the work search requirements really manageable. Also, Colorado doesn't have any weird interstate agreements or requirements for people collecting unemployment from other states - I checked with a local workforce center when I first moved just to be sure. You literally just need to keep following California's rules. The 6-week timing before your job starts is honestly perfect. Gives you time to explore different areas (Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins are all awesome), figure out where you want to live long-term, and maybe even network a bit in the local tech scene before you officially start working. Colorado's tech community is super welcoming to transplants. You're going to love it here - the mountains, the weather, the job market, everything. Feel free to reach out if you have any Colorado-specific questions once you get here!

try calling at exactly 8:03am. not 8 sharp when everyone else is calling. worked for me twice

Update: Finally got through this morning! Called the 1-800-300-5616 number at 8:05am and used the prompts someone suggested (1, 1, 2, 1, 4). Was on hold for about 35 minutes but finally spoke to a real person who resolved my payment issue. Thanks everyone for your help!