EDD PFL interview scheduled - worried they'll make us repay baby bonding benefits during pandemic

I had a similar interview last month. They're mostly verifying your wife's work history before PFL and the reason for taking leave. Bring proof of your child's age (birth certificate), documentation of daycare closure (emails from the facility), and any medical notes if applicable. Also bring proof that you reported her new job when she started - documentation of phone calls, copies of online messages, etc. Be straightforward about the timeline, emphasizing that you reported changes promptly.

Went through this exact thing!!! They're going to ask about WHY she needed to be home (childcare issues), the DATES she received benefits, and when she started working again. BE SUPER SPECIFIC about all dates!!! My husband messed up by one week on when he went back to work and they made it a huge deal. They might also ask about other caregiving options you had available.

They're going to try to trick you into saying something that makes your wife ineligible. When they asked me about my bonding leave, they kept asking if I was "looking for work" while receiving benefits, which would make me ineligible. Be clear that she was caring for your child due to pandemic-related childcare issues, NOT looking for work until later. Also emphasize that you reported her new job immediately - that shows good faith.

I went through a similar interview process, though for normal PFL baby bonding (not pandemic-related). Be sure to understand the difference between SDI (pregnancy disability) and PFL (baby bonding). If your wife transitioned between these programs, the dates are super important. For reference, pregnancy disability typically ends 6 weeks after birth (8 weeks for C-section), and then PFL baby bonding can begin for up to 8 weeks. If your interview is specifically about PFL eligibility, make sure you clarify which benefit period they're questioning.

Trying to call EDD directly beforehand might help. They can sometimes give you specific info about what documents to bring. I spent 3 hrs trying to get through last month for my own issue and finally gave up. Then I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a live EDD agent in about 20 min. Saved me so much stress! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5. Worth checking out if you want to get clarification before your interview.

During my EDD PFL interview last year, they focused heavily on verifying my employer information and my reason for needing baby bonding leave. For you, since this was during the pandemic with childcare issues, be prepared to discuss: 1. Your wife's work history before PFL 2. Documentation of childcare closure 3. Why other caregiving arrangements weren't possible 4. The exact timeline of when she stopped working, received benefits, found new employment, and reported the change 5. Any communications with EDD during this period Be calm, organized, and completely truthful. If you made an error in reporting but it was an honest mistake, explain that. Most overpayment determinations I've seen come from intentional misrepresentation, not honest errors.

DONT TRUST THEM!!! EDD screwed me over during my maternity leave!! I had perfect documentation and they STILL claimed I was ineligible and demanded $9,000 back!!! I had to appeal THREE TIMES before they finally admitted their mistake!!! The system is BROKEN!!!

One important thing to remember: if they do determine there was an overpayment but it wasn't due to fraud (just a misunderstanding of eligibility rules), you can request a waiver of overpayment. This is available if repayment would cause extraordinary hardship and the overpayment wasn't your fault. You'd need to complete the DE 1446W form. But hopefully it won't come to that - just being prepared with documentation and honest answers should resolve things.

my intrvw was quick. like 15 min. they just wanted 2 make sure i wasnt commiting fraud lol. i had my kid with me for the zoom call and that seemed 2 help prove i was actually bonding w/her. bring ur kid if u can!!

After your interview, be sure to request a written summary of their findings. If there's any determination that benefits were paid incorrectly, you have 30 days to appeal. Document everything discussed in the interview - take detailed notes or record it if they allow (California is a two-party consent state, so you must inform them and get permission). Also make sure to differentiate between regular PFL and any pandemic-specific programs, as the eligibility requirements varied. If your wife received regular PFL for baby bonding, the focus will be on verifying she was actually caring for your child during that period.