EDD unemployment interview about childcare during pandemic - repayment options?

This exact thing happened to me and yep, I had to pay it all back. They ruled that not having childcare doesn't make you "available for work" even during a pandemic when everything was shut down. It's completely unfair since they were telling everyone to stay home! I'm still bitter about it. They garnished my tax returns for two years until it was paid off. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news :

I had a similar situation but with a different outcome. During my interview, I emphasized that I was actively searching for remote work that I could do while caring for my child. I had documentation of job applications for WFH positions and was able to demonstrate that I was available for suitable work. Make sure you emphasize: 1. You were actively looking for remote positions 2. You were available to work, just limited by extraordinary circumstances (global pandemic) 3. You made efforts to find childcare but it was impossible due to safety concerns The law requires you to be "available for suitable work" - the key is proving that you were available for work that was suitable to your circumstances during an unprecedented global crisis.

dont worry too much, they USUALLY let u do a payment plan thats what my sister did when this happened to her. i think she pays like $75 a month or something. the interview is basicly them asking why u couldnt work and if u have proof u were looking for jobs. they might ask about family members who couldve watched ur kid.

Former EDD employee here. This is unfortunately a common issue they're revisiting from the pandemic period. Here's what you need to know: 1. Under normal circumstances, lack of childcare is not considered good cause for refusing suitable work or limiting availability. However, during the pandemic, special provisions were in place. 2. The CARES Act included specific provisions for people unable to work due to childcare facility closures related to COVID-19. This was under the PUA program. 3. For your interview: Bring documentation showing that you were actively seeking work you could perform (remote jobs), documentation of any childcare facilities that were closed, and evidence that you had no family support. 4. Even if you're found ineligible, you can request a "waiver of overpayment" if repayment would cause extraordinary hardship AND you didn't misrepresent any information. 5. Payment plans are absolutely available. They typically work with you based on your financial situation. Lastly, you have appeal rights if the determination goes against you.

When I had to call EDD about a similar interview last year (though mine was about different pandemic unemployment issues), it was IMPOSSIBLE to get through. Kept getting busy signals for days. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 Talking to someone before my interview really helped me understand what documentation I needed and calmed my nerves. Might be worth it to get some clarity before your interview.

I had this EXACT interview in January. They ultimately determined I was eligible because I could prove I was searching for suitable work (remote) while facing childcare barriers. The interviewer was actually very understanding about the pandemic circumstances. Key thing they focused on: was I turning down specific job offers or just looking for work that fit my childcare constraints? Since I never actually refused an offered position, just limited my search to remote work, they ruled in my favor. Good luck! Hope it works out like mine did.

BTW if they do make you pay it back and you're low income, you might qualify for a hardship waiver. I didn't know about this until after I'd already paid back most of mine. Huge regret not asking sooner!!! There's a form you can fill out explaining your financial situation.

EVERYONE I KNOW who had small kids during pandemic is getting these interviews now!!! EDD is clearly doing some kind of audit of parents who collected unemployment. So frustrating because they told us to apply and now they're going back and questioning everything. I had my interview last month and I'm still waiting for their decision. The stress is AWFUL.

Update on my repayment situation since people asked about payment plans: they set me up with a 24-month plan after I showed them my expenses and income. The minimum they would accept was $120/month for my case (I owed about $8,600). They were actually pretty reasonable about it when I explained my financial situation.