Can I still get paid if I certify before my scheduled EDD phone interview?

In my experience, those payments will likely show as 'pending' until after your interview is completed. The system lets you certify, but they typically hold payment until any eligibility issues are resolved. If your interview goes well, they'll usually release all pending payments within 24-48 hours. Make sure you have all your job search records and any separation documents ready for your interview!

DEP3NDS ON WHY they scheduled the interview!! If it's just routine for reopening, you MIGHT get paid. But if there's an eligibility issue, they'll 100% hold everything until after. When my claim expired in January the same thing happened - I certified for 3 weeks but ALL payments stayed pending until 2 days after my interview. The EDD system is DESIGNED to frustrate us!!!!!

i got paid before my interview last year but i think it depends on your specific situation. did they tell u why they need to interview you? sometimes its just verification stuff and other times its sumthing more serious. the letter should say the reason for interview

When your benefit year expires, EDD requires a review to confirm you still meet eligibility requirements before continuing payments. The system allows you to certify, but payments will typically remain pending until after your interview is complete. This is standard procedure, not necessarily an indication of problems with your claim. For your interview: 1. Have documentation of your job search activities ready 2. Be prepared to explain why you remain unemployed 3. Have any information about work or earnings since your last certification 4. Be available at the scheduled time - they usually call within 15 minutes of the appointment If the interview goes well, pending payments are typically released within 2 business days.

My cousin went through this exact thing last month! She certified before her interview too but then missed the call and it was a WHOLE ordeal to get them to call back. Make sure your phone is ON and that you answer even if it's an unknown number!!!

I was in a similar situation back in February. My benefit year ended, had to reapply, and got scheduled for an interview. The interview was more about confirming I was still looking for work rather than any big issues with my claim. Here's what helped me get through to EDD when I had questions before my interview: I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an EDD rep instead of trying to call directly. Got through in about 20 minutes instead of spending days redialing. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The rep I spoke with confirmed my payments would release after the interview as long as everything checked out. They were right - money showed up two days after my interview.

wait i'm confused... if ur benefits year ended doesn't that mean your not eligible anymore? or is it just like a renewal thing?

To answer your follow-up question - for a reopened claim interview, they'll want to know: 1. What you've been doing since your original claim began 2. Any periods of work (even part-time) during your previous benefit period 3. Why you remain unemployed and available for work 4. Confirmation that you're actively searching for work Have your work search record handy - that's usually the main focus in these interviews. They want to ensure you're making genuine efforts to find suitable employment. If you can show consistent job search efforts, you should be fine.

Just wait til they CANCEL your interview without telling you and then you have to start the WHOLE PROCESS OVER AGAIN!!!! Happened to me and I was WITHOUT MONEY for 2 MONTHS while they "processed" everything. The system is BROKEN!

My interview was rescheduled three times before it actually happened. But when it did, the lady was super nice and my pending payments all switched to paid the next day. Just make sure you answer all their questions honestly. They're mostly checking that you're actively looking for work and not turning down job offers.

Update: I just got an email confirmation for my interview with more details. It says I need to be ready to discuss my "continued eligibility" and have documentation of my work search activities. Sounds like what you all mentioned. I'll make sure to answer my phone and have everything prepared. Thanks everyone for the advice!

Good luck with your interview Diego! Just went through this same situation in February when my benefit year expired. Like others mentioned, your payments will most likely stay pending until after the interview, but don't panic - that's totally normal. The interview itself was pretty straightforward - they asked about my job search activities, confirmed I was still available for work, and verified some basic info. The whole thing took maybe 15 minutes. My pending payments showed up in my account about 36 hours after the call ended. Make sure you have your work search log ready and answer the phone right away when they call. You've got this!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! Your payments will almost certainly stay pending until after the interview - that's just how EDD's system works when there's any kind of review needed. The good news is that if your interview goes smoothly, those pending payments usually get released pretty quickly afterward. For your interview prep, I'd suggest having a printed copy of your job search log rather than just a digital one - it's easier to reference quickly if they ask specific questions. Also, they might ask about any changes in your circumstances since you first filed, so think through anything that might be relevant (moved, changed availability, etc.). The interview itself was way less stressful than I expected. They're really just confirming you're still eligible and actively looking for work. As long as you've been following the job search requirements and are honest about your situation, you should be fine. Hang in there - I know the financial stress is real, but you're almost through this process!

Hey Diego! I'm actually going through something similar right now - my benefit year expired last month and I had to reopen my claim too. The whole process is so stressful! From what I've experienced and read in other threads here, your payments will definitely stay pending until after the interview. It's frustrating but seems to be standard procedure when they need to verify your continued eligibility. One thing that helped me prepare was organizing all my job search documentation by week - it made it much easier to reference during the interview. Also, don't stress too much about the "eligibility determination" language in the letter. From what I understand, that's just their standard wording for the reopening process. I know you mentioned rent is due Monday and that's adding to your anxiety. If the interview goes well on Wednesday, based on what others have shared, you should see those pending payments hit your account by Friday at the latest. Fingers crossed everything works out smoothly for you!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My benefit year expired two weeks ago and I had to reopen my claim online. Just like you, I got the interview notice and then suddenly had weeks available to certify. I went ahead and certified for three weeks but all the payments are showing as "pending" in my account. From everything I've read and heard from others who've been through this, the payments will stay pending until after your interview is completed successfully. It's super frustrating when you need the money, but it seems like that's just how their system works - they let you certify to keep the process moving, but hold the actual payments until they verify your continued eligibility. The interview letter I got was similarly vague - just mentioned "eligibility review" for reopening the claim. My interview is scheduled for next Friday, so I'm in the same boat as you waiting it out. I've been preparing by organizing all my job search records and making sure I can clearly explain my employment situation since my original claim started. Hang in there - from what everyone here is saying, if the interview goes well, those pending payments should release pretty quickly afterward!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this process twice in the past year! Your payments will definitely stay pending until after the interview - that's 100% normal for reopened claims. I know it's stressful when you have bills due, but try not to panic about it. One thing I learned the hard way: make sure you have a backup way for them to reach you during the interview window. My first interview got rescheduled because I was in a dead zone when they called, and that delayed everything by another week. Also, they sometimes call a few minutes early or late, so keep your phone close for the whole hour around your scheduled time. The actual interview is pretty routine - they'll ask about your job search activities, confirm you're still available for work, and verify some basic info about your situation. Just be honest and have your documentation ready. Once it's done and you pass (which you will if you've been following the requirements), those pending payments typically show up within 24-48 hours. Hang in there!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! My benefit year expired three weeks ago and I reopened my claim online. Got the interview scheduled for this Thursday and just like you, I certified for the weeks that became available but everything is showing as pending. From what I've gathered from friends who've been through this and reading other posts here, those payments will stay pending until after your interview is completed. It's really frustrating when you need the money, but it seems like that's just their standard process for reopened claims - they want to verify your continued eligibility before releasing any payments. The interview prep advice everyone gave you is spot on. I've been organizing my job search log and making sure I can clearly explain my situation since my original claim. One thing my case worker friend told me is to also be ready to explain any gaps in your job search or any weeks where you might have had reduced availability. Try not to stress too much about the vague language in the interview letter - from what I understand, they use that same "eligibility determination" wording for all reopened claims, even when it's just routine verification. If you've been following all the requirements and actively job searching, you should be fine. Fingers crossed both our interviews go smoothly and we get our pending payments released quickly!

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago when my benefit year expired! Your payments will almost certainly remain pending until after your interview - that's just how EDD's system works for reopened claims. The good news is that once your interview is completed successfully, those pending payments typically get released within 24-48 hours. A few tips that helped me: - Have your job search log printed out and organized by week (easier to reference than scrolling through digital files) - Make sure your phone is fully charged and you're in an area with good reception - They might call up to 15 minutes before or after your scheduled time, so keep your phone close - Be ready to explain any weeks where your job search activity was lighter than usual The interview itself was much less intimidating than I expected. They mostly just want to confirm you're still actively looking for work and haven't turned down any suitable job offers. As long as you've been following the work search requirements, you should be fine. I know the rent deadline is adding stress, but try to stay positive - you're almost through this process!

I went through this exact same process about 4 months ago! Your payments will definitely stay pending until after your interview - that's completely normal for reopened claims. I know it's stressful with rent due, but try not to worry too much about it. The interview was actually pretty straightforward - they asked about my job search activities, confirmed I was still available for work, and verified some basic info. The whole thing took about 20 minutes. My pending payments (I had 2 weeks worth) showed up in my account exactly 2 days after the interview ended. A couple things that helped me prepare: - I organized my job search records by date and had them printed out - Made sure I could explain any weeks where I applied to fewer jobs than usual - Had my phone fully charged and stayed near a window for good reception The "eligibility determination interview" language sounds scary but it's really just their standard process for verifying you still meet the requirements. As long as you've been actively job searching and following the rules, you should be fine. Good luck with your interview on Wednesday - you've got this!

I just went through this same situation last month! My benefit year expired and I had to reopen my claim, then got scheduled for an interview just like you. Your payments will definitely stay pending until after the interview - that's totally standard for reopened claims, even though it's super stressful when you have bills due. The interview itself was way less scary than I expected. They mostly asked about my job search activities, confirmed I was still available for work, and asked about any changes in my situation since I originally filed. The whole thing took about 15 minutes. My pending payments (3 weeks worth) were released about 36 hours after the interview ended. My advice: have your job search log ready to reference, make sure your phone is charged and you have good reception, and answer honestly about your situation. They're really just verifying you're still eligible and actively looking for work. Since you've been keeping good records and following the requirements, you should be fine. The stress is totally understandable but you're almost through this process!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My benefit year just expired last week and I reopened my claim online. Got my interview scheduled for Friday and like you, I was able to certify for 2 weeks but everything is showing as pending. From reading all the responses here and talking to a friend who went through this in December, it sounds like those payments will stay pending until after your interview is done. It's really frustrating when you need the money now, but seems like that's just how their system works for reopened claims. I've been organizing my job search records and printing everything out based on all the advice here. One thing that's been helpful is creating a simple summary sheet with my weekly job search totals - makes it easier to reference quickly if they ask specific questions during the interview. Try not to stress too much about the interview itself - from what everyone is saying, it sounds pretty routine for reopened claims. Just be honest about your situation and have your documentation ready. Hopefully both our interviews go smoothly and we get our pending payments released quickly! Good luck on Wednesday!