EDD Appeals Hearing by Phone - How to Prepare and What to Expect?

I went through an appeal hearing last month for a similar issue. Here's what you should expect: 1. It IS like a court proceeding. There will be an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) who conducts the hearing. 2. The EDD will have a representative present who argues their case for your disqualification. 3. You'll be sworn in and testifying under oath. 4. Prepare ALL documentation that proves you conducted your work searches - emails to employers, confirmation emails, screenshots of applications, a list of contacts with dates, etc. 5. The hearing usually lasts 30-45 minutes but can go longer. My best advice: Be extremely organized with your documentation. Write out a timeline of events. Practice explaining your situation clearly and concisely. The judge doesn't want a rambling story - they want facts. Also, don't interrupt the judge or EDD rep when they're speaking. Good luck!

i had 1 of these last yr. it was WAY less formal than i thought it would b. judge was actually pretty nice. but definitely have ur docs ready!!! they asked me specific dates of when i applied to jobs & i blanked on some. DON'T DO THAT lol

After multiple attempts trying to get through to EDD to ask questions about my appeal, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual EDD representative in less than 20 minutes. They basically call EDD for you and then call you when they get through. I was able to ask all my questions about the appeal process and what documentation I needed. Saved me days of frustration. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Definitely recommend it if you need to speak with EDD before your hearing to clarify anything.

I recommend sending ALL your documentation to the Appeals Board at least 7 days before your hearing. While you can present evidence during the hearing, judges prefer to review materials beforehand. You'll be at a disadvantage if you wait. Also, if your disqualification was specifically about inadequate work search activities, focus on proving: • The specific number of job contacts you made each week • Details of each contact (company name, position, date, method of contact) • Any responses you received • How you tracked your search activities The judge will likely ask you about your job search methods and frequency. Be prepared to explain your understanding of the work search requirements and how you complied with them. If you can demonstrate a good-faith effort to maintain records but perhaps misunderstood exactly what documentation was required, you have a better chance. Lastly, be respectful and professional throughout the hearing, even if the EDD representative says something you disagree with. You'll have your chance to respond.

DONT GET UR HOPES UP!!!! EDD ALWAYS SIDES WITH EMPLOYERS!!! I presented ALL my documentation, had EVERYTHING in order, and still lost because the "judge" had clearly made up their mind before we even started. The whole appeal process is a JOKE designed to make you think you have a chance. Complete waste of my time!!!!!

Hey there, I had my appeal hearing about 6 weeks ago for a similar issue. One thing nobody mentioned yet - be ready for delays. My hearing was scheduled for 2pm but didn't actually start until almost 3pm. Make sure you're somewhere quiet where you can talk freely for at least 2 hours just in case. Also, the judge asked me very specific questions about each job application I mentioned, including things like: - The exact job title I applied for - Name of the hiring manager if I knew it - What qualifications I had for that specific position - Whether I followed up after applying I wasn't prepared for that level of detail and definitely stumbled on some answers. I'd recommend making detailed notes about each job application so you can quickly reference them during the call. In my case, I won the appeal because I could prove I made the minimum number of job contacts each week, even though my documentation wasn't perfect.

does anyone know if these hearings are recorded? im so nervus about mine next month im afraid ill say something wrong

Just wanted to thank everyone for all this great advice! I feel much more prepared now. I've started organizing all my job search records and creating a timeline like suggested. I'm also going to try calling EDD using that Claimyr service to get clarity on a few things before the hearing. One last question - does anyone know if I should dress up even though it's a phone hearing? Sounds silly but I want to take this seriously!

I had my EDD appeal hearing about 4 months ago and won! Here are a few additional tips that really helped me: 1. **Test your phone setup beforehand** - Make sure you have good reception and consider using a landline if possible. Cell phone drops during the hearing can hurt your case. 2. **Prepare an opening statement** - Write out 2-3 sentences summarizing why you believe the disqualification was wrong. The judge will ask you to explain your position right at the start. 3. **Keep water nearby** - These hearings can be longer than expected and talking for 45+ minutes straight can make your voice hoarse. 4. **Don't admit fault unnecessarily** - Focus on what you DID do for your job search rather than apologizing for what you didn't document properly. Frame it as "I completed my required job searches but may not have understood the documentation requirements." 5. **Write down the judge's name** - They'll introduce themselves at the beginning. Using their name when addressing them shows respect. The fact that you're preparing this early puts you ahead of most people. You've got this! The judges really do listen to the evidence, despite what some people say. Just be honest, organized, and professional.

I had my EDD appeal hearing about 3 months ago for a work search disqualification and wanted to share what worked for me. Here are some key things that made a difference: **Before the hearing:** - I called EDD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned (totally worth it!) to clarify what specific documentation they needed - Created a detailed spreadsheet of every job I applied to with dates, company names, positions, and method of contact - Practiced explaining my situation in 2-3 clear sentences **During the hearing:** - The judge was actually very fair and patient - not intimidating at all - They asked very specific questions about individual job applications, so having detailed records saved me - The EDD rep tried to argue I didn't meet requirements, but my documentation clearly showed I exceeded the minimum weekly contacts **Key tip:** Focus on demonstrating good faith effort rather than perfect record-keeping. I admitted my documentation wasn't perfect but showed I consistently made genuine efforts to find work and meet requirements. The whole process took about 50 minutes and I won the appeal. The judge said it was clear I made substantial efforts to comply with work search requirements. Don't let the formal process intimidate you - if you did the work searches, just be prepared to prove it with whatever documentation you have. You're already ahead of the game by preparing this thoroughly!