EDD eligibility interview after winning appeal - scared they'll ask about unreported earnings from long-term job

First, take a deep breath! Eligibility interviews are standard procedure after winning appeals, especially when there's a question about unreported earnings. They'll likely ask about the specific weeks in question, why you didn't report, and verify your employment history. Be honest just like you were in your appeal - explain your misunderstanding about long-term employment reporting requirements. Bring copies of your pay stubs, any EDD correspondence, and your appeal approval. Write down dates of employment and amounts earned each week in question to have ready. Most importantly, answer truthfully but concisely - don't volunteer extra information they don't ask for.

they gonna ask u about why u didnt report them earnings... happened to my cousin last year... just b honest n they might make u pay back some $$ but probably not hit u with penalties if it was just a mistake

I went through this exact situation in January 2025. My eligibility interview focused on three main areas: 1) Which specific weeks I failed to report earnings, 2) Why I didn't report them, and 3) Whether I understood the certification instructions. EDD is primarily concerned with determining if this was an honest mistake versus intentional fraud. Be prepared to explain WHY you thought your earnings were automatically reported - was there something specific that led to this confusion? Also, they'll likely ask if you read the certification questions carefully each time. The interview is recorded and typically lasts 15-30 minutes. If they determine it was an honest mistake (which sounds like your situation), you'll likely need to repay benefits for weeks you were overpaid, but they may waive penalties. They calculate overpayment by looking at how much you earned vs. what benefits you received.

i got the same thing last yr after my appeal and i couldnt get thru to edd for DAYS to ask questions b4 my interview. kept getting the stupid 'too many callers' message every morning!!!! so stressful

DONT STRESS TOO MUCH!! I got thru this in March and the interview was way less scary than I expected! Just be super honest about your confusion. They know people make mistakes with the reporting stuff - the system is confusing AF. Just explain exactly what happened like you did here.

Here's what they asked me in my eligibility interview after a similar situation: 1. Why didn't you report these earnings during certification? (Have your explanation ready) 2. Did you understand the certification questions when you completed them? (Be honest) 3. How long have you worked at this employer? (Details matter) 4. How often were you paid and what amounts? (Have documentation ready) 5. Did you receive any notifications about reporting requirements? (If yes, explain why you still misunderstood) The most important thing is consistency between what you tell them and what your documents show. They'll have access to your employer's wage reports, so any discrepancies will be obvious. In my case, I had to repay about $4,750 in benefits I shouldn't have received, but since I proved it was an honest mistake, they didn't assess the 30% penalty. They put me on a reasonable payment plan of $150/month until it's paid off. One critical tip: if they determine you need to repay benefits, immediately ask for a "waiver of overpayment" form. If you can prove financial hardship, they may reduce or eliminate what you owe.

dont listen to these people sayin itll be fine!!! EDD is NOT forgiving about unreported income!!! they hit me with overpayment AND fraud penalty and now i owe $12k!! they'll probably tell u that "not knowing" isnt an excuse bc the certification clearly asks about income!!! good luck but prepare for the worst

btw make sure ur prepared for the call - they sometimes call earlier or later than scheduled. have ur phone charged n ready for like an hour before. my interview was supposed to be at 2pm but they called at 1:35pm

Based on what you've shared, here's a quick preparation checklist for your eligibility interview: 1. Gather all pay stubs from the periods in question 2. Print out your EDD correspondence, including the appeal approval 3. Create a simple timeline of your employment and when you certified for benefits 4. Write down your explanation for why you didn't report (confusion about long-term employment reporting) 5. Prepare a list of your regular work hours and pay schedule 6. Have your employer's contact information ready 7. Note any specific examples of why you thought your earnings were already on record During the interview, stick to facts, avoid getting emotional, and answer questions directly. The interviewer isn't there to judge you personally - they're just gathering information to make a determination. Most overpayment cases without fraud penalties can be managed through reasonable payment plans or financial hardship waivers.

Just wanted to add one more tip that really helped me during my eligibility interview - bring a calculator! They might ask you to calculate specific amounts on the spot (like weekly earnings vs. benefit amounts), and having one ready shows you're prepared and organized. Also, if you have any text messages or emails from friends/family where you mentioned being confused about the reporting requirements around the time you were certifying, those can actually help demonstrate your genuine confusion. The interviewer in my case appreciated that I had documentation showing my mindset at the time. You've got this - sounds like you're being thorough in your preparation!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago - won my appeal and then had the eligibility interview about unreported earnings from my full-time job. The key thing that helped me was being super clear about WHY I was confused. I told them I thought since my employer was already paying into the system and EDD had access to wage records, that ongoing employment was automatically tracked. I brought a printed timeline showing when I started collecting benefits, when I certified each week, and what my regular work schedule/pay was. The interviewer actually said that's one of the most common misunderstandings they see. I did have to repay about $3,200 in overpayments, but they waived all penalties since it was clearly an honest mistake. They put me on a $125/month payment plan which was totally manageable. The whole interview took about 25 minutes and was way less intimidating than I expected. Just be honest and stick to the facts - you're already off to a good start since you won your appeal!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you have any documentation from when you first applied for benefits, like emails or notes where you asked questions about reporting requirements, bring those too! I had saved some screenshots from the EDD website where I was trying to figure out the reporting rules, and the interviewer said it really helped show I was genuinely trying to follow the rules correctly. Also, don't be afraid to ask them to repeat a question if you don't understand it clearly - they'd rather you ask for clarification than give a confusing answer. The fact that you already won your appeal shows you have credibility with them, so try to remember that going in. You're being proactive and preparing well, which is exactly the right approach!