EDD eligibility interview asked why I didn't report stopping work - but I did! Will this affect my claim?

Don't panic yet. EDD phone reps often give different information, and the interview questions are standard procedure even if you did everything right. I had the same experience last year when I had to stop working at the hospital due to childcare issues. The interviewer asked the same question even though I'd reported it properly. It took about 7-10 days to get my determination letter, and I was approved. Make sure you check both your UI Online inbox AND your physical mail. Sometimes the determination only comes by mail.

they always do this. dont worry. just wait another week. the first person u talk to who says "keep certifying" doesn't write notes in ur file so the interviewer has no record of it. same happend to me and i got approved. they just asking standard questions. ur fine.

I hate those interviews! They asked me the same question when I had my eligibility interview after my bakery hours got cut. When did you have your interview? I was told 10 business days for a decision but it actually took almost 3 weeks to get approved. Do you have a copy of your certification history showing that you reported no work and the childcare reason? You can print that from UI Online as evidence if needed.

As someone who went through this exact situation (but with factory work instead of dental), I can tell you that as long as you've been truthful in your certifications, you should be fine. The interview is just standard procedure to make sure nothing fishy is going on with your claim. In my experience, they make determinations within 7-14 days after the interview, though it can sometimes take longer if they're backlogged. If you need to reach EDD to check on your status or provide additional information, I highly recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in the same boat - anxious about my claim and couldn't get through to EDD for days. The service helped me connect with an EDD rep within about 20 minutes when I'd been trying on my own for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Hang in there! The uncertainty is the worst part.

A couple technical points to clarify: 1. When you stop working completely (even if you previously reported reduced hours), you are supposed to indicate this on your certification AND contact EDD directly. However, if an EDD rep told you to just keep certifying, and you followed those instructions, you should be fine. 2. Interview determinations typically come within 7-10 business days, but are currently taking closer to 10-14 days due to high volume. 3. Make sure your certifications show the correct reason code for "unable to work due to childcare responsibilities" (usually code 4F or similar). 4. The most important thing: keep certifying during this waiting period even if your payments stay pending. If approved, you'll get all back payments at once. The interviewer was likely just following a standard script of questions that all claimants get asked. As long as your certifications match your actual work history, you should be fine.

uhhh did u get anything in writing from EDD when u called them before? i always ask for reference numbers when i call cuz they NEVER put notes in the system. leaned this the hard way lol. but ur prob fine if u certified correctly

Quick update - how did things turn out? Were you approved?

Congrats on getting approved! This is exactly what I needed to hear since I'm going through a similar situation right now. Just had my eligibility interview last week after reporting reduced hours at my retail job due to school schedule conflicts. The interviewer asked the same questions about why I didn't report changes, even though I've been properly certifying with the correct reason codes. It's so frustrating how they make it sound like you did something wrong when you followed their own instructions! Thanks for sharing the positive outcome - gives me hope that mine will work out too.