EDD eligibility interview with judge tomorrow - Legal to record the call?

DON'T DO IT!!! California is a two-party consent state, which means BOTH parties need to agree to being recorded. If you record without telling them, it's actually illegal and could be used AGAINST you in your case. I made this mistake during my first appeal and the judge was NOT happy when I mentioned I was recording. Just take detailed notes instead.

I had my eligibility interview last month. The judge will actually tell you at the beginning that THEY are recording the call for official purposes. What worked for me was having all my documents ready (separation letter, past communications with employer, pay stubs, etc.) and taking notes during the call. Focus on answering questions directly and honestly rather than worrying about recording. Good luck!

Here's my advice after going through three of these interviews: 1. Have a notepad ready to take detailed notes 2. Ask the judge to clarify anything you don't understand 3. Stick to facts, not emotions 4. Have your employment dates, final pay amount, and reason for separation ready 5. If the judge asks you a yes/no question, just answer yes or no without elaborating unless they ask for more details And most importantly, be honest. The judges have heard everything, and they're looking for inconsistencies. Good luck tomorrow!

i got denied on my first interview cause i wasnt prepared lol then had 2 wait another month 4 the appeal hearing just make sure u can explain why u lost ur job without it being ur fault thats what they care about mostly

If you're really nervous about missing information, you could try reaching out to EDD beforehand to get clarity on what to expect. I tried calling them for days before my interview and couldn't get through because of the call volume. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD rep in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. The rep was super helpful and explained exactly what the judge would be asking about and how to prepare. Made me feel 1000% more confident going into my interview.

The judge interviews are actually pretty straightforward. They're just trying to verify the facts of your case. Don't overthink it or try anything fancy like recording - just be honest and direct. I was super nervous for mine and it ended up being a 15-minute conversation where they just confirmed details about why I left my job.

ALSO make sure you're in a quiet place with good phone reception!!! My first interview got rescheduled because I was in a noisy area and the judge couldn't hear me properly. And have your claim ID number ready - they'll ask for it at the beginning.

One more important thing - this isn't a regular judge like in a courtroom, it's an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) who specializes in EDD cases. They're usually pretty understanding and just want to get the facts straight. Just explain your situation clearly, and if you made any mistakes in your application, be upfront about them. It's much better to acknowledge and explain than to have them think you were trying to hide something.