EDD eligibility issue after reporting severance - interview scheduled!

This is actually a standard procedure when severance is reported. EDD needs to verify a few things during your interview: 1) That your separation was truly due to position elimination (no fault of your own), 2) How the severance was paid (lump sum or continuing payments), and 3) If any of it counts as wages for UI purposes. Bring your severance agreement document and final pay stub. They'll likely ask if you're available for full-time work despite receiving severance. Just answer honestly - if it was a one-time payment that's already been paid, it shouldn't disqualify you, just potentially delay your first payment.

Omg same thing happened 2 me last year!! EDD is sooo frustrating. They make u wait weeks just to tell u what u already know. My severance was way less than urs tho.

I went through exactly this in January. The severance package triggers an automatic interview. The main issue they're checking is whether your severance is considered ongoing wages (which can reduce your weekly benefit amount) or a lump sum payment for past service (which doesn't affect your benefits). In my case, I had a $7,200 severance that was paid all at once. The interviewer asked: 1. Was I terminated or did I quit? 2. Was the severance a one-time payment or spread out? 3. Did my severance agreement have any restrictions about working elsewhere? 4. Was I available and looking for full-time work? After I answered these questions and provided my severance letter, they approved my claim within 48 hours. Just be honest and you should be fine if your situation was a legitimate layoff.

Don't worry too much, but be prepared with documentation. While reporting severance is honest and correct, EDD's system automatically flags it. During your interview, the key points they'll assess are: - Was your job loss truly no fault of your own? - Is your severance structured as wages (weekly payments) or as a lump sum? - Are you available for and actively seeking work? Bring documentation of your layoff (termination letter stating position elimination), severance agreement, and recent job search activities. If you received a lump sum severance with no strings attached, this shouldn't affect your eligibility - it's just a verification step.

The EDD system is SO BROKEN!! I had the EXACT same issue when I got laid off from tech last year and had a severance. Spent WEEKS trying to call them to explain but couldn't get through. By the time I had my interview scheduled, I was already behind on rent. EDD doesn't care that we have bills to pay while they take their sweet time "investigating" things we've already honestly reported!!! 😡😡😡

I had trouble getting through to EDD when I had a similar issue. Try using Claimyr - it helped me actually get through to a representative instead of hearing that annoying "we're experiencing high call volume" message over and over. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Totally worth it to get my questions answered before my interview rather than stressing for days.

mine took 6 weeks to clear up even after the interview!! make sure u answer the phone when they call cuz they only try once!!

To directly answer your question about what might make you ineligible: 1. If you were fired for misconduct (doesn't sound like your case) 2. If you quit without good cause (again, not your situation) 3. If you're not available for full-time work 4. If your severance agreement includes continued pay that counts as wages 5. If you're not actively seeking employment Based on what you've shared, it sounds like the interview is just standard procedure when severance is reported. If your position was eliminated and you reported everything accurately, you should be fine. Just be clear about the lump sum nature of your severance and your availability for work.

One more tip - during your interview, stick to answering exactly what they ask. Don't volunteer extra information or try to explain things they haven't asked about. EDD interviews are very standardized and the claims specialists are mainly checking boxes on their forms. Be polite, direct, and have your documents ready. If they determine your severance doesn't affect eligibility, they'll process your payments quickly after the interview. Good luck!

I work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate UI claims, and I see this situation frequently. The good news is that reporting your severance was absolutely the right thing to do - failing to report it would have been much worse. EDD's system automatically flags any severance reporting for review, but this doesn't mean you're ineligible. The interview is typically just to verify: 1) your separation was involuntary, 2) the severance structure (lump sum vs. ongoing payments), and 3) your work availability. Since you mentioned position elimination and a one-time payment, you should be fine. Just bring your termination letter, severance agreement, and be ready to confirm you're actively job searching. Most of these interviews result in approval within a few days.

Hey! I went through this exact same thing about 8 months ago when my marketing position was eliminated. Got the same scary message after my first certification and totally panicked too! But honestly, it turned out to be pretty routine once I understood what was happening. The interview was actually much less intimidating than I expected - the EDD representative was professional and just went through a standard checklist. They asked about my layoff reason, confirmed my severance was a lump sum (mine was around $4,200), and verified I was looking for work. The whole call took maybe 15 minutes. I had my benefits approved and received my first payment about 3 days later. Just have your paperwork ready and answer their questions directly. You've got this! The fact that you reported everything honestly from the start shows you're doing everything right.

I'm going through something very similar right now! Just got laid off from my retail management position two weeks ago and reported my severance package ($3,200) when I filed. Haven't gotten my interview scheduled yet but seeing all these responses is making me feel so much better about the process. It sounds like as long as you were honestly laid off and the severance was a one-time payment, the interview is just a formality. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is such a lifesaver when dealing with EDD's confusing system!

I went through this exact same process about 6 months ago and completely understand your anxiety! When I got that "something that can make you ineligible" message after reporting my $4,800 severance, I was convinced I'd somehow messed up my claim. But it really is just standard procedure when any severance is reported - their system automatically triggers the interview requirement. During my phone interview, the EDD representative was actually pretty straightforward and professional. They asked: 1) Why I was separated from work (layoff vs. firing vs. quitting), 2) Whether my severance was paid as a lump sum or ongoing payments, 3) If there were any work restrictions in my severance agreement, and 4) Whether I was available for full-time work and actively job searching. The whole interview took about 20 minutes, and I had my benefits approved within 2 business days afterward. My biggest advice is to have your termination letter and severance agreement documents ready to reference, and keep your answers clear and direct. Since you were laid off due to position elimination and received a lump sum payment, you should be in good shape. The fact that you reported everything honestly from the start definitely works in your favor!