EDD interview for 'suitable work' after switching from PFL - how selective can I be about jobs?

The good news is EDD generally considers your previous work experience, salary history, and education when defining 'suitable work' for you. Their guidelines state that during the first few weeks of unemployment, you're allowed to limit your job search to positions comparable to your previous role in terms of wages, benefits, and working conditions. However, as your unemployment period extends, they do expect you to expand your job search criteria. After about 4-5 weeks of unemployment, you may need to consider positions that pay at least 85-90% of your previous salary. After several months, that percentage drops further. During your interview, be ready to show documentation of your job search efforts - have dates, company names, positions, and any responses saved. Make it clear you're actively looking but focusing on positions appropriate to your qualifications. You can find EDD's suitable work criteria here: https://edd.ca.gov/en/Unemployment/Suitable_Work/

dont worry too much bout it!!! my brother had same interview last yr. he was engineer making like 130k and they didnt expect him to flip burgers lol. just show ur looking for real jobs that match ur experience and ull be fine. they just wanna make sure ur actually looking and not being like "only jobs paying 200k or nothing!!!"

I had this exact interview in February after transitioning from SDI back to UI. The key thing EDD looks for is whether you're being realistic about your job market while still making a genuine effort to find suitable work. During my interview, the EDD representative asked about: 1. My specific job search activities (have your list ready!) 2. Any job offers I'd declined and why 3. Whether I had any restrictions on hours, location, etc. 4. How I was expanding my search as time went on One thing that really helped me was showing that I'd attended two virtual job fairs and registered with placement agencies in addition to direct applications. It demonstrated I was serious about finding work. Be honest but confident in explaining why certain positions aren't suitable matches for your skills. Just make sure you're applying to enough positions each week to meet their requirements (which is typically 3 reasonable work search activities per week).

I've been thru 2 of these interviews & both times got disqualified because I wasn't applying to enough jobs!!! They're really strict about this - you NEED to apply to more than 3-4 jobs/week. I think their unofficial minimum is 5 job applications weekly. And after 8 weeks, they DO expect you to start broadening your search to include positions that might be below your previous salary/title. Take this very seriously! During my second interview, they went through my job contacts one by one and asked detailed questions about each application. They even called one employer to verify I actually applied! Honestly, the EDD system is broken and designed to push people into any job regardless of fit. It's ridiculous that someone with your experience would be expected to take an entry-level job, but that's literally how the system works after a certain point.

After my plant closed down in 2024, I had to go through one of these interviews. I spent an hour trying to reach someone at EDD with no luck using their regular number. Kept getting the 'max callers' message or disconnected. So frustrating! Finally found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. The agent explained that 'suitable work' actually has a specific definition based on your work history, and they walked me through exactly what to expect in my interview. Totally worth it - check out their video demo: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km For your situation, make sure you bring documentation of ALL your job search activities - not just formal applications but also networking, LinkedIn connections, job fair attendance, etc. They count all of these as valid job search activities.

To address your question about job search requirements - EDD requires 'reasonable effort' which varies by industry. For someone at your professional level, 3-4 quality applications per week can be sufficient if they're well-targeted and appropriate for your background. Make sure to record ALL job search activities, including: - Formal applications submitted - Networking events - Informational interviews - Time spent working with recruiters - Professional development related to your job search - Employment workshops Keep a detailed log with dates, contact information, position details, and outcomes. This will be extremely valuable during your interview. Most importantly, be able to articulate why you're focusing on positions that match your skills and how this benefits both you and potential employers in terms of fit and retention.

I went through this EXACT situation last year moving from PFL back to UI and they held my benefits for WEEKS over this stupid interview! The whole system is designed to discourage people from collecting what they're entitled to! Here's what I learned the hard way: They absolutely DO expect you to lower your standards over time. In my case, I was a marketing director ($110K) and by month 4, the interviewer told me I needed to be applying for coordinator positions (entry level!!) paying $55-60K because I hadn't found a director role yet. I had to start applying to positions I was dramatically overqualified for just to keep my benefits. The system is BROKEN. They push professionals into inappropriate roles because their guidelines haven't been updated in DECADES to reflect modern career paths. Prepare for a frustrating experience and document EVERYTHING.

I had this interview thing when I refiled after my benefit year ended in February. The lady who called me was actually super nice! She just wanted to make sure I was really looking for work and not being unreasonable. My advice is just be honest about your expectations but show her you're flexible too. Like maybe say you're focusing on management jobs but open to senior coordinator roles too even if they're a step down. Good luck!!

Thank you all for the advice! I've been stressing about this for days. I'm going to: 1. Compile a detailed list of all my job search activities (applications, networking, etc.) 2. Print out job descriptions that match my skills to show what I'm targeting 3. Be prepared to explain why certain positions are suitable matches for my experience 4. Try to reach EDD before my interview to get clarity on their expectations I'm still worried they'll expect me to take a huge pay cut or move into entry-level work after a certain period, but at least I feel better prepared for the interview. I'll update after it happens next week.