EDD scheduled phone interview but letting me certify - will I get paid before interview?

Go ahead and certify but dont expect payment until after ur interview. EDD lets everyone certify but they hold the $$ until they decide ur eligible. The system is automated to send certification notices but that dosnt mean ur approved yet

This is completely normal in the EDD process. You should absolutely certify for all weeks you're eligible, even before your eligibility interview. Here's why: 1. The certification process and eligibility determination are two separate tracks in the EDD system 2. If your interview results in approval, they can immediately release payments for weeks you've already certified 3. If you don't certify, you'll have to go through the backdating process later which is a huge headache The interview is specifically to determine if your voluntary quit qualifies as "good cause" under UI regulations. Make sure you have documentation of the hostile work environment (emails, HR complaints, etc.) ready for your interview.

Your situation is exactly what the eligibility interview is designed for. Since you voluntarily quit, EDD needs to determine if you had "good cause" - meaning any reasonable person in your situation would have quit too. Hostile work environment can qualify, but you'll need to show: - You attempted to resolve the issues before quitting - The conditions violated labor laws or created genuine hardship - You can document specific incidents And yes, definitely certify now. The system will show these weeks as "pending" until after your interview. If approved, you'll receive all backpay at once.

OMG I WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING!!! Applied after quitting toxic job, got interview scheduled, but then saw I could certify. I went ahead and certified but my payments stayed on PENDING for weeks. Then had my interview and the next day everything switched to PAID. Make sure you're SUPER prepared for that interview. They asked me really specific questions about why I quit and what steps I took before quitting. I almost messed up but thankfully had documented everything. Have notes in front of you!!!!

i certify every 2 weeks but dont get my hopes up. edd make u jump through hoops especially if u quit. they might deny you anyway, they denied me at first even tho i had proof my boss was crazy

Try using Claimyr if you need to talk to an EDD rep before your interview. I had the same situation and had questions about how to prepare. After trying to call EDD for days, I used claimyr.com and got through in 20 minutes. Way better than busy signals all day! They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. The rep told me exactly what documents I needed for my interview about quitting my job.

One critical piece of advice: make sure you continue certifying every two weeks even while waiting for your interview. If you miss certifications, that creates a whole new problem. The system is designed to collect your certifications while eligibility is being determined. Your payments will remain in 'pending' status until after the interview if they determine your quit was for good cause. If approved, those pending payments will switch to 'paid' status and you'll receive them all at once via your EDD debit card or direct deposit.

don't get excited about certifying, it don't mean nothing. EDD sends everyone certification notifications even if they gonna deny you in the end. the system is totally broke. i certified for 6 weeks then got denied at my interview and got ZERO $$$$

Just to clarify the technical aspect of what's happening: EDD's certification system operates independently from their eligibility determination process. You're in what's called a "conditional payment" situation - where you're allowed to certify but payments remain pending until the eligibility interview is complete. This is standard procedure for voluntary quit cases. For your interview: make sure you can clearly articulate that you exhausted all reasonable alternatives before quitting. The interviewer will be specifically evaluating whether your situation meets the "good cause" threshold under California Unemployment Insurance Code § 1256.

I've been through this exact scenario twice with EDD - once for a voluntary quit due to unsafe working conditions and once for harassment. Here's what I learned: YES, definitely certify! The certification and eligibility determination are completely separate processes. Think of it this way - you're basically "reserving" those weeks while EDD decides if you qualify. If they approve you after the interview, all those pending weeks get paid out immediately. For your phone interview prep: - Have a timeline written out of specific incidents - Show you tried internal solutions first (talked to supervisor, HR, etc.) - Explain why continuing work would have been unreasonable - Keep documentation handy but don't overwhelm them The good news is hostile work environment cases have decent approval rates IF you can show you made reasonable attempts to resolve issues before quitting. EDD looks for whether a "reasonable person" would have quit in your situation. One last tip: if your interview gets rescheduled (happens a lot), keep certifying during the delay. Missing certifications creates way more problems than the interview itself. Good luck with your July 24th interview! The waiting is stressful but sounds like you're preparing well.

I was in a very similar situation last year - quit due to workplace harassment and had to go through the whole EDD interview process. Here's what I wish someone had told me: 1. **Definitely certify** - Like others said, this just puts your weeks in "pending" status. If you're approved, you get all that backpay at once. If you don't certify, you'll have to fight for backdating later which is a nightmare. 2. **Your payments will show as "pending"** until after the interview decision. Don't panic when you see $0 in your account - that's totally normal for voluntary quit cases. 3. **For the interview itself** - They'll ask very specific questions about what you did before quitting. Have concrete examples ready: "On March 15th I emailed my supervisor about X issue, on March 22nd I filed a complaint with HR, on April 2nd the problem escalated when..." etc. 4. **The key question they're answering** is whether any reasonable person would have quit in your situation. So focus on the severity of the issues and how you tried to resolve them first. My interview was scheduled for 3 weeks out too, and I got approved the next day after the call. All my pending weeks immediately switched to "paid" status. The waiting is stressful but if you have documentation of the hostile environment and can show you tried to fix things first, you should be fine. Keep your head up - the system is slow but it does work when you have a legitimate case!

I went through almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago! The confusion is totally understandable because the EDD system seems contradictory - letting you certify while also scheduling an eligibility interview. Here's what's actually happening: The certification system runs automatically and lets you claim weeks while your case is under review. Your payments will show as "PENDING" until after your phone interview. If they determine your quit was for good cause, all those pending payments get released at once. If not, those weeks get denied. For your July 24th interview, make sure you can clearly explain: - What specific issues made your work environment hostile - What steps you took to try to resolve the problems before quitting - Why staying would have been unreasonable for any person in your situation I had documentation of my manager's inappropriate behavior and emails showing I tried to address it through proper channels first. Got approved the day after my interview and received 4 weeks of backpay immediately. Definitely keep certifying every two weeks leading up to your interview - don't let any weeks lapse or you'll have to deal with the backdating process later which is much more complicated. The waiting period sucks but having that interview scheduled is actually a good sign that they're taking your case seriously rather than just auto-denying it. Good luck!

This is such a common source of confusion! I work as a benefits advocate and see this scenario constantly. You're absolutely right to certify - the system is designed this way intentionally. Think of it like this: EDD is essentially saying "we'll let you reserve these weeks while we figure out if you qualify." The certification process captures your weekly eligibility (were you able and available to work, did you look for jobs, etc.) while the interview determines your overall program eligibility. A few critical points for your prep: - Document not just the hostile incidents, but your attempts to resolve them - California UI law requires you show you had "compelling personal reasons" that would cause any reasonable person to quit - The interviewer will likely ask: "What did you do to try to fix this before quitting?" I've seen hostile work environment cases get approved when people can show a clear pattern of trying internal solutions first. Things like emails to supervisors, HR complaints, requests for transfers, etc. all strengthen your case. The 3-week wait is standard - they're likely scheduling interviews in batches. Keep certifying every two weeks no matter what, even if your interview gets rescheduled (which happens frequently). Your situation sounds very similar to cases I've seen approved, especially if you have documentation. Stay organized and factual during the interview - emotion doesn't help, but concrete examples do.

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! The short answer is YES - definitely certify, but don't expect payment until after your interview determines eligibility. What's happening is EDD's automated system sends certification notices to everyone, but for voluntary quit cases like yours, the payments stay in "PENDING" status until after the eligibility determination. It's basically like putting your weeks "on hold" - if you get approved after the interview, all those pending weeks will flip to "PAID" and you'll get the money all at once. For your interview prep since you quit due to hostile work environment: - Organize a chronological timeline of incidents - Have documentation ready (emails, HR complaints, etc.) - Be prepared to explain what steps you took to resolve issues before quitting - Focus on why any reasonable person would have quit in your situation The key thing EDD looks for in voluntary quit cases is whether you had "good cause" under California law. Hostile work environment can definitely qualify if you can show you tried to address it through proper channels first. I was nervous about my interview too, but got approved the next day and received 6 weeks of backpay immediately. The waiting is stressful but if you have documentation showing you tried to resolve the problems internally before quitting, you should have a good chance. Keep certifying every two weeks no matter what - missing certifications creates way more headaches than the interview itself!

I'm going through something similar right now! Filed after quitting due to workplace discrimination and my interview is scheduled for next week. Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - DEFINITELY certify even though payments will be pending. I've been certifying for 3 weeks now and all my weeks show "PENDING" status, which was scary at first but now I understand it's totally normal. The EDD rep I spoke to (finally got through after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned) confirmed that if I'm approved after my interview, all those pending weeks will immediately switch to paid status. One thing I learned that might help you - they're specifically looking for whether you made "reasonable efforts" to resolve the situation before quitting. So make sure you can walk them through your timeline of trying to fix things internally first. I have emails showing I escalated through my supervisor, then HR, then even tried requesting a transfer before finally quitting. The waiting is nerve-wracking but sounds like you're documenting everything properly. Good luck with your July 24th interview - hopefully we'll both have good news soon!

I'm in a very similar boat right now! Filed my claim 2 weeks ago after quitting due to harassment and retaliation, and just got my interview scheduled for August 8th. Like you, I was confused when I received the certification notice but also saw the pending interview. After reading everyone's responses here, I feel much better about certifying while waiting. It sounds like this is totally standard procedure and actually works in our favor - we're essentially "banking" those weeks so if we get approved, we get all the backpay immediately rather than having to fight for backdating later. I've been organizing my documentation this week based on the advice in this thread. I have screenshots of inappropriate messages from my supervisor, emails where I tried to address the issues with HR, and records showing I requested a department transfer before ultimately having to quit. The timeline approach that several people mentioned seems really smart - I'm creating a chronological list of incidents and my attempts to resolve them internally. Hopefully that helps show I made reasonable efforts before quitting. Thanks for posting this question - all these detailed responses from people who've actually been through the process are incredibly helpful! Fingers crossed we both get positive outcomes from our interviews.

I'm currently in a very similar situation and this whole thread has been incredibly reassuring! Filed my claim 3 weeks ago after quitting due to workplace bullying and toxic management, and my interview is scheduled for August 15th. Like you, I was totally confused when I could certify but still had the pending interview. Based on everyone's advice here, I've been certifying every two weeks and my payments are showing as "PENDING" which I now understand is completely normal. I was panicking at first thinking something was wrong with my claim! I've spent this weekend organizing my documentation using the timeline approach that several people recommended. I have: - Email chain showing I tried to address issues with my direct supervisor first - Formal complaint I filed with HR 2 weeks later - Follow-up emails showing the problems continued/got worse - Request for transfer to different department that was denied - Final resignation letter citing the hostile work environment Reading about everyone's success stories here gives me so much hope. It sounds like having that paper trail of trying to resolve things internally first is really crucial for these voluntary quit cases. Thank you for starting this discussion - it's been a lifesaver for understanding how the EDD system actually works! I'll definitely keep certifying while waiting for my interview. Hoping we both get positive outcomes!

I just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact situation about a year ago. I quit my job due to sexual harassment and had the same confusion about being able to certify while having an eligibility interview scheduled. Here's what I learned: EDD's system is actually designed really well for this scenario, even though it seems confusing at first. You certify to "claim" those weeks, but the money stays in pending status until they determine if your quit was justified. If approved, you get all that backpay immediately. If denied, those weeks just get removed from your claim. For your hostile work environment case, focus on these key points during your interview: - Specific dates and incidents (keep a written timeline in front of you) - What you did to try to fix the situation before quitting - Why continuing to work there would have been unreasonable for anyone I had documented incidents over 3 months, showed I reported to HR twice, and explained how the harassment escalated after my complaints. Got approved the day after my interview and received 5 weeks of backpay. The most important thing: keep certifying every single time, even if your interview gets rescheduled. I almost stopped certifying when my interview was delayed and that would have been a huge mistake. You sound well-prepared with your documentation. The fact that they scheduled an interview instead of just denying you outright is actually a good sign - it means they think your case has merit and deserves review.

I'm currently dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed my claim last week after quitting due to a toxic supervisor who was creating an impossible work environment, and I just got my interview scheduled for August 22nd. Like everyone else here, I was really confused when I could certify but still had the pending interview. This entire thread has been so incredibly helpful - I had no idea that certifying while waiting for the interview was not only okay but actually the smart thing to do. I was worried I might be doing something wrong by certifying before they determined my eligibility. Based on all the great advice here, I've started organizing my documentation chronologically. I have: - Screenshots of inappropriate texts from my supervisor - Email showing I tried to discuss the issues with them directly - Formal complaint I submitted to HR - HR's inadequate response that basically ignored my concerns - Documentation showing the behavior continued and got worse - My resignation letter explaining the hostile environment It's so encouraging to read about people getting approved after their interviews, especially the ones who got all their backpay right away. I was starting to think I made a mistake quitting without having another job lined up first, but it sounds like EDD does recognize when work environments become truly unbearable. I'm definitely going to keep certifying every two weeks leading up to my interview. This community support is amazing - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and advice!