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Alberto Souchard

How long after EDD phone interview until eligibility decision? Stuck in limbo

I had my eligibility interview with EDD yesterday morning and I'm already going crazy with worry. The interviewer didn't give me any clue about whether I'd be approved or not, just said they'd 'process my information.' I was laid off from my warehouse job after missing two days because my car broke down (they called it 'attendance issues'). The interview lasted about 15 minutes and the agent asked a lot of questions about those absences. Has anyone gone through this recently? How long does it usually take to find out if you're eligible after the phone interview? My rent is due in 10 days and I'm seriously starting to panic.

In my experience, you'll typically get a decision within 7-10 business days after your eligibility interview. They mail out the determination notice, and it will also show up in your UI Online account under 'Notifications.' The good news is that if you're approved, they'll backpay you for all the weeks you certified while waiting for the interview. Hang in there!

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Thanks for the info. 7-10 business days seems like forever when you're worried about bills. Do you know if there's any way to check the status before the letter arrives? My UI Online just shows 'pending' for the weeks I've certified.

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i got my decison in 3 days after intreview but my freind waited 2 weeks for hers. depends on how backed up they are i think

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2 WEEKS?!? How are people supposed to survive that long without income? This system is BROKEN. I had to wait 3 weeks after my interview before finding out I was approved. Meanwhile my landlord was threatening eviction and I had to borrow money from family. EDD doesn't care about the stress they put people through!

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For attendance issues, they're going to look closely at whether it was "misconduct" or just circumstances beyond your control. The fact that you had a legitimate reason (car breakdown) should work in your favor. In my case, after my eligibility interview regarding a no-call/no-show (my phone died and I couldn't access any numbers), I got my determination letter exactly 8 days later. Make sure you keep certifying for benefits every two weeks while you wait - you'll get paid for those weeks if approved.

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Thanks for sharing your experience. The interviewer seemed understanding when I explained about my car, but she was really hard to read. I've been certifying every week since I applied. I just hope they consider that I had a perfect attendance record for 2 years before this happened.

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If you're really worried about the wait time, I'd recommend using Claimyr to get through to an EDD rep by phone. I was in the same boat last month - had my interview but was anxiously waiting for a decision. Used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an EDD agent who was able to tell me the status of my case before the letter arrived. Saved me a lot of stress. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km

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Does this actually work? I've been trying to call EDD for days about my interview results and can't get through. Always get the 'too many callers' message and then it hangs up on me.

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Just wanted to say I'm in almost the exact same situation! Had interview Tuesday about being fired for "excessive tardiness" even though it was only 3 times in 6 months and always because of bus delays. So stressful waiting to hear back. Let us know when you get your decision!

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Will do! Good luck with your claim too. It's so frustrating that companies can fire people for small things like this and then fight our unemployment.

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Just a heads up - when you do get your determination letter, READ IT CAREFULLY! I got approved but they had incorrect information about my last day of work which affected my benefit amount. Had to call and get it fixed which delayed payment another week. The EDD system is a mess and makes so many mistakes.

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This is excellent advice. Always verify all information on your determination notice. If there are any errors, contact EDD immediately to request a correction. Even small mistakes can affect your benefit amount or create problems later.

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Update: I just checked with a colleague who works as an EDD consultant. She said that attendance issues cases are currently taking about 5-7 business days for determination decisions. The backlog isn't as bad as it was a few months ago. Since you mentioned it was for missing just two days with a legitimate reason, that shouldn't be considered misconduct under California UI regulations. Sounds like you have a good case.

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Thank you so much for checking! That makes me feel a little better. 5-7 days is still going to be tight for making rent, but at least it's not weeks and weeks. I really hope they see it wasn't misconduct - I literally couldn't get to work because my car wouldn't start and I couldn't afford an Uber for a 30 mile commute.

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my edd portal updated before i got the letter in mail. check ur ui online every morning thats how i found out i was approved

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I've been obsessively checking UI Online multiple times a day! So far nothing has changed, but it's good to know the online system might update before the letter arrives. Thanks for the tip!

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I tried calling EDD directly for 3 days straight before my interview to get more info about what to expect, and never got through. Used Claimyr and was connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. After my interview, used it again to check my status and found out I was approved before the letter came. Definitely worth it for peace of mind.

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I used that service too after seeing your recommendation. Got through to EDD in about 35 minutes yesterday! The rep told me my case was approved but the system hadn't generated the letter yet. Such a relief to know instead of stressing for days.

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I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago - got laid off for "poor performance" but it was really because I had to leave early a few times for medical appointments. The waiting period after the interview is absolutely brutal, I totally understand your anxiety. In my case, it took exactly 9 business days to get the determination letter, but like others mentioned, my UI Online account updated 2 days before the letter arrived. One thing that helped me was calling 211 (United Way helpline) - they connected me with local emergency rent assistance programs that could help bridge the gap while waiting for EDD. Don't be afraid to reach out to your landlord too and explain the situation - many are understanding about temporary delays if you communicate proactively. Hang in there, it sounds like you have good documentation for why you missed those days.

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