Unexpected EDD interview scheduled years after my last claim - do I still need to attend?

Yes, you absolutely need to attend this interview or at least reschedule it. EDD sometimes conducts retroactive eligibility reviews, even years after claims have ended. This could be part of their fraud prevention efforts or they may have flagged something in your specific claim for review. If you don't participate, they could potentially determine you were ineligible for benefits you already received and issue an overpayment notice requiring you to pay back thousands of dollars plus penalties. Call the EDD customer service line at 1-800-300-5616 to request rescheduling. Make sure to explain your work conflict. They should accommodate a reasonable request to reschedule.

this happened to my roomate last yr. he ignored it and got a $7k overpayment notice 3 months later lol. dont be like him

Good luck getting through to EDD to reschedule! I spent TWO WEEKS trying to reach someone when I had a similar situation. Their phone system is the absolute worst.

These retroactive interviews usually happen for one of three reasons: 1. Random audit (least common) 2. Employment data from your former employer doesn't match what you reported (most common) 3. Someone reported potential fraud on your claim Most likely scenario is that your former employer reported something different about your separation reason or earnings than what you stated on your claim. Even though it's been a while, EDD has up to 5 years to investigate and issue overpayments for regular UI claims. To reschedule, call the number on your interview notice (not the main EDD line) and follow the prompts for rescheduling an eligibility interview. I'd recommend doing this ASAP as they typically only allow rescheduling if it's done before your originally scheduled interview time.

Wait, I'm confused... are you talking about SDI or regular unemployment? Because the interview process is totally different. And did you already certify for the new weeks or is this an appeal hearing? I got a similar notice but it was for disability not unemployment.

I experienced almost the exact same situation last year. Had UI in 2022, then in 2024 got a surprise interview notice about my 2022 claim. In my case, they were investigating whether I had refused suitable work during one week of my claim (I hadn't, but a former coworker apparently told them I had). Here's what worked for me: 1. I called the specific phone number on my interview notice (NOT the general EDD number) right when they opened at 8am 2. Selected the option for rescheduling interviews 3. Explained my work conflict 4. Got it rescheduled for the following week During the actual interview, have any documentation ready about your separation from that job (layoff notice, final paycheck stub, etc). The interview will focus specifically on the questions listed on your notice, so prepare answers for those exact questions. Don't stress too much - these retroactive reviews are fairly routine, but you definitely need to participate or reschedule properly.

EDD IS THE WORST!!! They wait YEARS to investigate claims and then expect you to drop everything for their stupid interviews. I bet they'll make you wait on hold for 2 hours too even though YOU have to be available during THEIR chosen time slot. The whole system is designed to make people fail.

One more thing to know - if you can't get through to reschedule by phone, you can also send a secure message through UI Online (if you still have access to your account) requesting a reschedule. Include your claim ID, the scheduled interview date/time, the reason you need to reschedule, and several alternative dates/times that would work for you. This creates a documented record of your attempt to reschedule if there are any issues later.

update us on what happens! im curious if this is happening to more people. maybe EDD is doing a big audit of old claims?

This is really helpful to know about! I had no idea EDD could come back years later to review old claims. It's good that you were able to get it rescheduled - that must be such a relief. The random audit explanation makes sense too, even though the timing is super inconvenient. I'm curious about the Claimyr service you mentioned - I've been dreading having to call EDD about anything because of their notorious wait times. It's reassuring to hear there might be a way to actually get through to a real person without spending your entire day on hold. Thanks for sharing your experience and keeping us updated!

I'm glad you were able to get through and reschedule! This is a really important thread for anyone who might face a similar situation. I had a retroactive interview about 18 months ago for a claim from 2021, and like you, I was completely caught off guard by the timing. One thing I learned during my experience: when you do have your rescheduled interview, make sure to have your separation documentation ready (layoff notice, final pay stub, etc.) and be prepared to answer the specific questions listed on your notice. The interviewer will stick pretty closely to those questions, so reviewing them beforehand really helps. Also, don't be surprised if they ask about your work search activities during specific weeks - even though it's been years, they sometimes want to verify you were actively seeking work during your benefit period. I had to reconstruct some of my job search records from old emails and browser history. Good luck with your interview next week! It sounds like yours is just a routine audit, so you should be fine as long as you're prepared and honest about everything.

This thread has been so educational! I had no idea EDD could circle back years later for these kinds of reviews. @Beth Ford I'm really glad you were able to get it sorted out and rescheduled. The fact that it's just a random audit is actually reassuring - I was worried they might be targeting specific claims for fraud investigations or something more serious. The Claimyr service sounds like a lifesaver too. I've been putting off calling EDD about a different issue because I know how impossible it is to get through. Knowing there's a way to actually reach a human being without losing an entire day might finally motivate me to deal with it. Thanks for keeping us updated throughout this process - it's really helpful to see how these situations actually play out in real time rather than just hearing horror stories after the fact!