Will refusing one day of work for doctor appointment trigger EDD eligibility interview?

Yes, technically you should report this as refusing work. EDD wants to know about ANY work you refuse, even if it's just one day. But the good news is that having a legitimate medical appointment is typically considered 'good cause' for refusing work, especially if it was scheduled in advance. When you certify, select 'yes' for refusing work, and there should be a text box where you can briefly explain about your specialist appointment. Be honest but concise.

i did somthing similar last yr and checked NO becuz it wasnt a full job offer just 1 shift. nothing hapened and got paid normal

I was in almost the exact same situation in February. Had a neurologist appointment that took 4 months to get, and my temp agency called with a one-day assignment. I reported it honestly on my certification and explained the medical reason. Yes, they did schedule an eligibility interview, but my payment wasn't held up - it just went through as normal. The interview was about 3 weeks later, took 10 minutes, and the interviewer said medical appointments are considered good cause. Just make sure you have the appointment details (date, doctor name, etc.) ready when they call you.

why not just ask ur employer to give u a different day?? seems like the easiest solution imo

Listen, the EDD system is DESIGNED to trap you into these kinds of situations!! They WANT you to make a mistake so they can disqualify you. I've been dealing with these people for 6 months now and let me tell you - ALWAYS REPORT EVERYTHING 100% accurately or they WILL come after you later with an overpayment notice and penalties!!! I had a friend who didn't report ONE DAY of refused work and they ended up having to pay back $3,800 plus a 30% penalty!!! Don't risk it!!

If you're having trouble reaching EDD to ask questions about your specific situation, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was stuck in a similar situation with questions about refusing work, and couldn't get through on the EDD lines for days. Claimyr got me connected to an actual EDD rep in about 20 minutes who explained everything clearly. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and their website is claimyr.com. Really saved me from making a certification mistake that could have messed up my claim.

To give you a more complete answer: You should mark 'yes' that you refused work, but you should know that medical appointments generally qualify as 'good cause' for refusing work. Regarding whether they'll hold your payment - it depends. Sometimes EDD will process your payment normally and schedule an eligibility interview for later. Other times they might put a hold on your payment until after the interview. If they do schedule an interview, make sure you have: 1. The date and time of your medical appointment 2. The doctor's name and contact information 3. Documentation showing when you scheduled the appointment (to prove it was before the work offer) Be prepared to explain why this appointment couldn't be rescheduled. The fact that it's a specialist with a months-long waiting list will work in your favor.

Just wanted to add my experience - I had a similar situation last year with a cardiologist appointment that couldn't be moved. I reported it honestly on my certification and explained it was a pre-scheduled medical appointment. They did flag it for review, but my payment wasn't delayed at all. The eligibility interview happened about 2 weeks later and lasted maybe 5 minutes. The interviewer just asked when I scheduled the appointment and why I couldn't reschedule it. Once I explained it was a specialist with a long wait time, they approved it immediately. The key is being upfront about it - trying to hide it will only make things worse if they find out later.

I went through something very similar about 6 months ago! Had to refuse a day of work for a pre-scheduled MRI that took forever to get approved by insurance. I was terrified about reporting it, but I did mark "yes" for refusing work and explained it was for a medical appointment in the comments section. Here's what happened: EDD processed my payment normally that week, but they did schedule an eligibility interview about 3 weeks later. The whole interview took maybe 8 minutes - the rep just wanted to confirm when I scheduled the appointment and why I couldn't move it. I explained it was scheduled months in advance and rescheduling would mean starting the insurance approval process over again. She approved it on the spot and said medical appointments are definitely considered good cause, especially when they're scheduled well in advance. The key thing that helped my case was being able to show the appointment was booked before the work offer came in. Since you have that 3-month-old email confirmation, you're in an even better position than I was. Just be honest on your certification and have that documentation ready if they call. Better to be upfront now than risk them finding out later through employer cross-checks!

I just want to echo what others have said about being honest on your certification. I had a similar situation last fall where I had to refuse a shift for a pre-scheduled orthopedic consultation that I'd been waiting 4 months to get. I was really nervous about reporting it, but I marked "yes" for refusing work and explained it was for a medical appointment that couldn't be rescheduled. They did flag it and scheduled an eligibility interview about 2.5 weeks later, but my payment processed normally in the meantime. The interview was super straightforward - the rep just asked when I scheduled the appointment, why I couldn't move it, and confirmed that the work offer came after the appointment was already booked. The whole thing took less than 10 minutes and she approved it immediately. The fact that you have documentation showing you scheduled this 3 months ago puts you in a really strong position. Medical appointments, especially with specialists, are textbook examples of "good cause" for refusing work. Just make sure to mention in your certification that it was scheduled well before the work offer and that rescheduling would mean months of additional waiting. You'll be fine!