Why Does the EDD Conduct Phone Interviews?Once you have submitted an unemployment insurance claim, the EDD will review your case. One crucial step in this review process is checking that you meet the eligibility requirements for the claim you have made.
If the EDD finds an issue in your claim concerning one or more of these requirements, you will receive
Interviewer: It says here that you quit your job. Why did you leave a secure job when you didnt have another job lined up?
Similar flexibility can be extended to workers who have been fired from their jobs because of performance issues. In some states, being fired is disqualifying only if the employer can show that the worker engaged in serious misconduct such as theft, violent behavior, drug use on the job or engaged in repeated and flagrant violation of company rules. Usually, simple incompetence isnt grounds for denying somebody unemployment compensation.
However, state and federal laws allow for flexibility in interpreting these guidelines. For example, if someone voluntarily quits a job because he is being subjected to bullying and harassment, he may be able to qualify for benefits. In some states, a person who quits because of domestic violence issues or because she needs to care for a family member may be eligible for unemployment compensation.
If your discharge was because of an accusation of misconduct, you might need to answer a series of questions about the incident or incidences. The interviewer needs to ask these questions to determine whether or not your behavior meets the threshold of misconduct, or whether your dismissal was because of a performance issue that was mostly out of your control.
Although many applications for unemployment benefits are approved without issue, others are denied or have raised red flags that must be investigated. If a state unemployment agency has questions about an applicants eligibility for benefits or an employer has challenged the unemployment claim, then, usually the applicant will be scheduled for a phone interview or hearing. Although this process can induce anxiety, if an applicant prepares ahead of time, that can help the applicant establish that he is eligible for benefits.
Completing Your Phone Interview
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