Will they temporarily suspend my unemployment benefits?

I am in California. If you check “yes”, in California they suspend your benefits until they are able to schedule a phone interview with you to determine if your classes interfere with your job search and availability to work during normal business hours. It can take a week or more to receive your phone interview.

Since I was taking online summer courses that in no way interfered with my job search, I contacted the EDD and spoke with an agent that said regarding the “Did you begin attending any kind of school or training” question they are referring to classes that would be conducted during normal business hours when you would need to be able and available for work. She asked if my online classes would interfere with normal business hours and I said no. So in my case, I marked “no” on the form.

I suggest calling and asking them because your situation may be different. Just make sure you document the date, start and end time of the call, agent name, and substance of the conversation.

Good advice, however, I question the assumption it might cause some to make.

Should .. can the agent who qualified that question on the continuing claim form signed under penalty of perjury as meaning only classes, or training taking place during normal business hours also explain suitable work for everyone doesn’t necessarily have to be the typical 8 – 5 because the process reviews each case individually?

If what you were told is actually meant by the question .. then why isn’t that explained on the form?

The answer certainly does not explain how for some people .. later on down the road, have become disqualified for submitting fraudulent information in that week just because they answered no .. thinking the question as defined to you was what was being asked about, but the EDD said they were misrepresenting a fact in an effort to keep benefits they weren’t eligible to collect in that week.

I checked the date the question was originally added. At that time the typical wait for the eligibility interview, the response to the question raises .. was about a six weeks before the claimant finally got to talk to an EDD interviewer.

I am currently on unemployment and looking to start school. I want to call EDD and explain that while I want to start school while having these benefits, I also want to reapply at an old job that might hire me back and apply at many places i know will have flexible hours. i dont intend to stay on unemployment for much longer, i intend to get a job and start paying off debts and school grants and loans will help me pay for school for a better job paying job so i can be better able to pay off my loans later on down the road. i think i should be fine but i kind of just wanted to see how that argument sounded “out loud”.