Can't reach California Disability? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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Just a heads-up - I went through this exact situation in 2024 after my knee surgery. The 1099G form from EDD for SDI benefits is different from the 1099G you might receive for unemployment benefits, though they look similar. Make sure you're reporting it correctly on your federal return. Also, depending on your total income for the year, you might want to consult with a tax professional about how the SDI benefits affect your tax bracket. In my case, the additional income from SDI pushed me into a higher tax bracket for a portion of my income, which I wasn't expecting. Regarding when you'll receive it - EDD is legally required to provide 1099G forms by January 31st for the previous tax year. If you have an SDI Online account, you can typically access it there about a week or two before the paper copy arrives in the mail.
I also had surgery last year and got SDI and i never got a 1099G from anyone. i didnt even know i was suppose to get one. Now I'm worried!! Did i miss reporting income??
Thank you all for your helpful responses! To summarize what I've learned: 1. I will receive a 1099G form from EDD by January 31, 2026 2. It will be available in my SDI Online account, possibly before I get the mailed copy 3. SDI benefits are taxable for FEDERAL taxes, but NOT for California state taxes 4. I should plan to set aside some money for potential federal tax liability 5. Next time (hopefully there won't be one), I can choose to have taxes withheld from SDI payments This has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about any of this! I'll keep an eye out for the form in January.
Great summary! One additional tip: If you're worried about owing taxes next year, you can make an estimated tax payment to the IRS before the end of the year to cover the potential liability from your SDI benefits. This might help avoid an underpayment penalty if your total tax due exceeds a certain threshold. The IRS has an online payment system that makes this pretty straightforward.
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That's great news that you got through to EDD and have some breathing room with the grace period! For what it's worth, I went through a similar extension process last year for anxiety/depression and it was approved without any issues once my therapist submitted the paperwork. The key thing that helped me was making sure my doctor included specific language about how my condition was "continuing from the original claim" rather than describing it as a new episode. It sounds like you're on the right track now - wishing you the best with your recovery and hope the extension goes smoothly!
That's really helpful advice about the specific language! I'll make sure to mention to my psychiatrist that they should emphasize it's a continuation of the same condition rather than something new. It's reassuring to hear from someone who went through a similar situation successfully. The whole process feels so overwhelming when you're already dealing with mental health struggles, so knowing others have navigated it gives me hope. Thank you for sharing your experience!
I'm so glad you were able to get through to EDD and get some clarity on your situation! The 5-day grace period is definitely a game-changer - I wish I had known about that when I was dealing with my own disability extension last year. Just wanted to add that when you do get your psychiatrist to submit the paperwork, make sure they include specific details about your functional limitations and how your symptoms are preventing you from returning to work. EDD really likes to see concrete examples rather than just general statements about depression. Also, keep copies of everything for your records - sometimes paperwork gets "lost" in their system. You're doing all the right things by being proactive about this. Take care of yourself and don't feel guilty about needing this time to recover properly!
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I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! It's so frustrating when the system creates these roadblocks. From reading everyone's advice here, it sounds like the key is being really persistent with multiple approaches. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy - seems like 8am sharp is the magic time when you might actually get through to a human. The idea about contacting your assembly member's office is brilliant too - I had no idea they could help with EDD issues. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it's really helpful to know I'm not alone in this bureaucratic nightmare! 🙏
You're definitely not alone in this! I'm new here but dealing with something similar - it's crazy how common these EDD account issues seem to be. The assembly member tip really caught my attention too, I had no idea that was even an option. Good luck with the 8am calling strategy tomorrow! Maybe we should all coordinate and share our experiences with different approaches so we can help each other figure out what works best.
I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar EDD account nightmare! Reading through all these responses is both helpful and depressing - it's clear this is a widespread issue with their system. I'm particularly interested in trying the early morning calling strategy that several people mentioned. Has anyone had success with the online chat feature on their website, or is that just as useless as everything else? Also, for those who got through to a rep and had accounts merged - did you need any specific reference numbers from your old account, or were they able to find everything just with your CDL and SSN? Thanks for all the detailed advice everyone, this thread is a goldmine of information!
Welcome to the EDD nightmare club! 😅 From what I've seen in other threads, the online chat is pretty much useless - it's usually just automated responses that tell you to call anyway. As for the account merging, most people who succeeded said the reps could find everything with just CDL and SSN, but it's always good to have any old confirmation numbers or correspondence handy just in case. The 8am calling strategy seems to be the most successful approach based on everyone's experiences. Good luck, and don't get discouraged if it takes multiple attempts - persistence really does pay off with EDD!
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UPDATE: I finally got through to EDD this morning! Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked - got connected to a rep in about 20 minutes. Turns out there was a problem with my medical certification. My doctor submitted it, but they used an older version of the form that didn't have all the required information. The EDD rep said they sent a request for updated info to my doctor's office TWO WEEKS AGO but nobody told me! I immediately called my doctor and they're submitting the correct form today. The rep said once they receive it, I should get paid within 2-3 business days. Fingers crossed! For anyone else waiting on payments - definitely try to get through to someone on the phone. There might be an issue you don't know about.
Thanks for the update! This is exactly why it's so important to get through to a representative when payments are delayed. There's often something specific holding up your claim that you'd never know about otherwise. Glad you're getting it resolved!
typical edd not telling u anything important lol. glad ur getting it fixed!!!
This is such a common issue unfortunately! I went through something similar last year and the stress of waiting for that first payment while bills pile up is absolutely awful. One thing that helped me was documenting everything - keep records of when you certified, when you called, what your doctor's office told you, etc. Sometimes EDD will ask for this information later. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're checking your SDI Online account daily. Sometimes they'll post messages or requests for additional information that aren't obvious at first glance. Look under any "Messages" or "Correspondence" sections. Really glad you got through and found out what the actual problem was! It's so frustrating that they don't proactively notify you when there are issues with your claim. Hope you get paid soon!
Isabella Martin
Has anyone tried going to the EDD office in person? I'm thinking about just showing up there since I can't get through on the phone.
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Sophia Miller
•Some offices are appointment only now. Check their website before you go!
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Mason Davis
•In-person visits can be hit or miss, but if you're desperate it might be worth checking out.
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Aisha Mahmood
I just went through the reopening process last month! Here's what worked for me: I called at exactly 8:00 AM when they opened and got through after about 2 hours of redials. The key is having everything ready - your Social Security number, last employer info, and the specific reason you're reopening (job loss, reduced hours, etc.). The agent asked me about my work search activities and any income I've had since my last claim. The whole process took about 20 minutes once I got connected, and my benefits were restored within 3 business days. Don't give up - it's frustrating but totally doable! 💪
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Victoria Jones
•Thanks for sharing your experience! This is super helpful. I'm definitely going to try calling right at 8 AM tomorrow. Did you use any specific strategy for the redials, or just keep hitting redial manually for those 2 hours?
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