Anyone know how to speak to a real SDI agent? Claim stuck since January with no update

same happened to me last month, took forever!! try calling exactly at 8am when they open, thats how i got through

The EDD is COMPLETELY WORTHLESS when it comes to answering phones!!!!! I had surgery in December and my claim was stuck for OVER TWO MONTHS!!! I called literally 70+ times and either got disconnected or put on eternal hold. When I finally got through, the lady said there was a 'processing backlog' and that my claim had just been sitting there with NOBODY LOOKING AT IT!!!! Even though everything was filled out correctly!!!! They're deliberately understaffed to save money while people like us suffer without income. DISGUSTING system.

I work as a disability advocate and can offer some advice. First, there's definitely a backlog in SDI claims processing right now. What many people don't realize is that you can request a "priority processing" flag on your claim if you're experiencing financial hardship. When you do reach an agent, specifically mention that you're facing potential eviction, utility shutoffs, or inability to afford medications - they can escalate your claim. Second, check your SDI Online account for any flags or information requests. Sometimes they need additional information but the notification gets missed. Finally, make sure your doctor completed all sections of the medical certification correctly. Missing information from providers is the #1 reason claims get delayed. You might want to contact your doctor's office to verify they completed everything properly.

Ive been on disability 3 times and it ALWAYS takes forever to get the first payment. They say 14 days online but its NEVER that fast. My last claim took 5 weeks for first payment then after that it was regular. Dont worry too much ur money will come eventually but yeah its stressful waiting!!

I was in a similar situation last month and found a service called Claimyr that actually worked for me after weeks of failed call attempts. They basically hold your place in line and call you when they get an EDD agent on the phone. I was skeptical but desperate, and they got me through to an actual person in about 45 minutes. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd When I finally got through, the agent told me my claim had a verification flag that wasn't showing on my online account. They resolved it immediately and my payment was processed within 48 hours. Sometimes you just need to speak to a real person to get things moving.

dont forget to check ur spam folder for emails from EDD sometimes they send important stuff there and u miss it and then ur claim gets delayed even more i learned that the hard way lol

I had a similar issue with my pregnancy disability claim in December. After weeks of trying to call, I ended up sending a message through the SDI Online portal (there's a Contact EDD button somewhere in there) AND sending a physical letter explaining my situation. The online message never got a response, but about a week after sending the physical letter, someone called me back! Apparently the written documentation created some kind of paper trail they had to respond to. My claim was approved 2 days later. Worth trying multiple communication methods!

Update: Since January 2025, EDD has actually implemented a new claims processing system that's supposed to prioritize claims that haven't been touched in over 30 days. If your claim has been pending for 6+ weeks with no updates, you should be nearing the top of their automated review queue. However, sometimes claims get stuck in an error state without triggering the review. That's why speaking with an agent is still your best option. One more tip - when calling, if you select the option for "filed a claim but haven't received payment" rather than "general questions about a claim," you'll often get routed to a different call queue with shorter wait times.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to EDD? If you're still having trouble, definitely consider that Claimyr service I mentioned. When I finally spoke with an agent, it turned out my employer had submitted conflicting information about my last day worked, which created a flag on my claim that wasn't visible to me. The agent fixed it immediately once I explained the situation.