Can't get through to EDD SDI phone line - what's the secret phone number that actually works?

Unfortunately there's no 'secret' number - they've consolidated all their phone services. The best time to call is Tuesday-Thursday between 8:05-8:15am (not right at 8, when everyone calls). Also, when you get the automated system, press 1 for English (or 2 for Spanish), then 1 for SDI claim info, then 7 for rep. Sometimes option 4 works better. Keep trying these combinations as some routes have shorter queues than others. Make sure your phone can stay on speaker for at least an hour because even if you get in queue, the wait is usually long. Good luck!

ugh i feel ur pain!!! i had to call them like 32 times last month for my back injury claim. so frustrating!!! the regular number is basiclly useless these days imo

I went through this EXACT nightmare last year with my SDI claim. Turns out there's a service called Claimyr that can actually get you through to EDD. They connect you with a disability rep usually within 20 mins instead of hours or days of trying. I was skeptical but desperate - it worked! Got my pregnancy disability claim sorted in one call. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd. The website is claimyr.com. It was honestly such a relief after spending days trying to get through on my own.

when i was on disability lasst year i just kept hitting 0 until i got a person lol sometimes it worked

I had the same problem with my pregnancy disability claim back in January. What worked for me was calling EXACTLY at 8:03am (not 8:00 when everyone else calls). Also, make sure you have your claim number, last 4 of SSN, and doctor's info ready because they'll ask for verification immediately. Also - have you checked that your doctor actually submitted the correct form? My OB thought she submitted everything but it turns out her office sent in the wrong form (they used the regular disability one instead of the pregnancy-specific DE 2501FP). Might be worth double-checking with them too. Another thing - the SDI Online account sometimes doesn't update for 3-4 days even after they've processed things on their end. The system is just slow. Hope this helps!

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!! I've been dealing with these people for months with my long-term disability claim and it's INSANE how difficult they make it to reach anyone. They WANT you to get frustrated and hang up. Less claims they have to process = less money they pay out. They're all corrupt and don't care about disabled people AT ALL!!

Disability claims specialist here. A few things that might help: 1. For pregnancy disability claims specifically, there's often a backlog in March-May (tax season + spring babies), so processing is running about 3 weeks behind normal right now. 2. Verify your doctor submitted form DE 2501FP (pregnancy-specific) and not just the standard DE 2501. 3. Phone technique: When calling, enter your social security number in the automated system FIRST before trying to get a representative. The system prioritizes calls with SSNs already entered. 4. If you're within 4 weeks of your due date, mention this specifically when you get a representative - pregnancy claims can be expedited when delivery is imminent. 5. Check if your employer has submitted their portion correctly - this is often the missing piece. Hope this helps!

My sister works for EDD (not SDI divison though) and she said they're completely swamped right now because they just updated their computer system and lots of claims are stuck in this weird limbo. They're working overtime to fix it but its affecting TONS of people. Not saying its right but just explaining why its such a mess right now.

I'm in a similar situation with my maternity leave claim! Been trying to get through for over a week now. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to try calling at 8:03am tomorrow with my SSN ready and make sure my doctor used the DE 2501FP form specifically. It's so stressful being this close to delivery and not knowing if everything is processing correctly. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and tips - this thread has been more helpful than anything I've found on the official EDD website!

I'm dealing with this exact same frustration right now! Been trying to get through for my disability claim for the past 5 days with zero luck. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the specific timing (8:03am), entering SSN first, or the different menu paths that might have shorter queues. Going to try the Tuesday-Thursday morning approach with the 1-1-7 sequence tomorrow. It's so disappointing that we have to crowdsource this information because the official system is so impossible to navigate. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and actual working strategies!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now with my pregnancy disability claim! Been calling for over a week with no luck getting through. This thread is a goldmine of actual useful information - way more helpful than anything on the EDD website. I'm definitely going to try the 8:03am timing tomorrow (not 8:00 when everyone calls), enter my SSN first in the automated system, and use the 1-1-7 menu sequence. Also need to double-check with my OB that they submitted the DE 2501FP form specifically and not just the regular disability form. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to become detectives just to access benefits we've paid into, but I really appreciate everyone sharing what actually works. Will report back if I have success with these strategies!

I'm going through this exact same situation with my pregnancy disability claim! After reading all these incredibly helpful responses, I'm definitely going to try the 8:03am call strategy tomorrow (avoiding the 8:00am rush), enter my SSN first in the automated system, and use the 1-1-7 menu sequence that Ella mentioned. I also need to verify with my doctor that they submitted the DE 2501FP pregnancy-specific form rather than the standard disability form - that seems to be a common issue that causes delays. It's honestly shocking how much more useful this community thread has been than any official EDD resource. The fact that we all have to become experts at navigating this broken system just to access benefits we've paid into is really frustrating, but I'm so grateful everyone is sharing what actually works. I'll definitely report back if these strategies help me get through - fingers crossed!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been trying to reach EDD SDI for my disability claim for almost two weeks with absolutely no success. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea about so many of these strategies! The 8:03am timing (not 8:00), entering SSN first in the automated system, the specific menu sequences, and checking for the correct forms - this is all information I never would have found anywhere else. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to crowdsource basic information about accessing services we've already paid into through our paychecks. I'm going to try the Tuesday-Thursday morning approach tomorrow with the 1-1-7 sequence and have all my documentation ready. Thank you to everyone sharing their real experiences and what actually works - this community is providing better support than any official EDD resource I've found!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been struggling with the same issue for my pregnancy disability claim - been calling for 6 days straight with zero success getting through to anyone. Reading all these responses has been like finding a treasure map! I had no idea about the 8:03am timing strategy, entering your SSN first in the automated system, or that there were specific menu sequences that might have shorter wait times. Also definitely need to verify my doctor used the DE 2501FP pregnancy-specific form rather than the standard one. It's honestly mind-blowing that this community thread contains more actionable information than the entire official EDD website. The fact that we all have to become phone system hackers just to access benefits we've already paid for is completely ridiculous, but I'm so grateful everyone is sharing their real-world strategies. I'm going to try the Tuesday-Thursday morning approach with all my documentation ready and will definitely report back with results. Thank you all for turning this frustrating experience into something manageable!

I'm going through this exact nightmare right now! Been calling for 8 days straight for my SDI claim and getting absolutely nowhere. This thread has been more helpful than hours of searching the EDD website - thank you everyone for sharing actual strategies that work! I'm definitely going to try the 8:03am timing tomorrow (avoiding the 8:00 rush), enter my SSN first in the automated system, and use that 1-1-7 menu sequence. Also planning to verify with my doctor that they submitted all the correct paperwork and check with my employer about their portion. It's honestly insane that we have to become phone system experts just to access benefits we've paid into, but at least this community is helping each other figure it out. I'll report back if these strategies actually get me through - fingers crossed!