EDD SDI account merger nightmare - stuck in 'duplicate accounts' loop for weeks

omg SAME THING happening 2 me right now!!! been waiting almost a month with the duplicate acct issue. they keep saying 'we'll fix it' but nothing happens. so frustrating

Ask for a "Priority Processing Request" specifically. When I had this exact issue (mine was a UI claim from 2020 conflicting with my SDI claim last year), I finally got it resolved by: 1. Getting the name and ID number of the rep you speak with 2. Requesting they submit a Priority Processing Request due to financial hardship 3. Asking for a direct callback from the Identity Verification department (they're the ones who can actually merge accounts) 4. Following up every 3 business days if you don't hear back It took about 5 days after I used this approach to get everything resolved. Don't let them just say "it's escalated" - that's their way of getting you off the phone without accountability.

You need to DEMAND a supervisor RIGHT NOW!!! Don't let them tell you supervisors aren't available!!! The EDD is FAMOUS for giving us the runaround and hoping we'll just give up. I had to call 23 TIMES before I finally got someone who actually fixed my account. The regular reps have NO AUTHORITY to fix this - only supervisors and the ID verification team can actually merge accounts!!!!!

I've helped several clients navigate this exact situation. The duplicate account issue happens frequently when transitioning between different benefit types. Here's what you need to know: 1. Only the Identity Verification Unit can merge accounts, regular claims specialists cannot do this despite what they might tell you 2. There should be an official "escalation ticket" with a reference number - if you don't have one, they didn't actually escalate it 3. The standard timeframe for account mergers is 5-7 business days, not 24 hours 4. Request a temporary claim approval with the note "pending account merger verification" Have you received any written confirmation of the escalation? That's essential for tracking.

Have you tried reaching them through the online portal instead of calling? Sometimes sending a message through your SDI Online account gets better results because it creates a paper trail they have to respond to. I was stuck in a similar loop with a name discrepancy issue (my married vs. maiden name on different accounts). The phone calls were useless but when I sent a detailed message through the portal, I got a callback from a specialist within 2 days who fixed everything.

After dealing with EDD for my pregnancy disability claim last year, I found that getting through to an actual EDD agent who could help was half the battle. I wasted so much time on hold and getting disconnected. I finally used this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD rep in about 15 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. You might want to check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Once I got through to someone, I specifically asked for a tier 2 specialist who could handle account mergers. Regular agents often don't have the system access to fix these complex issues.

Quick update question - did you ever manage to get this resolved? I'm helping my sister with the same issue right now and wondering if the Priority Processing approach worked for you.

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same duplicate account nightmare right now - have an old UI account from 2018 and my new SDI claim is stuck because of it. I've been getting the runaround for 2 weeks with the same "we'll escalate it" promises. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like I need to stop accepting vague responses and start demanding specifics. Going to call tomorrow and ask for: 1) Priority Processing Request due to financial hardship, 2) Identity Verification department specifically, 3) Escalation ticket number, and 4) Rep's name and ID number. Thank you all for sharing your strategies - finally feel like I have a real action plan instead of just hoping they'll eventually fix it!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Been stuck in the duplicate account loop for over 2 weeks. I have an old UI account from 2020 and my current SDI claim can't process because of the conflict. Every time I call, they give me the same "we'll escalate it and merge the accounts within 24 hours" line, but nothing ever happens. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about requesting Priority Processing or specifically asking for the Identity Verification department. I'm definitely going to try the approach that worked for Lucy and demand specifics instead of accepting vague promises. It's so frustrating that we have to become experts on their internal processes just to get our legitimate claims processed! Thank you everyone for sharing what actually worked.