EDD SDI claim: Nobody answering calls. How to actually reach a human?

Ugh, I feel your pain. I've been in the same boat for weeks now. It's like they're purposely avoiding us or something. 🤔

I actually found a way to get through! There's this site called claimyr.com that has a calling tool. It dials the phone menu, stays on hold, and then connects you when a live agent picks up. It costs $20, but it worked for me. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ

Have you tried calling right when they open? I've had some luck getting through that way.

This is ridiculous. We pay taxes for this service and cant even use it. Someone needs to do something about this broken system!

Here's what I've learned after dealing with EDD for months: 1. Be persistent. Keep calling, even if it feels hopeless. 2. Try different times of day. Sometimes early morning or late afternoon can be less busy. 3. Have all your info ready when you call. Claim number, SSN, etc. 4. If you get through, ask for a direct number or extension for follow-ups. 5. Use their online portal for anything you can do there. 6. Consider reaching out to your local state representative. They can sometimes help. 7. Document everything. Keep a log of your calls and any responses. Hope this helps someone. Stay strong, everyone!

anyone else just give up and go back to work even tho ur not really better? feels like thats what they want us to do anyway 😒

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Been calling for over a week with no luck. Reading through these comments, I think I'm going to try calling right when they open tomorrow morning and also look into that claimyr service that Keisha mentioned. Has anyone else had success with the early morning calls? It's so frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get basic help with our claims.

I've been dealing with this nightmare for 3 weeks now! What finally worked for me was calling the alternate disability line at (800) 480-3287 instead of the main number. Also try pressing different number combinations in the phone tree - sometimes 1-2-4 gets you to a different queue than the usual path. And definitely call right at 8am when they open, I got through in under an hour that way. Don't give up - I know it's beyond frustrating but your benefits are worth fighting for! 💪

This is such a common problem and it's absolutely maddening! I went through the same thing with my SDI claim last month. What ended up working for me was a combination of strategies: I called the alternate disability line at (800) 480-3287 that QuantumQuasar mentioned (which I didn't even know existed until a friend told me), and I called at exactly 8:00 AM when they open. The key is to keep redialing if you get a busy signal - don't give up after just a few tries. It took me about 20 redials over 30 minutes but I finally got into the hold queue. Also, have EVERYTHING ready before you call: your claim number, SSN, doctor info, dates of disability, etc. They move fast once you get through and you don't want to waste time searching for documents. Hang in there - I know it feels impossible but persistence really does pay off! 💪