EDD SDI phone line constantly busy - alternatives to reach a representative?

same here!! been trying to reach them for over a week. i heard early morning is better but i tried calling at 8:01am and STILL got the 'all representatives are busy' message. this system is completely broken!!

I've been through this process several times with different disability claims. Here's what I've found works best: 1. Call exactly at 8:00 am when they open - like literally have your finger on the dial button at 7:59 2. If that doesn't work, try between 4:00-4:30pm when call volume sometimes dips 3. Avoid Mondays and Fridays completely - those are their busiest days 4. Make sure you're calling the right number for your specific issue (general questions vs. claim specific questions have different departments) 5. The SDI Online message system can sometimes work, but expect 7-10 business days for a response Regarding your doctor's certification - you can actually check if it was received in the SDI Online portal. Log in, go to your claim details, and look for "Medical Certification Status." If it says "Received" then they got it, even if your overall claim still shows as pending.

when i had my baby last year i couldnt get thru either... took like a month to get my claim going cuz no one would answer!!!! so annoying how they expect us to just wait forever with no money coming in!

I had this EXACT problem last month - calling for weeks with no answer! I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an EDD rep in less than 20 minutes. It's not free, but after wasting hours trying to get through myself, it was totally worth it. They basically keep dialing for you until they get through, then call you when they have an agent on the line. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out. I was hesitant at first but got desperate when my claim was stuck for weeks. The rep I finally talked to fixed my issue in literally 5 minutes.

The EDD phone system is DELIBERATELY designed to keep you from talking to agents! Think about it - they save millions by understaffing and making it impossible to get help. I've been fighting with them for 3 disability claims over the past 5 years and it gets WORSE every time. The whole "we're experiencing high call volume" message is playing 24/7/365!!! One trick that sometimes works: select the Spanish option, then when you get a Spanish-speaking agent, just ask if they speak English. Many are bilingual and will help you anyway, and that queue is usually shorter.

Based on what you've described, you might have a more urgent issue that needs addressing. Since your doctor's certification is showing as "Not Received" in the system after your doctor supposedly submitted it, your claim could be at risk of automatic denial after 20 days. Here are some additional steps to try: 1. Ask your doctor to resubmit the certification ASAP - they can do this electronically through SDI Online if they're registered 2. You can also ask your doctor for a copy of the certification submission confirmation if they have it 3. If you do manage to reach EDD, request a "medical certification extension" - they can give you extra time while sorting out the paperwork issue 4. In extreme cases, you can contact your state representative's office - they often have EDD liaisons who can help escalate urgent disability claim issues The current average processing time for clean SDI claims (with no issues) is 7-10 business days, but if there's a certification problem, it can take much longer unless you get someone to manually review it.

Hey not to hijack your post but has anyone had their weekly benefit amount calculated wrong? I make way more than what they're saying and now I'm only getting like half of what I should. I tried calling too and have the same problem as you... ughhh this whole system is a joke

Update: I FINALLY got through this morning! For anyone else struggling, I followed the advice to call exactly at 8:00am, and after trying 6 times in a row, I actually got into the queue instead of getting hung up on. Waited about 45 minutes but finally spoke to someone. The agent was actually super helpful once I got through. Turns out my doctor sent the certification to the wrong department (???), so the agent transferred me to someone who could help sort it out. They're sending a new certification form to my doctor and putting a note on my claim. I'm still going to ask my doctor to resubmit anyway just to be safe. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! This system is absolutely broken, but at least I have some direction now.