EDD SDI phone menu tricks to bypass automated system and reach a live agent

Thanks! I'll definitely try this tomorrow morning. Did you call at any specific time that seemed better for getting through?

This isn't accurate anymore. Since 2024, their phone lines open at 7:00 AM Pacific Time, not 8:00 AM. The earlier the better though - call volume is usually lowest between 7:00-7:30 AM.

is this some kind of ad?? seems sketchy to pay someone just to make a phone call for u lol

Not an ad, just sharing what worked after I spent literally HOURS trying to get through. When you're facing eviction and can't get your benefits, you get desperate. But whatever, do what works for you.

I've actually used this service too and can confirm it works. EDD's phone system is intentionally designed to be difficult to navigate. When you're dealing with a disability and stressed about finances, paying for a service that saves you hours of frustration can be worth it. There are free alternatives though - try contacting your state representative's office as they sometimes have direct contacts at EDD.

That's brilliant! I never would have thought of trying the employer line. I'll add this to my list of things to try tomorrow. Did they give you any grief about using that number instead of the claimant line?

Nope! I just said I'd been trying the regular line for days with no luck and they were completely understanding. I think they know how bad their phone system is. Just be super polite and they'll usually try to help.

This is incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for the insider knowledge. I actually have access to a fax machine at my friend's office, so I might try that route too. Is there a specific format I should use for the fax?

Keep the fax simple - one page with your name, claim number, phone number where you can be reached, and a brief (2-3 sentence) description of your issue. Add "URGENT - FINANCIAL HARDSHIP" at the top if you're facing eviction or utility shutoff. Include the best times to reach you. Make sure your phone accepts calls from unknown/blocked numbers as EDD often shows up that way.

preach!!! 👏👏 its all a scam to make it hard to get benefits we already paid for

While I understand the frustration, it's important to remember that most SDI claims are processed without issues. The problem is they're severely understaffed since the pandemic. When I finally got through, the representative told me they lost about 30% of their staff but claims increased by 40%. The system isn't perfect but they're trying.

@profile3 yeah well try telling that to my landlord who doesn't care WHY my money is late just that it is. If a private company ran like this they'd be out of business. But govt gets away with it because what choice do we have?

This is GOLD! Thank you so much for such a comprehensive guide. I've screenshot this for reference. I'm going to try these methods first thing tomorrow morning. Quick question - do you know if there's any advantage to using a landline versus a cell phone when calling? I've heard some people say landlines get through more often.

There's no technical advantage to landlines, but there is one practical advantage - better call stability during long hold times (often 1-2+ hours). If your cell has spotty service, a dropped call means starting over. One more tip: have all your documents ready before calling (claim number, any correspondence dates/reference numbers, paystubs, etc.). Representatives have strict call time limits, so being prepared helps them resolve your issue in one call.

I wish it were that simple! I've been checking the SDI Online portal daily, but my claim just shows as "pending" with no explanation why or what's missing. Some issues can only be resolved by actually speaking to someone, unfortunately.

The website is only helpful for straightforward claims. Once there's any kind of issue or special situation, you absolutely need to talk to a rep. My pregnancy disability claim got stuck in pending for weeks because my doctor used an older form version - something only a phone rep could tell me and fix.

That's amazing news! Congratulations on getting through and resolving your issue. I'm definitely going to try the silent method first thing tomorrow. Hearing success stories gives me hope!

@Muhammad Hobbs That s'such great news! Quick question - when you say stop "payment alert, did" they explain what triggers that? I m'wondering if my claim might have the same issue since it s'been pending so long with no explanation. Also, did you call right at 7 AM or later in the morning?

@fe69a5e37ff8 That's fantastic! I'm so relieved for you - I know exactly how stressful it is when your claim is stuck and you're watching your bank account dwindle. I called around 8:15 AM this morning using the employer line trick that @Drew Hathaway suggested, but got transferred to a busy signal. Going to try the silent SSN method tomorrow right at 7 AM. Did the rep mention anything about how long these stop "payment alerts usually" take to resolve once they identify the issue?

@fe69a5e37ff8 Congratulations on finally getting through! That's such a relief. I'm curious - when they mentioned the "stop payment alert" requiring additional info from your doctor, did they tell you how you could have known that was the issue without calling? I'm wondering if there are any online indicators I should be looking for that might show why my claim is stuck. Also, did you have to provide any additional documentation during the call, or were they able to clear everything on their end?

This is super helpful insight! Your sister's explanation makes so much sense - it's infuriating that we're left guessing when they could easily show us what's causing the delay online. I'm definitely going to try the fax method too since I have access to one at work. Quick question - do you think it's worth trying multiple approaches at once (like faxing AND continuing to call), or should we stick to one method at a time to avoid confusing things? Really hoping the fax works for you - please keep us posted!

@QuantumQuasar Your sister's insight is incredibly valuable - thank you for sharing that! It makes perfect sense that there are specific flags causing delays but we have no visibility into them. That's exactly the kind of insider knowledge that could save people weeks of frustration. I think trying multiple approaches simultaneously is actually smart - the fax creates a paper trail while phone calls might get you faster resolution. Just make sure to reference your fax in any phone conversations so they know you've already documented the issue. Really hoping this works out for both of us!

This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been stuck at "pending" for 6 weeks now and it's been driving me crazy not knowing WHY. Your sister's explanation about specific flags makes total sense - I wish EDD would just tell us what's missing instead of making us play guessing games. I'm definitely going to try the multi-pronged approach you mentioned. I'll send a fax tomorrow morning using the format @Sadie Benitez provided, then follow up with phone calls using the methods @Diez Ellis shared. Having a paper trail through fax while also trying to get through by phone seems like the smartest strategy. Thanks for sharing that insider knowledge - it s people'like your sister who actually understand how broken this system is from the inside!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in week 3 of "pending" status and had no idea there were specific flags causing delays. @QuantumQuasar thank you for sharing your sister's insights - it explains so much about why we're all stuck in limbo. I'm going to try the fax approach first since several people have had success with it, then follow up with the phone methods. One question though - should I mention in my fax that I've seen others succeed with this method, or keep it focused just on my specific situation? Don't want to accidentally flag myself as someone who's been researching workarounds online if that could hurt my case somehow.

@QuantumQuasar This is such valuable information - your sister's explanation about the specific flags finally makes sense of why we're all stuck in this endless pending status! I've been at 5 weeks pending and it's been absolutely maddening not knowing what's wrong. Definitely keeping your fax approach in mind, but I'm also wondering - did your sister mention if there's any way to proactively avoid these flags when initially filing? Like are there common mistakes people make that automatically trigger manual review? It would be great to help future claimants avoid this nightmare altogether. Really hope the fax method works for you - this community has been a lifesaver for sharing these workarounds that EDD should just tell us about upfront!

@Aisha Ali Thank you so much for sharing your success story! Seven weeks is absolutely brutal, and I m'so glad you finally got through. Your combination approach is brilliant - using the fax to create documentation and then referencing it during the phone call is such a smart strategy. It s'insane that something as simple as conflicting employer dates could hold up a claim for months when it takes 30 seconds to fix! I m'definitely going to try your exact method. Quick question - when you mentioned the conflicting dates to the rep, did they need you to provide any additional documentation, or were they able to see the correct information in their system? I m'worried my employer might have submitted incorrect info too and want to be prepared. This community really is a lifesaver - the fact that we have to crowdsource solutions to navigate a government benefits system is ridiculous, but at least we re'helping each other survive this mess!

@Sara Unger I completely understand that anxiety - I ve'been in your exact situation and it s'absolutely overwhelming when you re'watching your bank account drain while stuck in EDD limbo. You re'definitely not alone in this! The combination approach that @Aisha Ali shared really seems to be the most effective strategy based on all the success stories in this thread. I d also'recommend having all your documents organized before you call claim number, (filing date, any reference numbers from previous attempts since the) reps work fast once you get through. One thing that helped my anxiety was setting specific times for calling attempts rather than trying all day - it gave me some structure and prevented the constant stress of feeling like I should be calling every minute. This community has been incredible for support and practical solutions. Wishing you the best of luck with the fax and phone combo - please keep us posted on how it goes!

@Beth Ford Congratulations on finally getting through! Your success story gives me so much hope - I ve'been stuck for 3 weeks now and was starting to lose faith in the system entirely. It s'both relieving and infuriating that these issues often come down to simple clerical errors that take seconds to fix once someone actually looks at the file. A single digit error holding up your entire claim for a month is exactly the kind of bureaucratic nightmare we re'all dealing with. I completely agree about pinning this thread - the collective wisdom here is worth more than all of EDD s'official resources combined. I m'definitely going to try your exact approach tomorrow: fax first, then the overpayment transfer method right at 7 AM. Thank you for taking the time to update us with your success - hearing these wins keeps the rest of us going when we re'at our lowest point financially and emotionally. This community truly is a lifeline!

@Ethan Davis I m'so sorry you re'going through this financial stress - 6 weeks is absolutely brutal and I completely understand the desperation you re'feeling. This thread has been a godsend for so many of us stuck in the same nightmare! The combination approach really does seem to be the most effective strategy based on all the success stories shared here. One tip I d'add: when you send that fax, make sure to include URGENT "- FINANCIAL HARDSHIP at" the top like @Sadie Benitez suggested, and definitely mention your 6-week wait time. Also, have a backup plan ready for multiple call attempts - the 7 AM time slot fills up fast, so maybe try the 11:45 AM-12:15 PM window that was mentioned too. We re all'rooting for you! This community proves that even when the system fails us, we don t fail'each other. Please keep us posted on your progress - your success story could be the one that helps the next person who finds this thread in desperation.

@Amaya Watson I m'so glad this thread is helping you too! Four weeks of pending status is incredibly stressful, especially when you re'dealing with a disability and financial pressure. The combination approach really seems to be the winning strategy - I love how this community has figured out that using multiple methods simultaneously creates the best chances of success. Make sure to call right at 7 AM if possible, and don t'get discouraged if it takes a few attempts. One thing I ve'learned from reading everyone s'experiences is that persistence really pays off, even though it shouldn t'have to be this hard. The fact that we ve'all had to become experts in navigating a broken system just to access our own benefits is ridiculous, but at least we re'helping each other through it. Wishing you the best of luck - I have a feeling your success story will be added to this thread soon!