Waiting 6 weeks for EDD SDI claim with no updates - how to actually speak to someone?
I submitted my disability claim back on January 5th (2025) and it's been completely silent since then. Nothing in the mail, no updates on the online portal, and my status just says 'pending review.' My doctor confirmed they submitted the medical certification form the same day I applied. I've called the EDD SDI number at least 15 times but either get disconnected or stuck on hold for 2+ hours before giving up. My rent is due next week and I'm starting to panic because I have no income coming in while I recover from my surgery. Has anyone successfully reached an actual human at EDD recently? Is there a special number or better time to call? I'm desperate at this point!
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Harper Collins
same thing happened to me. they never answer. ever. been trying for WEEKS
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Donna Cline
•Did you ever get through? How long did your claim take to process?
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Kelsey Hawkins
The backlog is INSANE right now. My nephew works at EDD and says they're still dealing with a staffing shortage from budget cuts last year. The standard processing time is technically 14 days but most claims are taking 6-8 weeks minimum. Keep checking your SDI Online account daily - sometimes they update the status there before sending any mail. Also, check your spam folder in case they emailed you.
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Donna Cline
•Thanks for the insider info. That's really discouraging though... 6-8 weeks?! I can't go that long without income. Is there any way to expedite the claim if you have financial hardship?
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Kelsey Hawkins
•Unfortunately there's no official 'expedite' option for hardship cases. Your best bet is getting through to an actual rep who can look at your specific claim. Sometimes there's just a simple issue they need to clear up (like verification of your last day worked) that's holding everything up.
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Dylan Fisher
I had this EXACT problem last month!!! Finally got my claim approved after 7 weeks of nothing. What worked for me was calling exactly at 8:00 AM right when they open. I mean literally dialing at 7:59 and hitting send at 8:00 on the dot. Still waited 45 minutes but at least got through. The woman told me my claim was just sitting there waiting for someone to review it even though all the documents were correct. She pushed it through that day and I got paid 3 days later. Good luck!!!!!
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Donna Cline
•Thank you! I'll try the 8am approach tomorrow. Did you call the main number on the website or is there a different one I should try?
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Dylan Fisher
•I used the main number (866-333-4606). But even calling right at opening is hit or miss. I tried for 5 days before getting through.
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Edwards Hugo
After spending 3 weeks trying to get through to EDD about my SDI claim, I discovered a service called Claimyr that actually works. You pay them to hold your place in line and they call you when they have an EDD agent on the phone. Saved me hours of frustration. I was skeptical, but they got me through to someone in about 45 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks. You can check out how it works at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd that explains the process. Once I got through to an agent, they found that my employer had put the wrong last day of work which was causing the whole delay.
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Gianna Scott
•is this some kind of scam? why would u pay someone to call edd for u lol
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Donna Cline
•I'm getting desperate enough to try anything at this point. Just checked out their site and it looks legit. I'll give them a try today - anything to avoid more hours on hold music!
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Alfredo Lugo
My sister just went thru this whole mess with disability. Her claim was stuck for like 2 months!! She finally got paid but only after she contacted her state assembly person's office. They have staff who deal with EDD problems all day and can cut through the red tape. Worth a try if u can't get anywhere with the phone calls. Google "CA assembly member" and your zip code to find yours.
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Sydney Torres
•I second this advice! My assembly member's office helped resolve my disability claim that was stuck in limbo for 9 weeks. There's a specific form on their websites for constituent services. Their staff has direct contacts at EDD that regular people can't access. I had my claim resolved within 72 hours after my assembly member's office got involved.
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Harper Collins
btw make sure you keep certifying for benefits even if ur claim shows pending!!! cuz when they finally approve it they'll only pay for weeks you certified
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Donna Cline
•Wait, what? I thought with SDI you don't have to certify every two weeks like unemployment? The paperwork said my doctor submits certification forms, not me?
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Sydney Torres
•That person is confusing SDI with unemployment benefits. For State Disability Insurance, you're correct - you don't need to certify every two weeks. Your doctor's medical certification is what matters. However, if your disability extends beyond the period your doctor initially certified, you'll need to get a new medical certification submitted before the current one expires.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
hey just wanted to say I was in your exact situation last month and I used Claimyr that someone mentioned above and got thru to EDD in like 40 mins when I'd been trying for two weeks. The agent told me my claim had been assigned to someone who was out on leave and it was just sitting there! they reassigned it and I got paid a few days later. Totally worth it instead of stressing for weeks.
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Donna Cline
•That's encouraging to hear! I'm going to try both the assembly member approach and Claimyr. At this point I just need someone to actually look at my claim! Did they tell you why it took so long in the first place?
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•yeah the agent said they're severely understaffed and when claims need manual review they get backlogged. my problem was that my employer reported different wages to EDD than what I claimed so it triggered a manual review. but once I got someone on the phone they fixed it in like 10 minutes.
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Donna Cline
UPDATE: I used Claimyr this morning and got connected to an EDD agent in about 50 minutes! Turns out there was a discrepancy between my last day worked on my application vs what my employer reported. The agent fixed it immediately and said my payments should process within 3-5 business days. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
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Sydney Torres
•Great news! This is exactly why speaking to a live agent is so important - these small discrepancies can hold up claims for weeks if not addressed. Glad you got it resolved!
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Kelsey Hawkins
•Congrats on getting it resolved! For anyone else reading this in the future, this is a common issue - the last day worked discrepancy. Always double-check with your employer what date they're reporting to EDD as your last day worked before you submit your claim to avoid delays.
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