Wow, this thread is a goldmine of information! I've been dealing with a similar situation - my claim has been pending for 5 weeks and I was getting nowhere with the standard phone strategies. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm going to try a multi-pronged approach: first the 8:12am timing that @Javier mentioned, then if that doesn't work, I'll contact my assembly member's office like @Malik suggested. The insight from @Connor about assembly offices having dedicated EDD caseworkers with special access is incredibly valuable - I had no idea that resource even existed! Also planning to check out that EDD subreddit for real-time updates on wait times. It's frustrating that we have to become phone system hackers just to access benefits we're entitled to, but at least there's a community of people sharing strategies. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. This kind of peer support is what gets people through these bureaucratic nightmares. Will report back if I have success!

This thread is exactly what I needed to see! I've been stuck with a pending claim for 4 weeks and was starting to think I was doing something wrong. It's both reassuring and infuriating to see that this is such a widespread problem. I'm going to try the assembly member route first since that seems to have the highest success rate based on what everyone's shared. The fact that they have dedicated EDD liaisons with special access makes total sense - wish I'd known about this weeks ago! Also bookmarking that EDD subreddit for real-time updates. It's crazy that we need to crowdsource solutions like this, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people actually help each other navigate these broken systems. For anyone else reading this who's in the same boat - document everything! I started keeping a log after reading @Chris's advice and it's already helping me track patterns in when I'm more likely to get through vs hit busy signals. Thanks to everyone who shared their strategies. Going to report back once I try the assembly member contact!

Congratulations on finally getting through! Your success story gives me hope. I'm currently dealing with a similar SDI claim issue - getting the same A1104 error online and can't reach anyone by phone. I've been trying for over a week now. Going to try the 8:01am timing and general questions line approach tomorrow morning. It's so frustrating that these work history conflicts can't be resolved online, but at least now I know what I'm dealing with. Thanks for sharing your resolution - it helps to know there's light at the end of the tunnel!

Just want to echo what others have said about the timing strategies - I had success getting through around 1:30pm on a Thursday after trying the morning rush for days with no luck. The afternoon window seems less crowded than the 8am scramble everyone talks about. Also, if you're getting that A1104 error specifically, it's almost always a data mismatch that requires manual review. I had the same issue when I had overlapping employment periods that confused their system. Once I got through to a rep, they cleared it up in about 10 minutes. The key is just staying persistent and trying different approaches. The system is definitely frustrating but most people do eventually get through if they keep at it!

UPDATE: Just got off the phone with EDD. They confirmed there was a processing delay due to quarterly system maintenance. All delayed payments should be released by tomorrow morning. The representative said if you don't see your payment by tomorrow afternoon, then call in because it might indicate a different issue with your specific claim.

This is exactly why I always keep a small emergency fund even when on UI - these random delays happen more often than people think! I've been dealing with EDD for over a year now and I've learned that quarterly maintenance periods (March, June, September, December) almost always cause some kind of hiccup. The good news is they're usually pretty quick to resolve it. For future reference, if you follow EDD on social media they sometimes post about these delays there before updating the website. Also, if you have the Money Network app, sometimes the payment shows up there before it actually posts to your card balance.

I just went through this exact situation last week! The "not enough wages" error is super misleading when you clearly have qualifying earnings. What worked for me was calling right at 8:00 AM sharp and pressing 1-2-4 when the menu starts. I got through on my 4th try that way. When I finally spoke to a rep, they explained that my recent temp work wages hadn't been reported to EDD yet by the employer, so the system was only seeing my older base period which had expired. They were able to manually review my pay stubs and file an alternate base period claim on the spot. Pro tip: Have your Social Security number, all employer names/addresses from the last 18 months, and total gross wages for each job written down before you call. The rep will need all of this info to process your claim correctly. Good luck!

This happened to me too and it's SO frustrating! The base period calculation is the culprit here - your temp job wages probably aren't showing up in their system yet or fall outside the qualifying period they're using. I had success calling the 833-978-2511 number around 8:05 AM and selecting the "file new claim" option. When you get through (and you will eventually!), tell them you need an "alternate base period" calculation and have all your pay stubs ready. The rep I spoke with was actually really helpful once I explained I had sufficient wages that weren't being recognized by the online system. Also definitely ask about backdating your claim to cover those 2 weeks you've already been waiting. They can usually do that if you provide proof of when your employment actually ended. Hang in there - the system is broken but there are people who can fix it on the phone side!

Am I the only one who thinks its ridiculous that we even have to deal with this? In 2023, you'd think they'd have a better system in place. SMH

I ran into this exact same problem a few weeks ago! What finally worked for me was going to the main EDD homepage (not the login page) and scrolling all the way down to the bottom. There's a small "Language" link in the footer that lets you set your preference to English. Once I clicked that and then logged in, everything stayed in English. It's such a hidden feature - took me forever to find it! Worth a shot before trying the more complicated solutions.