Hey OP, have you checked if your account is locked? Sometimes they lock accounts for security reasons and you need to call to get it unlocked. Happened to me last year.

I've been dealing with CalJobs issues for months now! One thing that finally worked for me was using incognito/private browsing mode. Also, make sure you're using the most up-to-date version of your browser. The site seems really picky about browser compatibility. If you're still stuck after trying the suggestions here, you might want to try accessing it from a library computer - sometimes their systems work better with government sites. Good luck! 🤞

I've been dealing with this exact same issue! What finally worked for me was logging out completely, clearing my browser cache, and then logging back in using a fresh incognito/private browsing window. Also make sure you're not using any VPN or proxy - CalJobs seems to flag those as suspicious. The account verification is super sensitive to any inconsistencies, so double-check that your name is entered exactly as it appears on your ID (including middle initials, hyphens, etc.). If you uploaded any documents before, try deleting them and re-uploading with different file names. Sometimes their system gets confused by special characters or long file names. Good luck!

I went through this nightmare a couple months ago! What finally got me past the verification was calling during their lunch break (around 1-2pm) when the phone lines aren't as busy. The rep told me that sometimes the system flags accounts if you've tried uploading too many times - apparently it thinks you're a bot or something. She had to manually reset my verification status on her end. Also, pro tip: save your resume with just letters and numbers in the filename (no spaces, dashes, or special characters). Their system is ancient and gets confused by modern file naming. The whole thing took like 3 tries but once it worked, uploading was smooth. Don't give up!

New member here and wow, this thread is exactly what I needed to find! I've been banging my head against the wall trying to reach SDI for the past 4 days about my own disability claim. The automated system just keeps hanging up on me after the "high call volume" message. I'm so grateful everyone shared their specific timing strategies - I had no idea there was actual science behind when to call! I'm going to create a calling schedule based on all the suggestions here: 8:07am sharp, then 10:30-11:15am if that fails, and finally the 3:15-3:20pm afternoon window. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need to strategize like this just to access our benefits, but I'm willing to try anything at this point. Thank you all for being so generous with your hard-earned knowledge - this community is a lifeline when dealing with California's broken systems!

New member here and I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been trying to reach SDI for 6 days straight about my disability claim and was starting to lose hope. Reading everyone's experiences and specific timing strategies is incredibly helpful - I had no idea there were actual patterns to when you're more likely to get through! I'm definitely going to try the 8:07am approach tomorrow morning, and if that doesn't work, I'll attempt the mid-morning 10:30-11:15am window that Arnav mentioned. It's frustrating that we have to become tactical about something as basic as calling for help with our benefits, but I really appreciate everyone sharing their hard-won knowledge. The tip about having your claim number, SSN, and all documents ready before calling is gold - I've been scrambling to find paperwork in the past when I got busy signals. Thank you all for creating such a supportive community around this shared nightmare! Fingers crossed one of these timing tricks will finally work.

UPDATE: I tried the 8:01am trick this morning with the button sequence and IT WORKED!! Got through after a 45 minute hold. The rep was actually super helpful and found that my work search documentation was in the system but hadn't been properly reviewed. She manually approved it and said my disqualification is being reversed! Payments should resume in 3-5 business days. THANK YOU ALL for the advice!

Congratulations on getting through! Your success story gives me hope. I've been dealing with a similar disqualification issue for 2 weeks now and will definitely try that 8:01am method with the button sequence tomorrow. Quick question - when you were on hold for 45 minutes, did you have to stay on the line the entire time or could you put it on speaker and do other things? I'm worried about accidentally hanging up after finally getting through the initial queue.

I had a similar CalJobs nightmare last year! One thing that isn't mentioned here yet - if you're getting account verification errors, try checking if there are any pending tasks or required certifications in your CalJobs profile that need to be completed first. Sometimes the system won't let you upload documents until you've finished all the preliminary steps. Also, I found that using Safari worked better than other browsers for some reason. The whole platform is definitely frustrating, but don't give up! Once you get past this hurdle, it does get easier to use.

I've been struggling with CalJobs for months and finally found a workaround that might help! If you're getting verification errors, try this: 1) Log out completely and clear ALL your browser data (not just cache/cookies - everything), 2) Wait about 30 minutes, 3) Use a different device if possible (like your phone vs computer), 4) Make sure your resume is saved as a basic PDF without any password protection or special formatting. The verification issue is often tied to your browser remembering old login sessions that conflict with their system updates. Also, if you have any browser extensions running (especially ad blockers), try disabling them temporarily. I know it's frustrating but hang in there - once you get past this initial setup, the site actually works okay for job searching!