Can't reach California Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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Join the conversation
This thread is hitting way too close to home - I'm also dealing with a that's been under for over 5 months now, since April. The complete silence from EDD is maddening, especially when you're dealing with mounting bills and basic survival needs. I've been following all the suggestions here and wanted to add that I finally got some traction by filing a complaint with the California State Auditor's office in addition to contacting my Assembly member. They have a specific process for EDD complaints and while it takes time, at least it creates an official record of the systemic failures we're all experiencing. I'm also keeping a detailed log of every interaction attempt with dates, times, and reference numbers - someone told me this documentation becomes crucial if you end up needing legal assistance later. The fact that services like claimyr even exist shows how broken this system is, but honestly at this point I'm considering it too because the alternative is just endless waiting with no end in sight. We shouldn't have to become full-time advocates for ourselves just to get basic unemployment benefits, but here we are. Stay strong everyone - we're not alone in this fight.
@Mateusius Townsend Thank you for sharing the tip about the California State Auditor s'office - I hadn t'heard of that option before! I m'definitely going to file a complaint there too since my has been under since May with zero communication. It s'encouraging to hear about any avenue that might create some accountability for this mess. I m'also keeping detailed records like you suggested, and honestly at this point I have a whole spreadsheet tracking my attempts to reach EDD. The fact that we ve'all had to become experts in navigating this broken system just to get help we re'entitled to is absolutely ridiculous. I m'going to try the Assembly member route, the State Auditor complaint, and probably claimyr too because waiting indefinitely isn t'an option when rent and bills don t'stop coming. This whole situation has been such an eye-opener about how our safety net systems can completely fail the people who need them most. Thanks for the solidarity - it helps to know we re'not fighting this alone even though it shouldn t'be a fight at all.
I'm unfortunately joining this club too - my has been under for almost 6 months since April. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both heartbreaking and validating - at least I know I'm not alone in this nightmare. I've tried everything: calling during different hours, sending messages through the portal, even having family members try calling from different numbers, but I can never get through to an actual person. The stress is overwhelming when you're trying to pay rent and buy groceries while waiting for benefits you earned. I'm going to try all the suggestions mentioned here - contacting my Assembly member, filing complaints with the State Auditor's office, and probably using claimyr even though it's ridiculous we have to pay a service to reach our own government agency. Has anyone had luck with reaching out to disability rights organizations if you have any qualifying conditions? I've heard they sometimes have advocacy resources that can help navigate these bureaucratic dead ends. This whole system is fundamentally broken when so many of us are stuck in the same impossible situation for months on end with no communication or timeline for resolution.
@Zainab Ibrahim I m'so sorry you re'dealing with this too - 6 months is absolutely unacceptable and the stress must be overwhelming. Thank you for mentioning disability rights organizations, that s'a resource I hadn t'considered before! I m'also new to dealing with EDD issues and this thread has been incredibly helpful in learning about different avenues to try. It s'both reassuring and infuriating to see how many of us are stuck in the exact same situation. I m'going to start working through all these suggestions too - Assembly member, State Auditor complaint, and probably claimyr since the regular phone system seems completely broken. Has anyone tried reaching out to legal aid societies? I m'wondering if they might have experience with EDD cases or know about class action possibilities given how widespread this problem clearly is. The fact that we all have to become experts in bureaucratic warfare just to access benefits we re'entitled to shows how badly this system needs reform. Keeping everyone in my thoughts as we navigate this broken system together.
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I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Filed my claim on Monday and got the eligibility questionnaire yesterday morning. Like you, my manager assured me during my exit interview that they wouldn't contest since it was part of a larger restructuring, but seeing that questionnaire pop up so fast definitely made me second-guess everything. Reading through all these responses is such a relief - it sounds like this is just how EDD operates regardless of whether there's actually a contest. I'm planning to fill mine out this weekend with all the details about our department closure and the company's financial situation that led to the layoffs. It's stressful enough dealing with sudden unemployment without having to worry about navigating the EDD system on top of it! Thanks for posting this question - clearly a lot of us needed to hear these reassurances.
You're definitely not alone in this! I'm seeing this thread after going through something similar myself - filed last Thursday and got the questionnaire Friday morning. My heart sank when I saw it because I thought for sure my employer had changed their mind about not contesting. But after reading everyone's experiences here, I feel so much better about the whole process. It's crazy how they don't explain that this is just standard procedure when they send it out - would save so many people from unnecessary panic! Good luck with your questionnaire, and thanks to the original poster for asking what we were all wondering!
I'm a former EDD claims examiner and can shed some light on this process. The eligibility questionnaire is automatically generated by the system based on your separation code - it's not an indication that your employer is contesting. What happens is: 1) You file your claim, 2) EDD sends you the questionnaire within 24-48 hours, 3) Your employer receives a separate notice (Form DE 1101) asking them to respond about the separation, and 4) EDD reviews both your questionnaire and the employer's response (or lack thereof) to make a determination. If your employer truly isn't contesting, they'll either not respond or will confirm it was a layoff. The questionnaire is actually your opportunity to get your side of the story on record first. Be detailed about the downsizing, mention it affected multiple employees/departments, and include dates if possible. Most legitimate layoff cases are approved without further review once both sides align on the facts.
This is exactly the kind of insider perspective I was hoping to find! Thank you so much for explaining the actual process step-by-step. It's really reassuring to know that the questionnaire is just automatically triggered by the system and gives me a chance to get my story on record first. I have all the details about our department restructuring, including the dates when they announced the changes and how many positions were eliminated across different teams. I'll make sure to be thorough about explaining that this was part of a company-wide cost-cutting measure that affected multiple employees, not anything related to my individual performance. Having worked at EDD, do you have any specific tips for how to phrase things in the questionnaire to make the review process smoother?
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To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI
This is really helpful advice! I've been struggling to get through to EDD for weeks. Just to clarify - when you click and say "never received a call," do you go through the automated phone system first or is there a specific online option you're referring to? Thanks for sharing this tip!
I'm also curious about this! I've been trying to reach EDD for over a month with no luck. @abc2b8 could you provide a bit more detail about the exact steps? Is this through the EDD website's contact form or through the phone system? Any additional guidance would be incredibly helpful - I'm getting pretty desperate at this point!
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I'm in a similar situation - paid for a callback service about 10 days ago and still haven't heard anything. It's really frustrating, especially when you're already stressed about EDD issues. I've been checking my phone constantly and even called the service to confirm they have the right number. They said they're experiencing high demand and to be patient, but it's hard when you need answers. Has anyone had success disputing charges with their credit card company if these services don't deliver? I'm starting to wonder if I should just keep trying the traditional route of calling EDD directly, even though it's been impossible to get through.
I totally feel your frustration! 10 days is way too long to wait after paying for a service. Regarding disputing charges - yes, you can definitely dispute with your credit card company if the service isn't delivered as promised. Most companies have a process for "services not rendered" disputes. I'd suggest giving the callback service one more chance to deliver (maybe set a deadline like 2-3 more days), then if nothing happens, initiate a chargeback. Keep all your documentation - payment confirmations, any communication with the service, etc. In the meantime, maybe try calling EDD super early in the morning? I've heard some people have luck around 8:01 AM right when they open. Hang in there! 🤞
I'm dealing with something similar - used a callback service about a week ago and still waiting. The anxiety is real! One thing I've learned from reading these threads is that these services can take longer than expected, especially during peak times. I'm giving mine until the end of this week before I consider disputing the charge. In the meantime, I've been documenting everything - screenshots of the payment, confirmation emails, etc. It's frustrating because we're already dealing with EDD stress and then have to worry about whether these paid services even work. Solidarity to everyone going through this nightmare! 💪
Oscar O'Neil
I'm 55 and currently going through this same situation right now! Just got laid off from my finance job 2 weeks ago and have been receiving a pension from my previous 12-year career in law enforcement. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a lifesaver - I was getting so much conflicting information online and was honestly starting to panic. It's incredibly reassuring to see so many people confirm that pensions from different employers don't affect UI benefits. I've been hesitating to file my claim because I was worried the pension might disqualify me completely, but based on all the real experiences shared here, it sounds like I should be fine since my pension is from a completely different employer than the one that laid me off. Holly, I'm in almost the exact same boat as you - similar age, similar pension amount, and the same confusion about conflicting information online. After reading through this entire thread, I'm feeling much more confident about filing my claim this week. The consistent message seems to be: be completely transparent about reporting the pension income, but don't worry about it reducing benefits if it's from a previous employer. Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories and advice - this community is amazing and it's such a relief to know we're not alone in navigating this system at our stage in life!
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Omar Hassan
•Oscar, I'm so glad you found this thread helpful! Your situation with the law enforcement pension sounds exactly like what many of us have successfully navigated. Based on all the experiences shared here, you should definitely feel confident about filing your claim this week. The key seems to be that since your pension is from your law enforcement career and you were laid off from a completely different finance job, EDD shouldn't reduce your benefits at all. I'm actually in a very similar position myself - just starting to navigate this process after finding this amazing community. It's such a relief to see how many people have gone through the exact same thing and come out fine on the other side. Don't let that hesitation hold you back any longer - from everything I've read here, transparency is key and your situation sounds very straightforward. Good luck with filing your claim, and thank you for sharing your experience too. It helps to know there are others going through this right now!
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Dmitry Volkov
I'm 62 and just stumbled across this thread while researching my own situation - got laid off from my retail management job yesterday and have been receiving a pension from my previous 18-year career with the city. I was absolutely terrified that the pension would completely disqualify me from unemployment benefits, but reading through everyone's experiences has given me so much hope! It's amazing how many people have been in this exact situation and successfully navigated it. The consistent message seems to be that as long as the pension is from a DIFFERENT employer than the one that laid you off, you should be fine for full UI benefits. Since my pension is from the city and I was laid off from a private retail company, it sounds like I'm in good shape. I've been putting off filing my claim because I was so confused by all the conflicting information online, but this thread has convinced me to just go ahead and file honestly. The tip about calling EDD early in the morning to get through faster is something I'm definitely going to try if I have any questions. Holly, thank you for asking this question - it's helped so many of us who are dealing with the same scary situation. It's such a relief to find a community of people who understand what it's like to navigate this system at our age. I'm feeling much more confident about moving forward now!
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Ruby Blake
•Dmitry, welcome to this incredibly supportive community! Your situation with the city pension and retail layoff sounds exactly like what so many others here have successfully handled. I'm new to this community myself, but after reading through all these experiences, it's clear that you're in great shape since your pension and layoff are from completely different employers. Don't let that fear hold you back from filing - everyone here who was transparent about their pension situation from different employers got their full benefits without any reduction. The early morning call tip is gold if you need to speak with EDD directly. This thread has been such a lifesaver for all of us navigating this confusing situation at our age. You've got this!
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