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

I've been in a similar situation - it's incredibly frustrating when you need to get important documents verified and can't reach anyone. Have you tried calling right when they open at 8 AM? That seems to be when the queue is shortest. Also, make sure you're calling the right number for your specific issue - sometimes the general line gets overloaded but specialty lines (like for appeals or technical issues) might have shorter wait times. Don't give up, and definitely reach out to support about that callback issue!

Your employer absolutely cannot prevent you from filing for unemployment benefits - that's completely false and potentially illegal! When your hours are reduced by 50% due to lack of work, you're exactly the type of situation partial UI benefits were designed for in California. Here's what you need to know: - Your employer has NO authority to "approve" or "disapprove" unemployment claims - only EDD makes that determination - Apply immediately at edd.ca.gov - don't let their intimidation tactics stop you - You'll report your reduced hours and wages when you certify every two weeks - Keep documentation of your schedule changes (old vs new) as proof What your boss is really worried about is their unemployment insurance tax rate potentially going up, but that's their business expense to handle - NOT your financial burden to absorb. You've been paying into this system with every single paycheck, so these are benefits you've already earned and are entitled to. Document everything she said about "not approving" your claim, including dates and exact words used. Employer interference with unemployment filing can actually constitute illegal retaliation under California law. Your rent and car payments don't magically get cut in half just because your hours did - file that claim tonight and get the support you need and deserve!

Your employer is absolutely wrong and what they're doing could actually be illegal interference! You have every right to file for partial unemployment benefits when your hours are cut by 50% due to lack of work - that's exactly what these benefits were designed for. Here's the truth your boss doesn't want you to know: - Employers cannot "approve" or "disapprove" unemployment claims - only EDD makes that determination - What she said about "not approving" your claim shows she doesn't understand how the system works - You've been paying into unemployment insurance with every paycheck - these are YOUR benefits - Her real concern is that successful claims can increase their UI tax rates, but that's a normal business cost File your claim online at edd.ca.gov immediately. When you certify bi-weekly, you'll report your reduced hours and any wages earned. Make sure to document everything your boss said about blocking your claim - employer retaliation for filing unemployment can violate California labor law. Don't let her intimidate you out of benefits you've earned and desperately need. Your financial obligations don't disappear just because your employer doesn't like the unemployment system. This is exactly the temporary support UI was created to provide!

So glad you got it figured out! This is actually a really common issue that trips up a lot of people - the old account thing catches everyone off guard. Your post and the solutions people shared here are going to help so many others who run into the same problem. Thanks for coming back to update us with what worked!

This thread is gold! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. It's so frustrating how EDD doesn't make it clearer that you might already have an account from years ago - they should really add a note about checking account recovery first before trying to register as new. The fact that so many people are running into this exact same issue shows there's definitely a communication gap on their end. Glad to see this community helping each other navigate these bureaucratic nightmares!

This is amazing timing! I've been stuck trying to reach SDI for 2 weeks about my claim that's been "pending medical review" even though my doctor submitted all the required paperwork over a month ago. The regular phone line just disconnects me every time. Just tried your 240+1 method and got through on my first attempt at 2:45pm! Currently waiting on hold (been about 12 minutes so far) but this is the furthest I've gotten since this whole ordeal started. Quick question for you or anyone else who's used this - did the rep you spoke to seem knowledgeable about why claims get stuck in medical review limbo? I'm worried there might be some issue with my doctor's paperwork that nobody told me about, and I just want to know what's actually going on with my claim. Thank you so much for sharing this! Even if I end up waiting an hour on hold, at least I know I'm actually in the queue now instead of just getting rejected by the system. This community is seriously a lifesaver when dealing with EDD's broken phone system!

I just tried this method this morning and it actually worked! Called at 8:45am, used the 240+1 sequence, and got through to an agent after about 30 minutes on hold. I was dealing with a really frustrating situation where my SDI payments stopped suddenly after 4 weeks, even though my doctor had certified me for 8 weeks of medical leave. The rep was able to see that there was an issue with how my employer reported my last day worked, which was causing a conflict in their system. She fixed it right on the call and said my payments should resume within 2-3 business days. One thing I learned - make sure you have your employer's information handy too, not just your medical info. They asked for my employer's name, address, and when exactly I stopped working. Thanks so much for sharing this hack Emily! I was literally losing sleep over this financial stress, and now I finally have some relief. This community is amazing for helping each other navigate EDD's impossible system.

I went through this exact same process about 6 weeks ago and learned some hard lessons! Definitely use your laptop - I initially tried my phone with CamScanner to create PDFs but EDD rejected them twice for "poor image quality" even though they looked fine to me. When I switched to my laptop and used a proper scanner app, everything was accepted immediately. For the email correspondence, here's what worked for me: I opened each email in my browser (Gmail/Outlook web version), then used the browser's print function to save as PDF. This preserved all the metadata and formatting that EDD seems to care about. Screenshots definitely won't cut it - they want to see the full email headers with timestamps and sender info. One tip I wish I'd known earlier: create a single PDF document with ALL your pages in the right order, rather than sending separate files. EDD's system sometimes scrambles multiple attachments. Also, make the font size as large as possible while still fitting everything on the page - their fax system can make text look smaller and blurrier than it appears on your screen. Good luck with your claim! The documentation process is stressful but once you get it right, it typically processes pretty quickly.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works at a local workforce development center - we help people with EDD issues daily. Based on what I see here, everyone's giving solid advice about using your laptop over phone. One thing I'd add that I don't think was mentioned: if you're having trouble with the fax going through (which happens A LOT with EDD's system), you can also try uploading documents through your EDD online portal if that option is available for your specific request. Sometimes the online upload actually processes faster than fax, and you get immediate confirmation that the files were received. Also, if you're really stuck and the deadline is tight, some of our local libraries have fax machines and staff who can help ensure your documents are formatted correctly before sending. Don't panic about the rent deadline - EDD can backdate payments once your claim is approved, so focus on getting the documentation right rather than rushing and having to resubmit!