Best times to call EDD when they keep hanging up - my 3 week nightmare
I've been trying to reach someone at EDD for THREE WEEKS about my disqualification notice and it's driving me CRAZY! I've called the main number (833-978-2511) literally 30+ times every day at different hours. I always get the 'we're experiencing high call volume' message and then they hang up! I've tried calling at 8:01am right when they open, during lunch hour, and right before they close at 7:59pm. Nothing works! I'm about to lose my apartment because I need this issue fixed asap. Has anyone actually gotten through recently? What time of day works best? Do they even answer phones anymore or is this all just a cruel joke?
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Angel Campbell
I finally got through last week after trying for days. The two secrets are: 1) Call precisely at 8:01am, not 8:00 (their system takes a minute to fully boot up) and 2) When you hear the automated message, immediately press 1, then 2, then 4 in sequence - don't wait for the full prompts. This bypasses some of the queue. Also Tuesday and Wednesday seem to have slightly lower call volumes than Monday or Friday.
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TommyKapitz
•THANK YOU! I'll try that exact sequence tomorrow morning. Did you have to wait on hold long once you actually got through? I can't miss the callback if I have to step away for a bathroom break!
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Payton Black
they dont answer on purpose i swear. been trying 4 weeks and nuthin. edd is a joke!!!!!
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Harold Oh
•While it feels that way sometimes, they're just severely understaffed. The system is definitely broken though. I was in your exact situation with the disqualification notice and spent 3 weeks trying to reach someone. My advice is to try calling at exactly 10:30am - that's right after their morning staff meeting ends and before lunch rush. That's how I finally got through.
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Amun-Ra Azra
I've found that Thursdays around 3-4pm tend to have slightly better odds. Avoid Mondays and Fridays at all costs - those are their busiest days when everyone is calling. Also, if your disqualification is related to an eligibility interview issue, you should be calling the determinations line directly at 1-866-401-2849 instead of the main line.
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TommyKapitz
•I had no idea there was a separate determinations line! My disqualification letter just says I didn't provide sufficient proof of job search activities, which isn't true because I uploaded everything through UI Online. I'll try that number tomorrow afternoon, thanks!
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Summer Green
After going through exactly this nightmare (took me 6 weeks to resolve my issue), I discovered Claimyr and it was a game-changer. They basically call EDD for you and connect you when they get through. Saved me hours of frustration. Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km or go to claimyr.com. Way better than repeatedly hitting redial all day for weeks.
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Payton Black
•sounds 2 good 2 be true... did it really work??
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Gael Robinson
I work near an EDD office and my friend who works there (not sharing names obviously) says their internal systems are most reliable between 2-4pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. That's when they have the fewest technical glitches and most staffing. Might help your odds slightly. Also make sure you're calling from the EXACT same phone number that's listed on your UI Online account - some people report that makes a difference with their phone system prioritization.
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Edward McBride
•That phone number tip is actually a myth. I used to work for a different state agency that used the same phone system, and the caller ID has absolutely no impact on queue position or routing. The time of day advice is solid though - mid-afternoon on Tuesday/Wednesday is definitely the sweet spot based on staffing patterns.
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Harold Oh
Have you tried contacting your state assembly member's office? They have dedicated EDD liaisons who can sometimes help push your claim through when you can't reach anyone. It's what finally worked for me after dealing with a similar disqualification notice. Just Google "[your county] state assembly member" and look for their constituent services page.
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TommyKapitz
•That's a great idea! I'm in San Diego County so I'll look up who represents my district. Did you have to provide a lot of documentation to the assembly office when you contacted them?
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Payton Black
its so dumb they expect us to do job search when we cant even get our money!! how m i suppose to afford gas to go to interviews?!?!
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Angel Campbell
•While frustrating, it's important to keep up with your work search activities and documentation even while dealing with payment issues. The system requires 3 work search activities per week, and those can include online applications (which don't require gas). If you don't do them, it'll just lead to more disqualification problems down the road. Focus on online job boards, LinkedIn applications, and virtual networking to fulfill the requirements while you sort out this issue.
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TommyKapitz
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!
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Amun-Ra Azra
•That's awesome! So glad you got it resolved. For future reference, also make sure you're uploading your work search documentation as PDF files, not images. The EDD document processing system handles PDFs much better than JPGs or PNGs, which sometimes get lost in their system. Congrats on getting your issue fixed!
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