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Can you physically visit an EDD office when phone calls don't work?

I've been trying to resolve an issue with my UI claim for over 2 weeks now. I've called the EDD hotline at least 15 times and keep getting the 'all representatives are busy' message before it hangs up on me. My claim says 'pending issue' and I'm getting desperate since rent is due next week. Is there an actual physical EDD office I can go to in person to get help? I live in San Bernardino County. Would they even see me without an appointment? Has anyone here actually gone to an in-person office and had success? Thanks in advance for any help!

Abby Marshall

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there r no more edd offices that help w unemployment. they closed all those yrs ago. ur gonna need 2 keep calling or try the online portal. good luck its a nightmare

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Really? That's so frustrating! I thought for sure there would be some physical location where I could talk to someone. The online portal doesn't have any options for my specific situation.

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Sadie Benitez

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The previous commenter is correct. EDD no longer offers in-person services for Unemployment Insurance claims at their offices. The America's Job Centers of California (AJCC) locations that used to help with UI claims now only assist with job searching and resume help, not actual claim issues. Your best options are: 1. Keep calling the main UI number (1-800-300-5616) 2. Use UI Online to send a secure message through your account 3. Try calling right when they open at 8am 4. Call your state assembly member's office for assistance I've found that calling on Tuesday-Thursday tends to have slightly shorter wait times than Mondays and Fridays.

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Thank you for the detailed response! I didn't know about contacting my assembly member - that's helpful. I've tried calling right at 8am twice but got the same busy message. This is all so stressful.

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Drew Hathaway

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I had the SAME EXACT problem last month!!! Called 32 times in one week and couldn't get through. I was about to give up when someone on here told me about Claimyr.com - it's a service that basically calls EDD for you and then connects you when they get through to a rep. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km I got connected to an EDD rep in about 45 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. The rep fixed my pending issue right away once I actually talked to someone.

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Laila Prince

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is that even legit?? sounds sketchy to pay someone just to make a phone call

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Drew Hathaway

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It's definitely legit. I was skeptical too at first but it worked exactly as advertised. They don't handle any of your personal claim info - they just get you past the impossible phone system and connect you directly with an actual EDD rep. After that, you handle everything yourself.

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Isabel Vega

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While there aren't EDD offices that handle UI claims anymore, I wanted to mention that if your claim says "pending issue" it typically means one of three things: 1. Identity verification problem 2. Eligibility interview needed 3. Employer dispute Have you received any notices in the mail or in your UI Online inbox about scheduling an eligibility interview or providing additional documentation? Sometimes these notices get overlooked but they're the actual reason for the pending status.

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I checked my UI Online inbox again after reading your comment and found a notice about needing to verify my last employer's information. It was in a folder I hadn't checked! So I definitely need to talk to someone now. Thank you for pointing this out!

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Dominique Adams

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when i had a pending issue i just waited it out and it resolved itself after 3 weeks. sometimes the system just glitches. have u tried certifying anyway?

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Sadie Benitez

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This isn't good advice. "Pending" issues rarely resolve themselves without action, especially if there's a documentation request or interview requirement. Always address pending issues promptly by contacting EDD, as benefits won't pay until the issue is resolved, and waiting can lead to further complications or even potential disqualification.

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Marilyn Dixon

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THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!! I spent 6 WEEKS trying to get my claim fixed and the second I mentioned I contacted my assembly member suddenly my issue was fixed in 24 hours. It's all a scam to reduce the number of people who successfully get benefits. The EDD is DELIBERATELY understaffed and they DON'T CARE about us. That's why they got rid of the in-person offices - so they don't have to look you in the eye when they screw you over.

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I'm starting to feel the same way! It's like they make it as difficult as possible so people just give up. I'm definitely going to try contacting my assembly member based on your experience and what others have suggested.

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Louisa Ramirez

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I heard that some AJCC locations (America's Job Centers) have EDD staff on certain days of the week, but they only help with very specific issues. You'd need to call your local AJCC to see if this is true. Might be worth a try?

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Isabel Vega

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This information is unfortunately outdated. While AJCC locations do have some EDD staff, they focus exclusively on employment services and cannot help with UI claim issues. They'll simply direct people to call the same UI phone numbers or use UI Online. This changed several years ago when EDD consolidated their unemployment services.

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Sadie Benitez

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Based on your update that you found a notice about verifying employer information, you definitely need to speak with an EDD representative. This is a common reason for pending status, and they need to confirm details with you and possibly your former employer. Since you've identified the specific issue now, when you do reach a representative (whether through persistent calling, the Claimyr service someone mentioned, or assembly member assistance), make sure to tell them immediately about the employer verification notice. This will help them address your specific issue more efficiently. Hang in there - once you get through to someone, these types of issues are usually resolved fairly quickly.

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Thank you! I'm going to try everything suggested here. I'll start with more calls tomorrow morning and if that doesn't work, I'll try contacting my assembly member and checking out that Claimyr service. I just need this resolved before rent is due. I really appreciate everyone's help.

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