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Fatima Al-Suwaidi

Can't find working EDD phone number in Fresno CA - tried everything

I've been searching everywhere for a working EDD phone number in Fresno CA and I'm going crazy. I know there used to be local offices but everything seems to go through the main state line now. I've tried the 800 number about 50 times this week and either get busy signals or sit on hold for hours before getting disconnected. Does anyone know if there's still a direct Fresno EDD office number that actually works? I need to talk to someone about my claim status and the automated system isn't helping.

There's no separate Fresno EDD phone number anymore - everything goes through the main state system at 800-300-5616. The local offices mostly closed during COVID and never reopened for phone service.

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That's what I was afraid of. So frustrating that they eliminated local access completely.

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Same situation in Sacramento - all the local numbers just redirect to the main line anyway.

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I wasted weeks trying to find a Fresno-specific number before realizing it doesn't exist. You have to use the main 800-300-5616 line like everyone else in California.

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Did you ever get through on that main number? I've been trying for days with no luck.

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Eventually yes, but it took about 80 attempts over 3 days. Try calling right at 8am sharp.

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Since you're having so much trouble with the manual calling, have you looked into Claimyr? It's a service that automatically dials EDD for you and calls you back when they get an agent on the line. Saved me literally hours of redialing.

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Never heard of that - is it legitimate? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

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Yeah it's real, you can check claimyr.com. I was skeptical too but it worked in about 25 minutes versus the whole day I'd been wasting.

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Can confirm Claimyr works. Used it last month and got connected to EDD in under an hour.

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The Fresno EDD office on Tulare Street is still there but they don't take phone calls anymore - it's appointment only for specific services. For unemployment claims you HAVE to use the statewide number.

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Can you make appointments there for claim issues or just other services?

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Very limited services now - mostly just disability insurance stuff. Unemployment claims are all handled through the phone system.

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Pro tip for calling the main EDD line: dial 1, wait exactly 70 seconds, then dial 1-1-***. Don't listen to the whole menu, just time it. Saves about 30 seconds per call attempt.

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That timing trick sounds helpful - I've been waiting for all the prompts to finish.

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Yeah most people waste time listening. Also never call between noon and 1:30 - they all take lunch and literally nobody answers.

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The lunch break thing is so true! I called 40 times during lunch hour before someone told me.

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I'm in Fresno too and finally gave up on calling manually. The system is just overwhelmed. Ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned and actually got through to a real person.

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How much does Claimyr cost? Is it worth it compared to the time saved?

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For me absolutely worth it. I'd already wasted 3 full days calling with nothing to show for it. Got my issue resolved in one call through Claimyr.

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There's no magic Fresno number unfortunately. I tried calling the old Central Valley regional number and it just plays a message redirecting to the main line. They really centralized everything.

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So disappointing that they eliminated all local access. Used to be able to walk into the office on Tulare.

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COVID changed everything. Most state services went fully remote and never came back.

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Best success rate I've had is calling Wednesday afternoons around 2pm. Mondays are impossible and Friday afternoons they seem to stop taking new calls early.

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Good to know about Wednesday timing - I've been trying Monday mornings with zero success.

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Monday mornings are the worst because everyone's calling about weekend issues. Mid-week is definitely better.

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I second Wednesday afternoons. That's when I finally got through after days of trying.

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The 833 number and 800 number for EDD are literally the same line, don't waste time switching between them thinking one is better. I learned this the hard way after calling both all day.

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Wish I'd known that sooner - I've been alternating between both numbers thinking it would help.

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Yeah it's a common misconception. Same exact queue, same hold times, same busy signals.

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If you do manage to get on hold, don't hang up even if it's been 2+ hours. I've had calls drop after waiting 1.5 hours and had to start over completely. The system drops about half the calls unfortunately.

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That's terrifying - spending hours on hold just to get disconnected would drive me insane.

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It's honestly the worst part. You think you're finally getting somewhere then dead silence. That's why some people pay for the calling services.

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There's a YouTube video that shows exactly how to navigate the EDD phone menu faster: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 - might help with your calling attempts from Fresno.

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Thanks for the link! Any extra tips for getting through faster would be huge right now.

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The video shows the timing really well. Key is not waiting for prompts to finish - press the next number as soon as you hear the option.

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Been calling from Clovis (basically Fresno) for 2 weeks straight. Finally got through yesterday using the 1-wait-1-1-*** pattern at exactly 8:02am. Took 47 attempts but it worked.

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47 attempts in one morning? How long did that take you?

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About 3 hours of solid redialing. Each attempt takes roughly 3-4 minutes before you know if you're getting through or not.

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That's dedication! I usually give up after 20 attempts. Maybe I need to be more persistent.

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Whatever you do, don't fall for scam numbers claiming to be 'direct Fresno EDD lines'. I saw some fake numbers online that charge per minute. The only real number is 800-300-5616.

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Good warning - I was getting desperate enough to try anything I found online.

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Yeah stick to the official numbers only. Claimyr is the only legitimate paid service I know of that actually works.

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The reality is there's no special Fresno EDD phone number that bypasses the main system. We're all stuck in the same statewide queue whether we're in Fresno, LA, or San Francisco.

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So frustrating that they removed all regional access. Makes no sense for such a big state.

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I agree it's terrible policy. Forces everyone into one overloaded system instead of distributing the load.

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At least with automated services like Claimyr you don't have to sit there redialing manually all day.

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I'm also in Fresno area and finally resolved my claim issue last week. Took exactly 73 phone attempts over 5 days before I got through to an actual person. Wednesday at 1:45pm was when it finally worked.

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73 attempts! That's insane but at least you got results. I'm around attempt 60 myself with no luck.

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Don't give up! The key is consistency and calling right after lunch break ends. Also Wednesday/Thursday seem to be the best days.

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For what it's worth, I had much better luck once I stopped trying to find a local Fresno number and just focused on mastering the main line. Track your attempts, note the times that work best, and don't call during lunch (12-1:30).

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Good advice about tracking attempts. I should probably start keeping a log of when I call and what happens.

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Definitely helps you see patterns. I noticed I had zero success on Monday mornings but decent luck Wednesday afternoons.

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Last resort option: if you absolutely cannot get through manually and need to resolve something urgent, services like Claimyr basically guarantee you'll talk to someone within an hour instead of maybe never getting through on your own.

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I'm starting to think that might be my only option at this point. Manual calling clearly isn't working for me.

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Sometimes you have to weigh your time versus the cost. If your claim is worth more than the service fee and you're not getting anywhere manually, it makes sense.

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That's exactly how I justified using Claimyr. My time was worth more than what I paid, especially since I wasn't getting through anyway.

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I'm in the same boat in Fresno - been trying to reach EDD for over a week now with no success. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like the consensus is there's no local Fresno number anymore and we're all stuck with the main 800-300-5616 line. I'm going to try that Wednesday afternoon timing that several people mentioned, and maybe look into Claimyr if I can't get through by Friday. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not missing some secret local number!

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