Can't get through to EDD Disability - max callers reached every time

ugh I hate that stupid message!! I dealt with this back in January after my car accident. Try calling EXACTLY at 8:00:01 am when they first open. Like literally have your finger on the dial button when the clock changes. Thats how I finally got through after trying for like 2 weeks straight. Good luck!

This is a common issue with SDI claims. The 'pending medical certification' status doesn't necessarily mean they haven't received your doctor's paperwork - it could be in their processing queue. You should try these three things: 1. Check your UI Online account and make sure your claim details are all correct 2. Contact your doctor's office to verify they used your correct EDD Customer Account Number on the forms 3. Try calling the alternate SDI number at 1-866-658-8846 (sometimes less crowded) If you're still unable to reach them, you might want to try the Claimyr service. I was in a similar situation with my pregnancy disability claim and couldn't get through for weeks. Claimyr connected me to an EDD agent in about 15 minutes. They basically call EDD for you and then connect you once they get through. I used their video demo to see how it works first: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and then signed up at claimyr.com. Saved me a ton of frustration.

have u tried emailing? sometimes that works better then calling

The entire disability system is DESIGNED to be impossible to reach!!! They WANT you to give up so they don't have to pay you!!! I had to call 47 TIMES in one day before I finally got through last year. It's a DISGRACE how they treat disabled workers who have PAID INTO THE SYSTEM!!! My advice? Document EVERYTHING - times you called, who you spoke with, EVERYTHING! And if they keep jerking you around, contact your state assembly member's office. That's what finally fixed my claim after 2 MONTHS of runaround!!!

I work with SDI claims regularly, and here's what you should know: The 'pending medical certification' status often appears even when they have your doctor's documents - it just means they haven't processed them yet. SDI is separate from regular unemployment, so make sure you're calling the specific SDI number (1-800-480-3287). For your situation, I recommend: 1. First, verify in your SDI Online account that your claim shows the correct start date and doctor information 2. Have your doctor's office call the Medical Provider Concierge line (different from the regular line) to verify receipt 3. Try calling at 8:00am sharp or alternatively between 4:00-4:30pm (right before closing when call volume sometimes drops) 4. Use the online message center in your SDI Online account to send a specific inquiry about your claim status If your claim is salary-continuation or integration with employer benefits, that can also cause delays that appear as 'pending medical certification.' Good luck!

when i had my back surgery in 2023 i had the same exact problem!!! i finally gave up trying to call and just drove to the actual EDD office in person. had to wait for like 2 hours but at least i got to talk to someone face to face and they fixed my claim right there. idk if all offices handle disability stuff tho, u might wanna check before u go

my claim was stuck too and i finally got someone after calling like 32 times in a row. just kept hitting redial. super annoying but it worked eventually

Just wanted to add - make sure when your doctor's office submitted the forms, they included your EDD Customer Account Number correctly. I've seen many cases where the medical certification appears missing but actually it was submitted with incorrect information so it couldn't be matched to your claim. This is a common issue that causes the 'pending medical certification' status to persist.

Congrats on getting through @Zainab! That SSN digit error is unfortunately super common - I see it all the time in my work with disability claims. For anyone else reading this thread who's still struggling to get through, here are a few additional tips that might help: 1. If you have an existing UI Online account, try logging in there first to see if there are any obvious data mismatches between what you submitted vs what's showing in the system 2. The SDI phone system actually has different queue limits at different times - mornings tend to fill up fastest, but sometimes there's a small window around 12:30-1:00pm when people drop off for lunch 3. Consider having a family member call simultaneously from a different number - sometimes one gets through when the other doesn't The key thing to remember is that "pending medical certification" doesn't always mean they're missing your paperwork - it often just means there's a data mismatch or processing delay. Don't panic if you're in this status, but definitely be persistent about getting through to verify everything matches up correctly!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Been trying to reach SDI for 10 days straight about my claim after knee surgery. The "maximum callers" message is infuriating - it's like they don't want us to get help at all. Reading through all these responses gives me hope though. I'm definitely going to try the 8:00am sharp approach tomorrow, and maybe that lunch window trick too. It's ridiculous that we have to become phone ninjas just to get our benefits, but at least now I have a game plan. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this struggle!

Another option that worked for me when I couldn't get through by phone - try using the "Ask EDD" feature on their website. I know it sounds like it would just be automated responses, but I actually got a real person to respond within 3 business days when I explained my situation there. I was dealing with a similar "pending medical certification" issue after my shoulder surgery, and the EDD rep who responded via the online system was able to see exactly what was missing from my file and told me what needed to be resubmitted. It's not as fast as getting someone on the phone, but it's way less frustrating than calling 50 times a day! Just make sure to be really specific about your claim details and what you're seeing in your online account when you submit the inquiry.

Just wanted to share another resource that might help - if you're really stuck and can't get through by phone or online, you can also try contacting your local state assembly member's office. I know someone mentioned this earlier, but I wanted to emphasize how effective it can be. I had a similar issue with my disability claim getting stuck in "pending" status for months, and within 48 hours of my assembly member's office contacting EDD on my behalf, I had a case worker assigned who called me directly. They have special contacts at EDD that bypass the regular phone system completely. You can find your assembly member on the CA legislature website just by entering your zip code. It shouldn't have to come to this, but sometimes political pressure is the only thing that gets EDD to actually do their job!