Can't get through to EDD by phone and unable to recover old account - help!

call right at 8:01am that worked for me once. or try the tech support number instead of main one, sometimes they transfer u

I was in the same boat last month - couldn't remember my payment from 3 years ago! Try checking your bank statements from that time if you had direct deposit. That's how I found mine. As for the phone nightmare, I wasted 4 days trying before I found Claimyr. It's a service that basically connects you with EDD without the endless redial game. It worked for me after days of frustration. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km

For your account recovery issue, you have two other options besides remembering the payment amount: 1. If you still have access to the email address you used when creating the account, request a password reset link through that instead of answering security questions 2. Go to an in-person America's Job Center (AJCC) with your husband's ID and Social Security card. They can help reset access to UI Online accounts. You might need to make an appointment first, but this is guaranteed to work when phone and online recovery fail. As for phone calling, the best times are Tuesday-Thursday between 8:00-8:30am or 1:30-2:00pm right after lunch. Mondays are absolute nightmares - never call on Monday if you can avoid it.

why r u even trying to reopen a claim from years ago?? theres a time limit on claims i think... like 18 months or something

The EDD phone system is TOTALLY BROKEN by design! It's a nightmare I've been through multiple times. Here's what actually works - call the EDD disability line instead! Yes, I know you need regular UI not disability, but those reps can actually transfer you to the regular UI department AFTER you get through. Their number is less clogged. Also, try calling exactly at 8:01am (not 8:00 - the system is still booting up), or at 4:01pm when staff are finishing one batch of calls and starting the next. For the account issue - if you're creating a new claim you technically don't NEED the old account. You can create a completely new UI Online account with a different email address. The EDD system will match his SSN to his previous records internally.

i had to deal with this exact thing last year!!! so frustrating!! After like 3 days of calling i finally got through by repeatedly hitting 1-2-4 in their phone menu instead of waiting for the prompts. sometimes it works to bypass the waiting message. worth a try! btw i also couldn't remember my old payment amount but i just kept guessing different amounts until one worked lol. started with round numbers like $300, $350, etc.

Let me provide some accurate information about EDD account recovery since there's some confusion in the responses: 1) For UI Online account recovery when you don't remember payment amounts, call the UI Online technical support line at 1-833-978-2511 (not the regular EDD line). They can verify your identity differently and reset access. 2) Creating a new account with a different email when you already have an existing account tied to your SSN can sometimes create conflicts in the system. While it might work in some cases, it's better to recover the original account. 3) If your husband is filing a new claim now, the easiest solution may actually be to call the main EDD line at 1-800-300-5616, but use the Spanish option (then press 1 for English when connected). The Spanish queue typically has much shorter wait times. 4) For recovering old payment amounts, check old bank statements or tax records - his 1099-G forms from those years would have the total benefits received.

One more thing I forgot to mention... if all else fails you can actually fax EDD a written request to reset your account! I know it sounds ancient but my neighbor did this when she couldn't get through on the phone or recover her password. Send it to the UI Online support fax number.

UPDATE: Success! We tried the Spanish queue trick this morning and got through after only 15 minutes on hold! The rep was super helpful and was able to both reset the UI Online account AND file the new claim all in one call. She said they've been having major phone system issues this week which is why it's been even harder than usual to get through. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions - this community is amazing!