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Anastasia Romanov

EDD E318 Error - Can't File Disability Claim Online, Phone Lines Jammed. Help!

Hey everyone, I'm having trouble filing my disability claim online. The system keeps giving me an E318 error and telling me to call a number, but the phone lines are jammed. Has anyone else run into this? Any tips on how to get through or fix the online system?

I found a way to solve E318 error filing disability claim, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnTaORlWjLs

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Ugh, I feel your pain. I've been dealing with this for weeks now. Have you tried clearing your browser cache and cookies? Sometimes that helps with the online errors.

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Thanks for the suggestion! I'll give that a shot. Did it work for you?

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It worked for me once, but then I got a different error the next time. 🤦‍♂️ The whole system is a mess tbh

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I swear, its like they WANT us to give up sometimes. smh

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E318 is usually a technical glitch on their end. I'd keep trying different browsers or even a different device if you can. Sometimes the mobile site works when the desktop one doesn't.

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I found a way to actually get someone on the phone! I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video explaining it: https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

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Sounds too good to be true. Is this legit?

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I was skeptical too, but I tried it and it actually worked. Saved me hours of frustration.

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20 bucks tho? 😬 That's steep when ur already struggling

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I get it, but for me it was worth it to finally get my claim sorted. Time is money too, ya know?

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Pro tip: Try calling right when they open in the morning. I got through after only a 30 minute wait last week. Good luck!

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Thanks for the advice! What time do they open?

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8am Pacific Time, I think. But double check on their website to be sure!

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Here's what I've learned after dealing with EDD for months: 1. Keep trying the online system at different times. Sometimes it's just overloaded. 2. Use different browsers and devices. 3. If you must call, use an auto-dialer app. It'll keep redialing for you. 4. Check their Twitter for system updates. Sometimes they post about known issues. 5. If all else fails, contact your local state representative. They can sometimes intervene. Hang in there, OP. It's a frustrating process but you'll get through eventually!

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This is gold 💯 Wish I had known all this when I started my claim!

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Contacting my rep actually worked for me. took a few weeks, but they got it sorted

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anyone else feel like we're living in a kafka novel trying to deal with this system? 🤡

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LOL for real. It's like they designed it to be as confusing as possible

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kafka? more like kafkaesque amirite 🤣

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Have you checked if there's a local EDD office you can visit in person? Sometimes face-to-face is the way to go with these bureaucratic nightmares.

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I had the exact same E318 error last month! What finally worked for me was using an incognito/private browsing window and trying during off-peak hours (like early morning or late evening). Also, make sure you're not using any browser extensions that might interfere with the site. The EDD system is notoriously finicky, but don't give up - it took me about 5 different attempts before it went through. If you're still stuck, try the mobile version of the site on your phone instead of desktop.

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This is super helpful! I'm going to try the incognito window trick tonight. How long did it take for your claim to get processed once you finally got it submitted?

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I've been dealing with the E318 error too and it's beyond frustrating! What worked for me was a combination of things: first, I tried using a different internet connection (switched from WiFi to mobile hotspot), then used Firefox instead of Chrome, and made sure to disable my ad blocker. The key was persistence - I kept trying every few hours throughout the day. Eventually got through around 2 PM on a Tuesday. Also, if you do get through to someone on the phone eventually, ask them to note your account that you've been having technical difficulties - sometimes they can flag it to prevent future issues. The whole system is broken but don't lose hope!

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Thanks for sharing all those troubleshooting steps! The different internet connection tip is something I hadn't thought of. Did you have to start your application completely over each time you got the error, or were you able to pick up where you left off? I'm worried about losing my progress if I keep switching browsers and connections.

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I've been battling the E318 error for weeks now and finally found something that works consistently! Try accessing the site through a VPN - I used a free one and connected to a different California city. Apparently the error can be location-specific due to server load balancing issues. Also, completely log out of your EDD account, clear ALL cookies (not just cache), restart your browser, then log back in. I know it sounds like typical "have you tried turning it off and on again" advice, but this combo worked for me on the third try. The VPN trick seems to be the key - I think certain IP ranges are getting routed to overloaded servers. Hope this helps someone avoid the phone line nightmare!

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This VPN trick is genius! I never would have thought that IP location could be causing the E318 error. I'm definitely trying this tonight - I've got nothing to lose at this point. Quick question though - did you use any specific VPN or would any free one work? And did you notice if certain California cities worked better than others? Thanks for sharing this tip, you might have just saved my sanity! 🙏

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I've been dealing with this E318 nightmare too and I think I found a pattern! The error seems to happen more frequently during business hours when everyone's trying to access the system. I've had the most success filing between 11 PM and 2 AM when server traffic is lower. Also, try using Microsoft Edge if you haven't already - I know it sounds weird but their site seems to play better with Edge than Chrome or Firefox sometimes. Make sure JavaScript is enabled and disable any popup blockers temporarily. One more thing - if you're using a work computer or public WiFi, try switching to your personal device on home internet. Some networks have security settings that interfere with the EDD portal. Don't give up, the system is garbage but persistence pays off eventually!

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The late night filing tip is brilliant! I've been banging my head against the wall trying during normal hours. Going to set an alarm for midnight tonight and give it a shot. Have you noticed if weekends are any better for getting through the system, or is it pretty much the same story? Also really appreciate the Edge browser suggestion - I've been stuck on Chrome this whole time thinking all browsers would work the same. Sometimes the most obvious solutions are the ones we overlook!

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I've been fighting the E318 error for over a month and finally had a breakthrough! After reading through all these suggestions, I tried a combination approach: used incognito mode + VPN + Edge browser + filed at 1 AM on a weeknight. It worked on the first try! I think the key is really that late night timing combined with the VPN to avoid the overloaded servers. For anyone still struggling, don't try to file during peak hours (9 AM - 5 PM) and definitely avoid Mondays - the system gets hammered then. Also, if you're getting error messages, screenshot them before they disappear. I kept a log of every error code and time I tried, which helped me spot the patterns. The whole system is a hot mess but there's definitely a method to the madness. Keep fighting the good fight everyone! 💪

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This is exactly the kind of systematic approach we need! Thank you for keeping a log and sharing the patterns you found. I'm definitely going to try the incognito + VPN + Edge combo tonight around 1 AM. It's crazy that we have to become tech detectives just to file a basic claim, but I really appreciate everyone in this thread sharing what actually works. Going to screenshot everything like you suggested too - that's smart thinking for when I inevitably have to call and explain what happened. Fingers crossed this nightmare ends soon! 🤞

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Just wanted to add my experience with the E318 error - I've been stuck on this for 3 weeks now and tried almost everything mentioned here. The VPN + late night combo worked once for me but then failed again the next day. What I've noticed is that the error seems to be tied to specific form fields - sometimes if I skip optional fields and keep only the required ones filled out, I can get past the error. Also, if you're getting bounced back to the login screen repeatedly, try logging in through the main CA.gov portal instead of going directly to the EDD site. Their authentication system seems to have issues with direct links. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a PhD in troubleshooting just to file a basic disability claim, but hopefully some of these workarounds help others avoid the phone line purgatory!

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This is such a great point about the form fields! I hadn't thought about that - I've been filling out every single optional field thinking it would help my case, but maybe that's actually causing the error. Going to try the minimal approach tonight and see if that gets me past the E318. The CA.gov portal login tip is also really smart - I've been bookmarking the direct EDD link but that might be part of the problem. Thanks for sharing what you've learned through all this trial and error. It's frustrating that we're basically beta testing their broken system, but at least we're helping each other figure out the workarounds! 🙏

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I've been lurking on this thread for days and finally decided to jump in because I'm dealing with the exact same E318 nightmare! Reading through everyone's suggestions has been incredibly helpful - it's like having a support group for EDD survivors 😅. I'm going to try the incognito + VPN + late night filing combo tonight. Quick question for those who've had success: when you finally got past the E318 error, did your claim process normally after that, or did you run into other issues down the line? I'm worried about getting through this hurdle only to hit another wall. Also, has anyone tried the mobile app instead of the website? I keep seeing conflicting info about whether it's more stable or just as broken. Thanks to everyone sharing their war stories and solutions - this community is a lifesaver when the official system fails us!

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Welcome to the E318 support group! 😂 I can answer your question about what happens after you get past the error - once I finally submitted my claim using the VPN + late night method, it actually processed pretty smoothly. I got a confirmation email within a few hours and my first payment about 10 days later. So the good news is that if you can just get past this stupid error, the rest of the process seems to work normally. As for the mobile app, I tried it but had the same E318 issues there too - seems like it's the same backend system causing problems regardless of how you access it. Stick with the browser workarounds that people have shared here, they're your best bet. You've got this! 💪

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I've been battling this E318 error for about 2 weeks now and this thread is incredibly helpful! I wanted to share something that just worked for me today - I tried the incognito + VPN combo that several people mentioned, but what seemed to make the difference was also temporarily disabling my antivirus software's web protection feature. Apparently some security software can interfere with the EDD site's form submission process. I used a free VPN, switched to incognito mode in Edge, disabled my antivirus web shield for 30 minutes, and filed at around 6 AM this morning. Got through on the first try! Just make sure to re-enable your antivirus protection right after you're done. It's wild that we need to basically dismantle our computer's security just to file a disability claim, but desperate times... 🤷‍♀️ Hope this helps someone else who's been stuck!

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This is such a great addition to the troubleshooting arsenal! I never would have thought about antivirus software interfering with the form submission. It makes total sense though - those web protection features are probably flagging something in the EDD site's code as suspicious. I'm definitely going to try this approach tonight along with the VPN and incognito combo. The 6 AM timing is interesting too - seems like early morning might be just as good as late night for avoiding the server overload. Thanks for sharing this breakthrough! It's amazing how this community has basically reverse-engineered all the workarounds that EDD should have documented themselves. Saving this comment for my next attempt! 🙌

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I've been dealing with the E318 error for over a week now and this thread is a goldmine! After reading through everyone's experiences, I just tried a combination of the techniques mentioned here and FINALLY got through! Here's what worked for me: used a free VPN (connected to San Francisco), opened Edge in incognito mode, temporarily disabled Windows Defender's real-time protection, and filed at 5:30 AM this morning. The key seems to be hitting multiple angles at once - different IP location, clean browser session, no security interference, and off-peak timing. I also followed the advice about only filling required fields and logging in through the main CA.gov portal first. Got my confirmation email 20 minutes ago! 🎉 Don't lose hope everyone - this broken system can be beaten with enough persistence and the right combination of workarounds. Huge thanks to this community for sharing all these solutions!

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Congratulations on finally getting through! 🎉 This is exactly what I needed to hear - proof that these workarounds actually work when combined together. I've been trying individual solutions but hadn't thought to use ALL of them at once like you did. The San Francisco VPN location is a great specific detail too. I'm going to try your exact combo tomorrow morning at 5:30 AM - VPN to SF, Edge incognito, disable Windows Defender, minimal required fields only, and login through CA.gov first. It's honestly insane that we need a 7-step process to file a basic disability claim, but I'm just grateful this community exists to figure out these solutions together. Thanks for giving me hope that there's light at the end of this E318 tunnel! 🙏

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