How to talk to EDD representative - tried everything, still can't reach anyone

Exactly! I've wasted so many hours on hold just to get disconnected. There has to be a better way.

The call dropping is a known issue with their phone system. Happens to about 40% of calls that make it to hold.

67 attempts?! How did you keep track? And what time did you finally get through?

I kept a log on my phone. Finally connected Wednesday around 2:30pm after being on hold for 1 hour 45 minutes.

What's Claimyr? Is that like a service that calls for you?

Yeah, it's claimyr.com - they automate the whole calling process and forward you when they get an agent. Way better than spending entire days redialing.

I used them too after manual calling failed for weeks. Got connected in under 40 minutes.

Wait, the ENTIRE call center takes lunch at the same time? That's insane!

Yep, it's an open secret. You'll never get through during lunch hours. Wednesday/Thursday afternoons are your best bet.

This explains why I could never get through around noon. Wish they would actually tell people this.

How much time does that actually save per call?

About 30-40 seconds per attempt. When you're calling 50+ times, that adds up to saving over 30 minutes total.

A whole month?! This is ridiculous. There has to be something we can do besides keep calling.

Try using WiFi calling to save on minutes if your phone supports it.

Good to know. I was alternating between them thinking it might help.

Nope, complete waste of time. The specialist line people talk about doesn't exist anymore either.

Does that actually work? I usually start calling right at 8am.

Hit or miss, but I've gotten through twice doing this. Worth trying since mornings are generally better.

31 minutes?! I've been at this for weeks. How much does it cost?

Think it was like $19.99. Honestly cheap compared to the time I was wasting and my phone bill from all the calling.

They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 that shows exactly how it works.

Another thing they don't tell you officially. This whole system is so broken.

Exactly. The lack of transparency makes everything worse. At least we can share these tips with each other.

127 attempts! That's dedication. Have you noticed any patterns in your data?

Wednesday 2-3pm seems to be the sweet spot. Mondays are absolutely hopeless.

Yeah, disability is 800-480-3287 but they can't help with regular unemployment claims.

Good to know. I was getting desperate enough to try anything.

Which service did you use? I'm at my breaking point here.

Claimyr. Was skeptical about paying but after weeks of failed attempts, it was worth every penny. Got connected in under 20 minutes.

Good advice. I've been so focused on just getting through, I haven't organized my paperwork.

Also have your claim number written down somewhere easy to find. They always ask for it first.

I feel the same way. It shouldn't be this hard to get help with unemployment benefits.

It's frustrating but at least services like Claimyr exist. Sometimes you just have to be practical about it.

Week 5 is brutal! I'm only at 2 weeks and already losing my mind. Based on what everyone's saying here about Claimyr, it might be worth the $20 just to preserve your sanity. The fact that multiple people got through in under 30 minutes using it while we're all sitting here after weeks/months of failed attempts speaks volumes.

I totally understand your frustration. I'm dealing with a suspended claim too and the whole system seems designed to wear us down. After reading all these comments, I think I'm going to try Claimyr since so many people here have had success with it. At this point, $20 is nothing compared to the stress and lost time from endless failed calls.

I'm in the exact same boat - week 3 for me and it's absolutely maddening. Reading through all these comments, it's clear the system is completely broken. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and try Claimyr too since literally everyone who used it got through quickly. At this point my time is worth more than $20, and my mental health is suffering from this endless calling nightmare.

I completely agree - this thread has been so helpful! I was starting to think I was doing something fundamentally wrong, but seeing everyone else struggle with the same issues is oddly comforting. The Claimyr success stories are really compelling too. I think what frustrates me most is that we shouldn't have to pay a third-party service just to access our own state benefits, but at this point it seems like the only realistic option. I'm definitely going to try it after reading all these positive experiences. Thanks for starting this conversation - it's given me hope that there's actually a way forward!

Day 12 is brutal! I'm in a similar situation - suspended benefits and dwindling savings. It's crazy that we have to crowdsource basic information like calling times and system quirks that EDD should just publish. The lunch hour blackout thing blew my mind - what government agency shuts down their entire phone system for lunch?! Reading everyone's Claimyr success stories is really convincing me too. The fact that so many people here got through in 20-40 minutes while we're all stuck in this endless calling loop really says it all. I think I'm going to try it this week as well. Hang in there - sounds like we've found a real solution thanks to this community!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been trying for 2 weeks with the exact same results - either the "too busy" message or hours on hold followed by disconnection. It's maddening that we have to resort to paid services just to reach our own state agency, but after reading all these Claimyr success stories, I think that's my next step. The system tips everyone shared here are incredibly valuable - I had no idea about the lunch blackout or the 4pm cutoff. It's ridiculous that this information isn't posted anywhere official. Thanks for sharing your experience and confirming I'm not alone in this nightmare!