In-person EDD office visit saved me after phone system nightmare

No appointment needed! I went to the Sacramento office on Broadway. Just get there early - I arrived 20 mins before they opened and there were already 5 people ahead of me. Bring your ID and any claim paperwork you have, though they mostly just looked up everything on their computer. Good luck!

Do you know if they can help with certification issues too? I've been stuck on pending for 6 weeks after answering a question wrong on my certification. I keep getting the "too many callers" message when I try the regular number.

Yes, absolutely. Certification issues are one of the most common problems they resolve in-person. Bring any documentation related to the week(s) in question, especially if it was about reporting work or earnings. They can typically review and correct certification errors on the spot, though some issues might require additional review by a specialist.

same happened to me in san bernardino. sat there 3 hours and they just gave me a paper with the same phone number id been calling for weeks. edd is a joke

In my experience, if your issue requires an eligibility interview or involves an appeal, the local office staff often can't resolve it on the spot. They're limited in what they can handle directly. For those specific situations, you really do need to speak with a claims specialist through the phone system. If you're still struggling to reach someone, I recently discovered a service called Claimyr that helps you bypass the phone wait times. They basically keep dialing for you until they get through, then connect you directly with an EDD agent. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and their website is claimyr.com. Worth checking out if you're desperate to talk to someone.

Yes, EDD reopened their physical offices for in-person services in 2022. However, some services like eligibility interviews are still primarily conducted by phone. But for account issues, identity verification problems, and general claim questions, the physical offices can be quite helpful.

that's awesome! definitely going to try the office visit tomorrow

So happy for you! It's ridiculous that we have to jump through hoops like this, but at least you found a solution. I'm planning to visit my local office on Monday. Did they tell you what caused the flag on your identity verification? I'm worried something similar might be happening with my claim.

This actually varies by office and sometimes changes based on staffing levels. While many EDD offices accept walk-ins, some have shifted to appointment-only systems during busy periods. It's best to call the specific office you plan to visit beforehand to confirm their current policy. The EDD website should list contact information for your local office.

Is there any way to find out which category your issue falls into without speaking to someone? My UI Online account just shows "pending" with no explanation, and I can't get through on the phone.

Sometimes the UI Online inbox will have notifications with more details, though these can be frustratingly vague. Check the "Notifications" and "History" sections of your account. If you see terms like "identity alert," "quarterly review," or "eligibility interview," those give clues. Also check your physical mail - EDD sends certain notices only through USPS, especially for eligibility interviews and verification requests. If you can't get clarity, an in-person visit is worth trying. The worst outcome is being told you need to call, which puts you back where you started.