Is the Santa Barbara EDD office open on Mondays in 2025?

Yes, the Santa Barbara EDD office at 130 E Ortega St is open on Mondays from 8am-5pm, but they're APPOINTMENT ONLY now. You can't just walk in anymore like before the pandemic. You need to call and schedule ahead of time. Their number is (805) 568-1296. Make sure to bring your ID and any paperwork related to your claim.

Actually, I was just there last month and that's not entirely accurate. The Santa Barbara EDD office IS open Mondays, but they have a hybrid system now. Mornings (8am-12pm) are for appointments only, but afternoons (1pm-5pm) they take walk-ins based on capacity. If you go after lunch, be prepared to wait - I was there for almost 2 hours, but they did see me eventually. Bring all your claim documents, photo ID, and Social Security card just in case.

i went to santa barbara edd last monday and it was definetly open but super crowded!!! got there at 2pm and barely got seen before closing so go EARLY if u dont have appt

I've been trying to reach EDD for weeks about my certification issue and finally gave up on the phone system altogether. Instead of dealing with in-person waits, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an actual EDD rep by phone. Saved me a trip to Santa Barbara (I live in Ventura) and got my issue resolved in one call. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Might be worth trying before making the trip.

The whole EDD system is designed to be difficult on purpose!! They make it hard to reach them so fewer people get benefits. I had to go to the Santa Barbara office THREE TIMES last month because they kept saying my identity verification didn't go through, even though I completed ID.me perfectly. When I finally got to speak to a supervisor, she admitted it was their system error all along. And yes, they're open Mondays, but it's a complete zoo that day.

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I think I'll try to get there right when they open after lunch on Monday. Sounds like that's my best bet to get seen without an appointment. If that doesn't work, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. My issue is that my claim is stuck in pending after a school employment question popped up during certification, even though I don't work for a school. Really appreciate all the advice!

Just wanted to add that if you do decide to go in person, bring a phone charger or portable battery! The wait times can be really long and you'll want to keep your phone charged in case they need to access your online account or contact you. Also, parking around the Santa Barbara EDD office can be tricky - there's a small lot but it fills up fast. I'd recommend getting there early or being prepared to find street parking a few blocks away. The whole area gets pretty busy on Mondays.

I'm in a similar situation and have been dreading the EDD office visit! Based on everyone's feedback here, it sounds like the afternoon walk-in option might be the way to go if you can't get an appointment. Just wanted to add that I called that Santa Barbara number (805) 568-1296 that Oliver mentioned earlier this week and it took forever to get through - like 45 minutes on hold - but I did eventually speak to someone who scheduled me for next Friday. So if you have time to wait on hold, it might be worth trying for the appointment first. The rep I spoke with was actually really helpful once I got connected. Good luck with your school employment question issue - sounds frustrating!

I had the exact same school employment question issue last month! It's such a common glitch in their system. What worked for me was calling the main EDD number (1-800-300-5616) early in the morning around 8:02am right when they open - seems like there's a brief window before the lines get completely jammed. When I finally got through, the rep was able to see that I had accidentally clicked "yes" to the school employment question and fixed it immediately. My pending payments were released within 2 days. If the phone route doesn't work, definitely try the Santa Barbara office afternoon walk-ins like others suggested. The key is being persistent - this system is frustrating but your issue is totally fixable!

Just want to echo what others have said about the Santa Barbara EDD office being open Mondays - I was there two weeks ago and can confirm they do the hybrid system now. Morning appointments, afternoon walk-ins. One thing I'd add is to download the EDD mobile app before you go if you haven't already. The staff there had me log in through the app to show them my claim details directly, which seemed to speed things up. Also, if you're dealing with the school employment question glitch, bring any documentation showing your actual employment history - pay stubs, W-2s, etc. Even though it's clearly a system error, having backup documentation helps them resolve it faster. The whole process is still a pain, but at least the Santa Barbara office staff were pretty helpful once I actually got to speak with someone.

I just want to add my experience from last week - I had a similar pending issue (not school-related but stuck in review) and ended up using a combination of strategies. First tried the 8:02am phone call method that GalaxyGlider mentioned, but after 2 hours on hold got disconnected. Then I drove to the Santa Barbara office around 12:45pm to be first in line for the 1pm walk-ins. Got there right as they opened the afternoon session and was out by 2:30pm. The rep was super helpful and fixed my issue on the spot. Pro tip: they have a small waiting area but it fills up fast, so if you're doing the walk-in route, definitely get there before 1pm. Also validate your parking at the front desk - saves you a few bucks! The hybrid system actually works pretty well if you time it right.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's been avoiding dealing with EDD for weeks because of all the horror stories, it's reassuring to see that the Santa Barbara office actually has a workable system now. I'm dealing with a similar certification issue where my claim got flagged for something that doesn't apply to me. Based on everyone's advice here, I think I'll try the 8:02am phone strategy first (thanks GalaxyGlider!), and if that doesn't work, I'll head to the office around 12:30pm for the afternoon walk-ins. The hybrid appointment/walk-in system sounds way more reasonable than the complete chaos I was expecting. Really appreciate everyone sharing their recent experiences - makes a huge difference to know what actually works versus just guessing!