Looking for EDD tagalog hotline - can't find Filipino language support anywhere

That's so frustrating! With how many Filipino families are in California you'd think they'd have something.

Right? My whole family has been struggling with this language barrier issue.

How do I request that? Do I just stay on the English line and ask when I get through?

Yes exactly. When you finally reach an agent, tell them you need Tagalog interpretation services. They should be able to set up a three-way call.

I tried this and it took an extra 20 minutes to get the interpreter on the line, but it worked!

What's Claimyr? Is that like a translation service?

No it's a calling service that dials EDD for you automatically. Check out claimyr.com - they handle all the dialing and hold time, then call you back when they have an agent ready.

This actually sounds perfect for language barrier situations where you need to get through quickly to request interpretation.

Yeah I've been doing that pattern but we keep getting the 'too busy' message. How long did it take you to actually get through?

Honestly it took me 3 full days of calling from 8am to 5pm. And even then I got disconnected twice after being on hold for over an hour.

Wait seriously? They all take lunch at the same time?

Yep, learned this the hard way after wasting hours calling during lunch break. Total dead zone.

Wednesday afternoons around 2-3pm seem to be the best time in my experience.

That's a good idea! Do you know of any specific organizations in the Bay Area?

Check with Filipino Community Center or search for Filipino advocacy groups in your area. They often help with government services.

Pilipino Workers Center in LA helped my aunt with her claim. They might have Bay Area contacts.

Exactly! My mom gets so stressed trying to understand all the terminology and dates they're asking about.

Have you tried having everything written down in English beforehand? Social security number, claim details, dates, etc?

Yeah we do that but when they start asking follow-up questions or explaining next steps, we get lost again.

Is it legit though? I'm always nervous about paying for services like this.

Yeah it's real. They just automate the calling process and connect you when an agent picks up. Then you can request interpretation services immediately.

I used them too and it worked exactly as advertised. Much better than spending entire days redialing manually.

Right! And meanwhile my mom's been without income for 2 months because we can't navigate their system.

It's honestly discrimination against non-English speakers. They make it nearly impossible to access benefits.

You should file a complaint with their civil rights office about lack of language accessibility.

I'll try that tomorrow morning. Do you just keep redialing the same pattern over and over?

Yep, 800-300-5616, press 1, wait 70 seconds, then 1-1-***. Keep doing that until you either get through or they say too busy.

I tried this and it took 43 attempts but I finally got on hold. Then the call dropped after 90 minutes though.

It's literally the exact same line. Don't waste time switching between numbers - they go to the same call center.

Good to know, thanks for clarifying that.

That's amazing! How many times did you have to call before getting through?

About 25 attempts starting at 8am sharp on a Wednesday. Key was not calling during their lunch break and being patient once on hold.

Glad it worked out! Though honestly 25 attempts is still a lot - that's why I just used the calling service.

I might try the manual way first but if that doesn't work I'll look into Claimyr as backup.