Need help connecting with EDD appeals specialist - stuck in phone system loop
I'm at my wit's end trying to speak with someone about my appeal. I filed an appeal after being disqualified for supposedly 'not being available for work' (which is totally false). My hearing is scheduled for just 2 weeks from now, and I have questions about evidence submission that NEED to be answered before then. I've called the regular EDD number at least 15 times, been transferred 3 times, put on hold for over an hour twice, and each time I either get disconnected or transferred to someone who says they 'can't help with appeals questions.' I even tried calling the appeals office directly using the number on my hearing notice (800-300-5616), but just get redirected back to the main menu. How the heck do I actually reach an appeals specialist who can answer my questions? This is beyond frustrating!
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Oliver Schmidt
Appeals are unfortunately handled by a completely separate department than regular EDD claims. The number you're calling (800-300-5616) is actually the general UI customer service line, not the appeals office. You need to call the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board (CUIAB) directly at 1-800-967-5253. When you call, have your appeal case number ready (should be on your hearing notice). Ask specifically to speak with the Administrative Law Judge's assistant who's assigned to your case. They can answer questions about evidence submission deadlines and procedures.
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Amina Diop
•Thank you so much! I had no idea the Appeals Board was a separate entity with its own phone number. No wonder I've been getting nowhere. I'll call them first thing tomorrow morning with my case number ready.
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Natasha Volkov
omg THE EXACT SAME THING happened 2 me!! I got disqualified 4 'refusing suitable work' when the job they offered paid less than half my previous salary and was 45 mins away with no public transit!!! I appealed right away but couldnt get ANY answers about my hearing for weeks. Its a total nightmare trying 2 reach anyone who knows ANYTHING about appeals!!
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Amina Diop
•That's awful! Did you ever manage to speak with anyone? How did your appeal turn out? I'm really worried about mine since I've never done anything like this before.
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Natasha Volkov
•I ended up winning my appeal but it was SUPER stressful! Never got to talk to anyone b4 the hearing. Just prepared everything myself and showed up with all my evidence. Judge was actually pretty nice but the whole process suuuuucks
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Javier Torres
Have you tried checking your UI Online account for a message from the appeals office? Sometimes they send instructions through there. Also, the hearing notice should have contact info for the specific office handling your case.
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Amina Diop
•I've checked UI Online obsessively, but there's nothing there about the appeal. The hearing notice has the general appeals number but when I call it, I just get the same runaround. I'll try the number the first commenter suggested instead.
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Emma Wilson
The EDD appeals system is deliberately designed to be difficult to navigate. They know most people will give up rather than keep fighting. I went through this last year and discovered that each regional CUIAB office actually has its own direct phone number that's different from the main number. Check the address on your hearing notice - if it says "Sacramento Office" or "San Diego Office" etc., you can Google that specific regional CUIAB office for their direct number. Call that instead of the main line. Also, if your hearing is in 2 weeks, you need to submit any evidence at least 10 days before the hearing date or the judge might not consider it. Don't wait until you reach someone - prepare and submit your evidence NOW.
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Amina Diop
•That's a great tip about the regional office! My hearing notice says "San Francisco Office of Appeals" so I'll look up their direct number. And thanks for the warning about the evidence submission deadline - I had no idea there was a 10-day rule. I'll start gathering everything right away.
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QuantumLeap
I had to deal with an appeal last month and the ONLY way I actually managed to get through to a human was using Claimyr. It costs money but after wasting DAYS trying to reach someone, it was worth it. They basically call EDD for you and when they get through, they connect you. The best part was I could watch their progress on video while they were calling so I wasn't just waiting blindly. You can see a demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and their website is claimyr.com. They got me through to someone in the appeals department who actually transferred me to the right person.
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Malik Johnson
•i tried claimyr too worked pretty good. but make sure u ask to be transferred to the appeals board specifically once they get u thru to an agent. regular edd reps still cant help w/ appeals stuff
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Amina Diop
•I might try this as a last resort if I can't get through using the CUIAB number or regional office number. At this point I'd pay just about anything to get some answers before my hearing. Thanks for the suggestion.
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Isabella Santos
why dont u just EMAIL them??? theres a contact form on the appeals board website. WAY easier than calling!!!
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Emma Wilson
•The CUIAB contact form is only for general inquiries. They specifically state on their website that they will NOT respond to case-specific questions through email due to confidentiality concerns. Phone or mail are the only ways to get case-specific help with an appeal. This is a common misconception that actually causes people to miss important deadlines while waiting for an email response that will never come.
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Javier Torres
All this advice about calling different numbers might help, but here's what actually matters for your appeal: 1) Submit all evidence before the deadline 2) Prepare a clear statement about why you were available for work 3) Gather any documentation that proves you were available (job applications, emails, etc). You might never get through on the phone, but if you show up prepared to your hearing, you still have a good chance of winning.
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Amina Diop
•You're right that I need to focus on preparation regardless of whether I can speak to someone. I have documentation showing I applied to 5+ jobs each week and was definitely available for work. I just wanted clarification on the format they prefer for evidence submission, but I'll just submit everything I have in an organized way and hope for the best.
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Oliver Schmidt
Just to follow up - make sure you're not confusing an eligibility interview with an actual appeal hearing. They're completely different processes handled by different departments. If you received a Notice of Determination saying you're disqualified, then you're correctly in the appeals process. But if you received a notice for an eligibility interview, that's handled by EDD directly, not the appeals board. Also, are you planning to have legal representation at your hearing? Many legal aid organizations offer free help with UI appeals. Might be worth looking into since your hearing is coming up so soon.
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Amina Diop
•It's definitely an appeal hearing - I already had the eligibility interview weeks ago, which resulted in the disqualification. I hadn't considered legal representation because I assumed it would be expensive, but I'll look into legal aid options. Do you know if having a representative improves the chances of winning?
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Oliver Schmidt
•Statistics show that represented claimants win appeals at a significantly higher rate than unrepresented ones. Many counties have legal aid organizations that specialize in EDD appeals and don't charge anything. Try searching "[your county] legal aid EDD appeal" - most have income requirements to qualify for free help, but they're usually quite reasonable.
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