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Ruby Blake

Need urgent help with EDD eligibility question - any direct phone numbers?

I'm freaking out a little bit. Just opened my UI Online account this morning and saw a notification saying 'question concerning eligibility' on my claim. Does anyone know a direct phone number to reach an actual EDD representative? I've tried the main 1-800 number THREE times today and just get the automated system saying they're too busy and to call back later. I'm worried about my payments stopping while this gets sorted out. Has anyone successfully gotten through recently? Do they have special direct lines for eligibility issues?

theres no direct number. everybody gets the same stupid 800 number. u gotta keep calling over and over til u get through. took me 37 tries last month

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Ruby Blake

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37 tries?! I don't have time for that with my part-time job. Did you just call back-to-back or space it out through the day?

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Ella Harper

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The 'question concerning eligibility' notification usually means they need to verify something specific about your claim. It could be your work search activities, your availability for work, or something about your previous employment. You don't want to ignore this because they can stop your payments until it's resolved. There are a few strategies for getting through: 1. Call right when they open at 8:00 AM 2. Try calling on Wednesday or Thursday (slightly lower call volumes) 3. Press 1-2-4 at the menu prompts to get to claims specialists faster If you're getting the 'too many callers' message, you need to hang up and immediately redial. Some people get through after 10-15 attempts.

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Ruby Blake

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Thank you for explaining what the notification might mean - that actually helps calm my nerves a bit. I'll try the 1-2-4 prompt sequence tomorrow morning right at 8:00. Do you know if there's any way to see more details about what exactly they're questioning about my eligibility?

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PrinceJoe

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I got same message last month and my benefits stopped for 3 weeks!!!!! EDD is THE WORST agency ever. They make it IMPOSSIBLE to talk to anyone. I spent literal hours redailing and never got thru. Eventually just got a letter in the mail saying I needed to send proof of my job search activities.

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That sucks. Did they backpay you for the 3 weeks once you submitted the job search proof? I'm in a similar situation right now.

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PrinceJoe

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Yeah I got backpaid but had to borrow money from my sister to pay rent while waiting. I HATE how they just stop paying you with no warning and no way to fix it quickly!!!

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Owen Devar

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I've been through this several times. The 'question concerning eligibility' notification usually requires a phone interview. They should actually send you a letter with the scheduled date and time for the phone interview. Check your UI Online inbox and also watch your physical mail. In my experience, if you wait for the scheduled interview, it can take 2-3 weeks before they contact you. During this time, your payments might be put on hold with a 'pending' status. That's why it's best to try reaching them by phone to possibly resolve it faster. When calling the main number (1-800-300-5616), try this specific sequence: - Call at 8:01 AM exactly - When the automated system answers, press 1 (for English) immediately - Then press 2 (for claim questions) - Then 1 again (for existing claims) If you get the message saying they're too busy, hang up and redial immediately. The key is persistence. I usually get through within 15-20 attempts if I start right at 8:01 AM.

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Ruby Blake

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This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I'll try both checking my mail/inbox for an interview notice AND calling with your sequence. Would the eligibility interview be about my work search efforts? I've been doing the required activities but haven't been super detailed in documenting them.

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Owen Devar

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It could be about work search activities, but it could also be about your availability for work, a discrepancy reported by a former employer, or even just verifying your identity. The notification itself doesn't tell you much, which is why it's so stressful. When you do get through, make sure you have all your documentation ready - dates of employment, supervisor names, contact information, and details of your job search activities. The more prepared you are, the more likely you can resolve it in one call.

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Daniel Rivera

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i had this happen and kept calling for 3 days straight couldnt get through. my cousin told me about this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD rep in like 20 minutes. it costs money but was worth it for me cuz i was about to miss rent. they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km you can check it out at claimyr.com - they basically call EDD for you and connect you when they get through. saved me days of frustration

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Ruby Blake

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I've never heard of that service before. Did you actually talk to a real EDD person who could help with eligibility questions? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

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Daniel Rivera

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yep it connected me to a real EDD rep who fixed my issue. the eligibility question on my account was because my former employer disputed my claim saying i quit (i was actually laid off). the rep removed the hold after i explained the situation

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PrinceJoe

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I don't trust those services, they're just taking advantage of desperate people!! Why should we have to PAY to access a government service our taxes already fund?? The whole system is BROKEN

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After dealing with EDD for months, I've learned that their 'questions concerning eligibility' can mean many different things. In my case, it was because I reported some part-time income on one certification but didn't properly document it. The problem is that without talking to someone, you won't know what specific issue they're questioning. I've found that calling this number: 1-833-978-2511 sometimes connects you to people who can at least tell you what the issue is, even if they can't fix it. They might transfer you to a claims specialist if needed. It's not exactly a 'direct' number, but I've had better luck with it than the main number.

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Ruby Blake

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Thank you! I'll add this number to my list to try tomorrow morning. I also did some part-time work that I reported, so maybe it's related to that. Fingers crossed I can get through to someone.

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Honestly I'd just check your UI Online inbox, click on the History tab, and see if there's details about the eligibility question there. Sometimes they tell you exactly what they need and you can upload documents without even calling. If there's nothing specific there, the letter is probably on its way in the mail. EDD moves slow but they usually send something explaining what they need.

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Ruby Blake

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I checked the History tab and there's nothing except the notification. No details about what they're questioning. I guess I'll wait for mail while still trying to call. Thanks for the suggestion though.

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Ella Harper

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Just to follow up on my earlier comment - make sure you continue certifying for benefits even while this eligibility question is being resolved. A lot of people make the mistake of stopping their certifications while waiting, but then they have to go through an even more complicated process to claim those weeks later. Keep certifying on time, and if they determine you're eligible, they'll pay all those weeks at once.

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Ruby Blake

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That's really good advice - I wouldn't have thought of that. My next certification is due this Sunday. I'll make sure to complete it regardless of whether I've resolved this issue by then.

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btw if ur eligibility thing is about work search just make sure u have atleast 3 job contacts for each week. they been cracking down on that lately

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Owen Devar

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One last tip that has worked for me: If you're still struggling to get through by phone after a few days, consider contacting your state assembly member's office. They have liaisons who work directly with EDD and can often help resolve issues more quickly. Google "[your county] state assembly member" to find their contact information. Their constituent services can be surprisingly effective for EDD problems.

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This is 100% accurate. My brother was stuck in pending for 2 months, called his assembly member, and had his payments released within a week. They have special channels to EDD that regular people don't have access to.

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Ruby Blake

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I never would have thought of this approach. Thanks for the suggestion! I'll try the phone methods first but will definitely keep this as a backup plan if I can't get through.

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Oscar O'Neil

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I went through this exact same situation 2 months ago and it was incredibly stressful. Here's what I learned that might help you: First, don't panic - the "question concerning eligibility" notification doesn't always mean something is wrong. In my case, it was just a routine verification because I had reported some freelance income and they needed to confirm the details. For getting through by phone, I had success with this approach: - Set multiple alarms starting at 7:58 AM - Have the number ready to dial at exactly 8:00 AM - Use the sequence: 1-2-1 (some people say 1-2-4, but 1-2-1 worked better for me) - If you get the busy message, hang up and immediately redial - Don't give up after 10-15 tries - I got through on my 23rd attempt While you're trying to reach them, definitely check: 1. Your UI Online inbox for any messages or interview notices 2. Your physical mailbox - they often send detailed letters explaining exactly what they need 3. The "History" tab in your account for any additional details Most importantly, like others have said, keep certifying for benefits while this gets resolved. I made that mistake and it created additional complications. Good luck! The system is frustrating but you'll get through this.

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NeonNova

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I've been dealing with EDD for over a year now and here's something that might help - if you have access to a fax machine, sometimes faxing documents directly to their office can be faster than waiting for a phone call. The fax number for eligibility issues is 916-464-8219. Also, I noticed someone mentioned Claimyr - I actually used them too when I was desperate and it did work, but just be aware they charge around $20 and you still have to wait in their queue. It's not instant, but it was faster than me calling myself. One more thing - if this ends up being about work search requirements, make sure you have the employer name, contact person, date applied, and method of contact for each job search activity. They're getting really strict about having complete information for all three required weekly contacts. Hope you get through soon! The waiting is the worst part but most of these eligibility questions do get resolved once you can actually talk to someone.

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The fax option is brilliant - I never would have thought of that! Do you know if they send confirmation when they receive faxed documents? I'm worried about sending something and not knowing if it actually got there. Also really helpful to know the specific details they want for work search activities. I've been pretty loose with my documentation so I better tighten that up. Thanks for sharing your experience with Claimyr too - $20 seems reasonable if I can't get through on my own after a few more days of trying.

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Ally Tailer

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@NeonNova Unfortunately they don't usually send fax confirmations, but you can call their main line and ask them to check if they received your fax by referencing your SSN and the date you sent it. I've found that faxed documents typically get processed within 3-5 business days. Just make sure to include a cover sheet with your full name, SSN, and claim number, plus a brief explanation of what documents you're sending and why. Keep a copy of everything you fax in case they need you to resend it. For work search documentation, I learned the hard way that "applied online" isn't specific enough - you need to write something like "submitted application through company website portal" or "applied via Indeed.com job posting." The more detailed you are, the less likely they'll question it later.

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