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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

I know this is super stressful but try not to worry too much! I had the same "question concerning eligibility" notification last year and it turned out to be nothing major - they just wanted to verify my work availability during a week when I had reported being sick. Here's what worked for me after trying the main number for days: - Try calling at 8:02 AM instead of exactly 8:00 AM (seems like fewer people call at that exact time) - Use the prompt sequence 1-2-1 like Oscar mentioned - If you're on Android, there are auto-redial apps that can help with the repeated calling Also, while you're waiting, make sure to document everything you can think of that might be relevant - job search activities, any part-time work, availability issues, etc. Having all that info ready when you do get through will make the call go much smoother. And definitely check your mail today if you haven't already - sometimes the letter arrives faster than expected and gives you the exact details about what they need. Hang in there!

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.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Got the same "question concerning eligibility" notification three days ago and have been trying to get through ever since. Reading through all these responses is actually super helpful - I had no idea about some of these strategies. I've been calling the main number but only getting through to the automated system. Tomorrow I'm going to try the 8:02 AM timing that Connor mentioned along with the 1-2-1 prompt sequence. I also didn't know about the fax option - that might be worth trying if I still can't get through by phone. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I found that if you go to the "Contact EDD" section in your UI Online account, sometimes there are specific forms you can submit online for certain types of eligibility questions. It's under the "Ask EDD" feature. Might be worth checking to see if there's a relevant form for your specific situation before spending hours on hold. Also keeping my fingers crossed that this is just routine verification like some of you experienced. The stress of not knowing what they're questioning is almost worse than the actual issue itself! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and completely understand the panic! The "question concerning eligibility" notification had me stressed for weeks until I finally got through to someone. Here's what ended up working for me after reading tons of forums like this one: **For calling EDD:** - I had the most success calling at 8:03 AM (slightly off from when everyone else calls at 8:00-8:01) - Used the 1-2-1 prompt sequence that several people mentioned here - It took me 28 attempts over 3 days, but persistence paid off **What the issue actually was:** In my case, it turned out they needed clarification about a gap in my employment history. I had left one job and started another with a 2-week break in between, and they wanted to verify I was actively seeking work during that gap. **Pro tip:** While you're trying to get through by phone, definitely check your physical mailbox every day. The detailed letter explaining exactly what they need often arrives within 5-7 days of the online notification appearing. Mine came on day 4 and had specific instructions about what documents to submit. Also echoing what others said about continuing to certify - don't stop your regular certifications while this gets resolved! I made that mistake initially and it created additional delays. The whole process is incredibly frustrating but try to stay calm. Most of these eligibility questions are routine verification issues that get resolved once you can provide the information they need. You'll get through this!

I just went through this nightmare two weeks ago and finally got it resolved! The anxiety is absolutely terrible when you see that notification and have no idea what they're questioning. Here's exactly what worked for me after trying everything mentioned in this thread: **The winning combination:** - Called at 8:04 AM (trying to hit that sweet spot after the initial rush) - Used the 1-2-1 prompt sequence - Got through on attempt #19 **What my issue was:** They were questioning whether I was "able and available" for work because I had reported being out of town for 3 days to attend a family funeral. Apparently that flagged their system even though I was still actively job searching while away. **Key things that helped:** - Had all my documentation ready (dates, job applications, contact info) - The rep was actually really understanding once I explained the situation - Whole call took about 15 minutes and my payments resumed within 2 days **One tip nobody mentioned:** If you do get the busy signal, wait exactly 3 seconds before hanging up and redialing. I read somewhere that hanging up too quickly can temporarily block your number for a few minutes. Don't give up! I know it feels hopeless when you're in the thick of it, but almost everyone I know who's dealt with this got it resolved within 1-2 weeks. The system is broken but the actual reps are usually helpful once you reach them.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just saw the "question concerning eligibility" notification this morning and immediately panicked. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and honestly pretty calming - it sounds like most of these turn out to be routine verification issues rather than major problems. I'm planning to try the calling strategies everyone mentioned tomorrow morning. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to: - Call at 8:03 or 8:04 AM to avoid the initial rush - Use the 1-2-1 prompt sequence - Wait 3 seconds before redialing if I get the busy message - Have all my documentation ready (job search activities, employment dates, etc.) One question for those who got through - did the EDD rep tell you immediately what the issue was, or did you have to ask specific questions? I'm trying to prepare for the conversation so I don't waste time once I finally reach someone. Also going to check my mailbox religiously for that detailed letter everyone mentioned. Fingers crossed it arrives soon with specifics about what they need. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and strategies - this community has been a lifesaver for dealing with the stress and uncertainty!