Need working EDD phone number to talk to real agent - all numbers just disconnect me

welcome to the hell that is EDD phone system lol. those r the right numbers but they're ALWAYS jammed. i tried calling 116 times over 3 days last month (yes i counted). the 833 number is slightly better but u gotta call RIGHT when they open at 8am. even then its like winning the lottery

I've heard if you call the 833 number and press 1, then 2, then 4 it might get you to a different queue. But honestly EDD is completely BROKEN right now. My roommate had to wait 6 weeks before her claim moved from pending!!! Their phone system is designed to keep us out I swear.

The challenge with reaching EDD is that their systems are perpetually understaffed. Your best strategy is to call the 833-978-2511 number precisely at 8:00am or between 4:00-4:30pm when call volumes sometimes dip. When the automated system asks why you're calling, select option 1 for general questions, then 2 for claim questions, NOT the technical support options which rarely connect to knowledgeable agents. Alternatively, you can try reaching out through your UI Online account by using the Contact EDD feature. Though slower, it creates a documented communication trail. If your benefits have been pending for 3+ weeks, you might have an eligibility issue requiring an interview, which unfortunately requires speaking with a representative.

im in teh same boat rn been tryin for dayz.... my neighbor told me sum thing about tier 2 reps? like u gotta get thru then ask for tier 2 cuz regular ppl cant help with pending issues? idk im so lost with all this edd stuff

After struggling with the same issue last month, I found a service called Claimyr that actually worked for me. They have a system that basically keeps dialing for you until they get through, then they call you when they have an EDD rep on the line. I was skeptical at first but it saved me days of frustration. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out. My pending payments got resolved the same day I finally spoke with someone.

I know everyone's saying call at 8am, but honestly I've had better luck in the afternoons around 2:30-3pm. Maybe everyone's trying in the morning so afternoons are actually less crowded? Worth a shot if morning isn't working. Also make SURE you have good reception when calling - if your call drops after waiting an hour you'll want to throw your phone out the window (not that I've done that... 😅

For what it's worth, I had a similar situation in January where my certification got stuck in pending for almost a month. I finally got through by calling RIGHT AT 8:01am (not 8:00 exactly when everyone else is calling). I spoke with a rep who helped identify the issue - there was an eligibility question that needed to be resolved, which is why it was stuck in pending. They scheduled me for a phone interview and my payments were released a few days later. If you have a pending issue that requires adjudication (basically an eligibility decision), no amount of calling different numbers will bypass that process. You need to actually talk to a rep who can either resolve it on the spot or schedule you for an interview. Keep trying - it's frustrating but persistence does eventually pay off with EDD.

Has anyone tried the local Assembly member route? My cousin was stuck for over a month and then contacted her district's Assembly person and they helped push it through within a week. Might be worth trying if the phone hell continues?

Just wanted to update - I finally got through! The trick was calling the 833 number at exactly 8:01am and following the menu options that @profile1 suggested. Waited about 35 minutes but finally spoke to someone. Turns out I had an identity verification issue that wasn't showing on my online account. The rep helped clear it up and my pending payments should be processed in 24-48 hours. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions!