Secret EDD phone hack: Use workforce development office phones to bypass wait times
I was at my wit's end trying to reach EDD for 3 weeks about my disqualification notice. Spent hours every day hitting redial just to get the 'too many callers' message. Super frustrating! Then last Thursday I remembered hearing something about Workforce Centers having direct lines. Decided to try America's Job Center near downtown - walked in and asked if they had phones to reach EDD. The staff there were actually super helpful! They pointed me to their resource room and let me use their special phone connection. Only had to wait 14 mins (not hours!!) before talking to a real person who fixed my disqualification issue on the spot. This might seriously save someone else's sanity - try your local workforce development center if you're desperate to talk to EDD. Just Google 'workforce development office' or 'America's Job Center' with your city name. Their phones seem to have priority access or something.
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Alina Rosenthal
omg this actually WORKS!!! I tried it today after seeing your post. Went to the Workforce Connection Center in my neighborhood (had to look it up, didn't even know it existed). The lady at the front desk totally knew what I was asking for when I mentioned calling EDD. They have a special phone in their resource room just for this purpose. I only waited about 20 minutes but FINALLY got through to someone who could help with my pending payments from January. They said it was just a verification flag that needed clearing. THANK YOU for posting this tip!!!
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Mohammad Khaled
•So glad it worked for you too! It's crazy how they don't advertise this option more. Would've saved me weeks of stress.
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Finnegan Gunn
Do u need 2 make an appointment or can u just walk in? My claim has been stuck on pending since Feb and iv been calling like crazy.
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Mohammad Khaled
•I just walked in, no appointment needed. Just asked at the front desk and they directed me to the resource room. Bring your EDD paperwork and ID though just in case!
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Miguel Harvey
This is accurate information. Workforce Development offices (also called America's Job Centers of California or AJCCs) have dedicated phone lines to various government agencies including EDD. These phones connect through a different system than the public phone lines, which is why they can often bypass the usual wait times. Many of these centers also have EDD staff on-site certain days of the week who can assist with more complex unemployment issues. I recommend calling your local office first to confirm their current services and hours, as these can vary by location.
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Ashley Simian
•I tried calling my local one but nobody answered lol. Gonna just show up tomorrow and see what happens
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Oliver Cheng
Have anyone tried this at the Workforce center in San Bernardino? I've been trying to get someone to help me with my ID.me verification problem for almost a month now. My claim is stuck in pending and I'm about to be evicted honestly...
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Taylor To
•I haven't used the San Bernardino location specifically, but if you're dealing with ID.me verification issues, you might want to try Claimyr instead. It's a service that gets you through to an EDD representative much faster than regular calling. They have a good video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. I used it last month after struggling for weeks with a similar ID verification issue. Got through to someone in about 25 minutes who was able to fix the flag on my account right away. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out. ID.me issues usually need a live agent to resolve them properly.
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Ella Cofer
I think this depends on which workforce office you go to. I tried the one in Oakland last month and they told me their direct EDD line was down and had been for a while. Maybe I just got unlucky? Has anyone successfully used an Oakland location recently?
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Mohammad Khaled
•That's frustrating! Maybe try a different location? The one I went to mentioned that some offices have better connections than others. Worth trying another nearby office if there is one.
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Ashley Simian
•the richmond one worked for me last week! not too far from oakland
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Finnegan Gunn
Will they let you use the phone if ur there for something else? Im signed up for a resume workshop next week and wondering if i can just use the phone while im there
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Alina Rosenthal
•Yes! That's actually perfect timing. I was there for job search help and they let me use the EDD phone as part of my visit. Just mention it when you check in for your workshop.
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Kevin Bell
I worked at EDD for 5 years (quit in 2024 bc burnout) and can confirm this is legit. Workforce centers have priority routing access. The phones there bypass the public queue and get routed to specialized agents who handle partner calls. The average wait time is WAY less than public lines. But here's a pro-tip: go EARLY in the morning when they first open. That's when the least people are using these phones so you'll get through faster.
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Ella Cofer
•This is super helpful info! Do you know if these workforce center phones also work for PUA issues or just regular UI claims? I'm having problems with my claim that was converted from pandemic assistance.
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Kevin Bell
•PUA doesn't exist anymore in 2025. Your claim would have been converted to regular UI by now or you'd need to file a new claim. But yes, the workforce phones connect to general claim specialists who can handle all claim types including former PUA ones that converted.
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Oliver Cheng
I just wasted 2 hours driving to my local workforce center only to find out they're closed on Wednesdays!!! Make sure you check the hours before going. So frustrated right now uuuuggh
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Mohammad Khaled
•Oh no! Sorry that happened to you. You're right - definitely check their hours first. Hope you can try again tomorrow.
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Dylan Campbell
This is a game changer! I've been struggling to get through to EDD for over a month about my benefit year ending. Called probably 200+ times and never got past the busy signal. I found my local America's Job Center using the CalJOBS website and went there yesterday morning around 9am when they opened. The staff were amazing - they knew exactly what I needed and showed me to their phone area. Got connected to an EDD rep in about 12 minutes! The agent was able to help me file my new claim right over the phone and explained everything clearly. Wish I had known about this sooner. For anyone reading this - definitely try it, but bring all your paperwork (W2s, pay stubs, etc) just in case they need info to help resolve your issue on the spot.
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Diego Rojas
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience! This gives me hope. I've been in the same boat - calling hundreds of times with no luck. My benefit year ended last month and I've been stuck in limbo. Going to try this first thing Monday morning. Did they ask for any specific documents when you got there, or just when you were on the phone with the EDD rep?
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