Tried 47 times to contact EDD this week - is there ANY way to get through?

The EDD phone system is completely broken right now. I was in your exact situation last month and found this service called Claimyr that connected me to an EDD rep in under 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. It was honestly the only thing that worked after I tried everything else - calling different numbers, different times, etc. The agent I got was able to fix my pending payments right away.

Try calling exactly at 8:01am and press 1, then 2, then 4. Thats what worked 4 me. Also try on Wednesday they seem less busy then. Good luck!!!

There are a few strategies that can help increase your chances of reaching an EDD representative: 1. Call at strategic times: 8:01am right when they open, 10:30am after morning rush, or 2:30pm after lunch 2. Try the UI technical support line (1-855-327-7057) and when they answer, ask to be transferred to a claims specialist 3. Send a message through your UI Online account under "Contact Us" - they sometimes respond within 5-7 days 4. Contact your state assembly member's office. They have dedicated EDD liaisons who can intervene on your behalf for urgent cases 5. Try the disability/PFL number (1-800-480-3287) and ask for a transfer when they answer It's important to document all your attempts to contact them (screenshots of call logs) in case you need to file an appeal for any delayed payments. For your pending certification, sometimes the issue resolves automatically after their internal review period (up to 30 days), but speaking with a rep is definitely the fastest solution.

EDD IS THE WORST!!! I'm convinced they make it impossible to reach them ON PURPOSE so people just give up trying to get their benefits. I had to call 209 TIMES in one day before I got through last month. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE US FAIL!!!!

I've been helping people navigate EDD issues for over two years, and reaching a representative continues to be the biggest hurdle. Here's what works most consistently: - Call the 5616 number, but instead of calling repeatedly, use a pattern: call once, wait 15 minutes, call again, wait 10 minutes, etc. Calling back-to-back actually puts you in a different queue position. - For pending certifications specifically, make sure you've completed any questionnaires in your UI Online account. Sometimes there's a hidden eligibility issue that needs addressing before payments process. - If your claim shows "pending" for more than 2 weeks, it usually means there's an eligibility interview needed. Check your UI Online homepage for any scheduled phone interviews. - Double-check that your identity verification through ID.me is fully complete - this is a common hold-up. If all else fails, the assembly member route is highly effective but can take 1-2 weeks. The key is to be specific about your financial hardship in your request (potential eviction, utilities shutoff, etc.) to get prioritized.

have you tried contacting them through askEDD? i had a similar problem and i submitted a question there and they actually called ME back the next day! couldn't believe it worked but it did

Just wanted to update everyone on this thread - I've noticed that EDD has changed their contact procedures starting this month. If your certification is stuck in pending status for more than 10 days without any notification of eligibility issues, they now have an expedited review process. You need to: 1. Log into UI Online 2. Go to "Contact Us" 3. Select "Claims Questions" then "Payments" 4. Specifically mention "Pending certification with no issues identified" in your message This routes your case to their backlog clearance team rather than general inquiries. They prioritize cases where payments are held without explicit eligibility issues. It's not guaranteed, but several of my clients have had success with this approach recently.

i had the same problem last month my claim was stuck pending for 5 weeks!!!! i tried everything calling emailing nothing worked. then my neighbor told me about contacting my state assemblymember and i filled out the form on their website and got a call from edd THREE DAYS LATER and they fixed everything right away. definitely try that route if nothing else works

UPDATE: I FINALLY got through to EDD this morning after trying the Claimyr service that someone recommended above. Took about 25 minutes to connect to a rep (way better than my 47+ failed attempts). The agent said my account had an "unresolved identity verification flag" even though I completed ID.me months ago. She removed the flag and released all my pending payments - should be in my account within 24-48 hours! For anyone else having similar issues, definitely worth checking if there's some hidden flag on your account. Also, thanks everyone for all your suggestions!