Best ESD phone number to actually reach a human? Trying for 3 weeks
I've been trying to reach someone at ESD for 3 weeks now with no luck. I have a complicated issue with my claim that can't be resolved through the online portal (says I need to speak to a specialist). I've tried calling the main number 800-318-6022 about 20 times now and either get disconnected or sit on hold for hours until they close for the day. Does anyone know a direct line or a better number to call? Or maybe certain times when the wait isn't horrible? Getting desperate as my rent is due next week and I haven't received any benefits for over a month.
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Daryl Bright
i had the same issue last month. try calling right when they open at 8am sharp. thats how i finally got thru after trying for like 2 weeks. still waited on hold for like 45 min but at least someone picked up
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Natalie Khan
•Thanks, I'll try that tomorrow morning. Do you happen to remember which day of the week you called? I'm wondering if certain days are better than others.
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Sienna Gomez
The main number is actually your best option, but timing is everything. I've found Wednesdays around 2:30pm tend to have slightly shorter wait times. Also, make sure your phone is fully charged and you're using a stable connection - I've been disconnected after an hour wait because of poor service and it was devastating. When you do get through, ask for a direct callback number from the agent who helps you in case your issue isn't fully resolved.
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Natalie Khan
•Thanks for the tip about Wednesday afternoons. I'll definitely try that if tomorrow morning doesn't work out. And good point about the phone charge - I think that's happened to me once already where my phone died while on hold. So frustrating!
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
The regular 800-318-6022 number is the main line for claims questions. There's unfortunately no "secret" direct number to bypass the queue. Your best strategy is to call at 7:59am and be ready to hit dial exactly at 8:00am. If your claim is in adjudication, there's a separate number for the Office of Administrative Hearings at 800-366-8323, but they can only help if you already have a hearing scheduled. Also, for certain issues, the WorkSource office in your area might be able to help or at least point you in the right direction. You can find your local office number on the WorkSource website.
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Natalie Khan
•Thank you! I didn't know WorkSource might be able to help. My claim isn't in adjudication yet - it's showing "pending issue" status, so I think I need the main line. I'll try the 7:59 strategy tomorrow.
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Abigail bergen
The ESD phone system is a JOKE!!! I spent TWO MONTHS trying to get someone on the phone last year. Called every single day, multiple times. It's DESIGNED to keep you from reaching anyone. The government doesn't want to pay out benefits so they make it impossible to fix any issues with your claim!!!
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Ahooker-Equator
•While it's definitely frustrating, I don't think it's an actual conspiracy. The system is understaffed and outdated, but they do eventually resolve most claims. I had a similar experience but after I finally got through, the agent was actually really helpful and backdated my payments.
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Anderson Prospero
I had a similar experience trying to reach ESD last month. After two weeks of failed attempts, I tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent within 30 minutes. They basically call ESD for you and connect you when they reach an agent. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Saved me a ton of frustration. My issue was resolved in one call after I finally got through.
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Natalie Khan
•This sounds promising! I hadn't heard of this service before. Did you have any issues with the connection when they transferred you to an agent? I'm worried about getting disconnected again.
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Anderson Prospero
•The connection was actually very clear. The way it works is they conference you in once they have an agent on the line, so it's just like being on a three-way call. No disconnection issues at all. The agent I got was able to resolve my pending issue in about 20 minutes.
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Tyrone Hill
have u tried the online message center in ur eServices acct?? sometimes they respond pretty quick to those. i had a payment issue and they fixed it w/out me needing to call
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Natalie Khan
•Yeah, I've sent three messages through the Message Center over the past two weeks. No response yet. That was actually the first thing I tried before spending all this time calling. The online system just says I need to speak with a specialist to resolve my issue.
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Ahooker-Equator
One tip that helped me was to make sure I had all my information ready before calling. Have your claim ID, social security number, the dates of any issues, and any correspondence reference numbers handy. This speeds up the process when you finally get through. Also, be extremely specific about your issue when the automated system asks why you're calling. Depending on what you say, it routes you to different departments with different wait times. I found Monday mornings to be the absolute worst time to call. Thursdays seemed better in my experience.
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Natalie Khan
•That's really helpful, thank you! I'll gather all my info tonight and be ready for tomorrow morning. Good to know about Mondays being bad - I think I've been making that mistake by trying at the start of the week.
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Daryl Bright
if nothing else works go to ur local worksource office in person. sometimes they can help u get connected to esd faster
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Natalie Khan
•That's a good backup plan. There's a WorkSource office about 20 minutes from me. If I can't get through by phone this week, I'll try going there in person next Monday.
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