Tips and Tricks: Getting Through to California’s EDD, Sanity in Tact
Back in January, I posted Thanks to the EDD, I’m Slowly Losing My Mind.
It chronicled my infuriating experience with California’s unemployment office. I shared my frustration at not being sent my first unemployment check two months after filing my claim. I highlighted my disbelief at being told to call a 1-800 number, then spending weeks dialing it in vain.
And I soon came to realize I wasn’t alone.
Comment after comment, readers shared their own stories. They gave tips and tricks for getting past the automated phone system. They laughed at the preposterousness of the situation (and probably cried quietly to themselves). Six months later, the comments section of that post is still alive and kicking.
So if you find yourself jobless, checkless and at the wrong end of an EDD phone call, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s what we’ve learned from our community since the story went live:
- Keep your resume with CalJobs up to date.
- You did know you needed to post your resume on CalJobs, right?
- Make sure you fill out both columns on the right hand side of the form (some people, I’m told, overlook one of the columns; alright fine, it was me, but the lady on the phone assured me it happens a lot)
- Make photocopies of your claim form, in case you make a mistake on one or in case they stop sending them to you.
- Make sure the check boxes are dark. Form is read by computers.
- There is no unemployment office in California, at least no office that allows you to speak to an adviser face-to-face. All contact is by phone, mail and email. But mostly it’s by Scantron sheets from the late 70s.
- If you’re unlucky enough to have to call them (lost form, problem on form, etc), dial 12117 as soon as you hear “welcome”. Our readers swear by it.
- Still can’t get through? Try the Vietnamese line: 1-800-547-2058. It’s got less traffic than the other lines and the person who picks up will be bilingual, and will have to speak to you in English. I know at least two people who this worked for.
- Calling 223 times in one day is not unusual, and no guarantee you will get through.
- Still can’t get through by phone? Go here, and send them a message. You’ll receive a reference number by email. Keep it!
- They don’t have downloadable bi-weekly claim forms online. That would be too efficient. But you can request to have a new one sent to you. Go here. Click on “select category” >Unemployment Insurance Benefits>Select Topic>Claim Form-Need Replacement Form.
- Stay on top of them like “you’re managing a bunch of kindergartners”
Thanks so much to everyone who has chimed in to share tips and support. And if you have any other suggestions or stories, please continue to share them!
Sometimes it’s just a relief to know that other people are going through the same maddening experience. And that if you are losing your mind (as I was), it really is thanks to the EDD.
P.S. For musings not related to unemployment, check out my new blog, Lipstick & Lemonade
I found this number on another site. It rang a number of times and a woman answered EDD! I left my info and she said they’d call back in the morning. (916) 654-7401. This was after 236 attempts through the regular english line. I hope it works.
I just got through ! Just press 1 and act like you want to check the last payment . They will asked for your one week pay amount. Enter that. Them they will invite you to change you pin. Don’t press anything ! Finally after the robot asked you a few times he will give you the option to press 0 for operator! Press that! I waited 3 minutes and got through! Good luck , hope it works for you!
Just used the Vietnamese trick and got through on the 2nd try…3…SS#…1….0. They weren’t able to resolve my issue, but at least I know what’s going on.
Thank you so much for this site, and for the suggestion.
…for those who don’t think they can understand the Vietnamese prompts…initially, wait a couple secs, push 3…push SS#, you can hear it repeat back…push 1…push 0…will hang up if there are too many callers, but it only did this once to me.
GOOD LUCK!
If you have a telephone interview way in the future, or have a hold on your payments, you can call 916-683-4400. It’s a direct line, so there’s no message pick up like on the 1-800. You may have to call 3 or 4 times to get through, but someone will pick up.
If you have an electricity shut off notice or any type of eviction notice, you can get them to expedite your case as a hardship case. You have to fax in proof. Once you do, call back, and they’ll conduct the interview or address the issue right then.
FINALLY GOT THROUGH!! THANKS A LOT GUYS. SPOKE TO A GUY WITHOUT WAITING AT ALL, OF COURSE HE WAS PISSED I FOUND A LOOPHOLE BUT HE ANSWERED MY QUESTION AND TOLD ME NEVER TO CALL THAT NUMBER AGAIN. HAHA!!
I called the 683-4400 number. The lady told me she didnt care what was happening with me and she didnt want to hear my sob story. I told her it WAS N OT a stort and she told me to just shut up and let her talk. She told me I need to call the 800 number and I tld her that for 2 months now I could NOT get through. She again said to stop complaining and if I was nice she would help me but to NEVER call this number again. She was SO VERY rude. ALl she did was transfer me to another place where I was then transfered 4 or 5 more times to onl;y get a message box that was full…Looks like I am going to be on the street with an 11 and 3 year old.If I dont get my rent paid in 3 days I have no choice. I feel SO ashamed, I had 9 years with my company and I am getting no help and I am afraid I will lose my girls. Does anyone kn ow of a way for me to get in touch another way? PLEASE HELP!
I called the 683-4400 number. The lady told me she didnt care what was happening with me and she didnt want to hear my sob story. I told her it WAS NOT a stort and she told me to just shut up and let her talk. She told me I need to call the 800 number and I tld her that for 2 months now I could NOT get through. She again said to stop complaining and if I was nice she would help me but to NEVER call this number again. She was SO VERY rude. ALl she did was transfer me to another place where I was then transfered 4 or 5 more times to onl;y get a message box that was full…Looks like I am going to be on the street with an 11 and 3 year old.If I dont get my rent paid in 3 days I have no choice. I feel SO ashamed, I had 9 years with my company and I am getting no help and I am afraid I will lose my girls. Does anyone kn ow of a way for me to get in touch another way? PLEASE HELP!
Dude! I called 916-683-4400 and got an answer without a prompt at all!
Shanas trick worked like a charm (see below). THANK YOU SHANA!!!
I just got through ! Just press 1 and act like you want to check the last payment . They will asked for your one week pay amount. Enter that. Them they will invite you to change you pin. Don’t press anything ! Finally after the robot asked you a few times he will give you the option to press 0 for operator! Press that! I waited 3 minutes and got through! Good luck , hope it works for you!
looks as if they are closing all most of those loopholes. Definitely talked to a couple different people who pretty much forwarded me to the 800 number. Seems to me as often time I’ve spent trying to contact some one would be better off looking for wrk.. Lol
Can this get ANY more frustrating?? I’ve called dang near ALL languages and still can’t get through. I did get through on one of the 916 numbers, but the lady was so rude and angry, all she did was transfer me to the 800 number.
I submitted my form over a month ago. Because of the holidays and personal stuff, I didn’t even realize that I haven’t received it. Now I’m trying to find out where my check(s) is (are). Thanks for all of the help, but it’s almost like EDD DOESN’T want to take calls. We find ways and loopholes to contact them, and they close them up. How the hell is that helping ANYONE?! Damn, might as well be trying to contact the DMV.
Flood governor browns office with your complaints so they can fix the system that’s all we can do its messed up the way they do this. People are losing there homes behind this game they are playing down there
I was able to get through using the Vietnamese line. The lady was very nice and spoke English perfectly. Use the posting from “AW” above written on Jan 18 2012. Remember your call maybe dropped after pressing the final 0. I tried it 4 times in a row and finally got the elevator music which means you’re in! Good luck.
Finally, Finally, Finally got through using the where is my payment trick. Rep was very upset but finally transferred to the interview line(Was originally not called on my interview day). Was told that even though they never called this was somehow my fault and that my claim was immediately denied. I had to file a claim and now have a court day for the 3rd time(origianlly had one 2 court appeals in another state for same job but sense I had wages for JPMorgan in 2 states and quit because of forced illegal and unethical operations they wanted us to do i had to file in Cali as well). Been without benifits for 3 moths now (jobless for 28 weeks) and if i dont win the court case im not just jobless but homeless and pennieless as well. Just shows hows horrible this system is and how the state is not just broke but actively trying to destroy the people it is set up to protect… pathetic.
Hi everyone! I called and went throw the opt 5. then opt 1. then after you hear the song and dance. hit 0. You will get throw right way. The lady kinda was rude at first. But I stayed cool and she helped. Fight for your rights! Dont give up!
Just tried the Vietnamese line and got through on the second time, like it says above once you hear the elevator music playing your in. You will hear the Vietnamese guy talking periodically throughout the music playing I’m guessing he’s telling you the wait time you have or something.
People having trouble getting through the English hotline for sure try the Vietnamese one you will get through eventually, faster than you would ever get through on the English line which doesn’t make sense at all get some more damn operators EDD your making people go POSTAL.
I’m a bit confused as to how people don’t stop to think about these phone numbers being given out online that are NOT for the purpose of taking claimants’ calls. I have a friend who works for EDD and she works at an office that handles the ADMINISTRATIVE side of EDD. She receives so many calls a day about peoples’ claims because of websites like this that give away phone numbers.
For one, please stop and think. The more you take up the time of people who are NOT supposed to be handling claims, the less time they have to work on the parts that make unemployment possible. The more time my friend spends explaining to hundreds of people a day that they can’t help them, the less time they have to do the actual work they’re supposed to be doing! For instance my friend’s department handles hiring, staffing, and quality control of EDD employees. The more time her office spends receiving phone calls from people complaining about the call centers, the less time their office actually has to spend FIXING the problems at the call centers!! See how your guys’ ignorance is actually CAUSING the problem?? I’m pretty irritated for my friend. It’s completely understandable how people are frustrated, but remember how in Kindergarden they taught us to wait in line? Well calling these “secret numbers” yes, puts YOU in front of the line, but what about the thousands of other people you are affecting because you want to “cut in front” of people? That’s selfish if you ask me. By tying up the phone lines of departments who do NOT do claims, you’re slowing down the development and the work of these other departments… Believe it or not, there is more to the Unemployment office than your claims people. There’s staffing, administrative, quality control, etc… How do you suppose they do THAT part of their job if you keep tying up their phone lines with questions that they can’t even answer for you? Think people.
Yes, it’s hard to get through to the 800 number, but I’m sorry, like your kindy-garden teacher taught you, wait your turn and keep calling like the rest of the state. Cutting in line does nothing but help YOU, but impedes OTHERS.
And FYI, not that many people care to know, but EDD has a hiring crisis and as much as they WANT to hire more, they’re not able to due to the state’s budget crisis. (Hence, the lack of staffing at the call centers.) So before you blame the workers, please know the facts… when they’re doing the best they can.
It’s just math people. Around 8 call centers at 150 each, puts you at a little over 1,000 workers. With HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of calls coming in a day… can you do the math? Can you really blame these 1,000 workers? Or would you rather blame the real problem… the legislature and the GOVERNOR who caused all this. Poor Joe Schmoe in his little cubicle making a measly $14/hr. (ya, they don’t make the millions you think they do) being forced to work overtime to help cut workload doesn’t need to hear you cuss him out because you’re mad you lost your job. I’m sorry, but you’re not the only one. And guess what, it’s not his fault. So before you guys go off on a tangent blaming the workers, please, see the bigger picture.
My friend comes home from work exhausted and sometimes in tears from phone calls from you selfish self-serving people. You guys need to really see these people working their butts off to try to help you all and how little respect they get from any of you. For every 1 thank you they get, they get 20 ‘eff yous. Nice.
TheThe vietnamese trick worked! My husband did it and the first time He got disconnected. The second time he tried he got the elevator music and someone speaking that Lang. Answered. He asked them if they could transfer him to an English representative. The woman seemed a little confused as to how he had made it through and asked where he got the number from (he said a friend) as she transfered him and you heard the music again and a man who spoke english answered. And is now helping him! Thank you Guys soo much!! So follow the intructions as “AW” said. It may take 2 or 3 times buts its better then 3000 times on the english one! Good Luck everyone!!
@”A bit concerned…”. You’re probably right on most, if not all, of your points. However, the bottom line for most of us is this: I’m unemployed through no fault of my own and have rent and bills to pay. I would love to wait my turn, if I could even get in the line, but if I am forced to choose between jumping the queue or being evicted, guess what I’m gonna do?
I strongly second both what “a bit concerned…” and “LW” had to say.
Currently I live with my parents (I’m 20), looking for work as I have been for the last 2 years.
They are struggling to pay the rent each month (100% of income goes towards bills & what little food we can afford), my sister is in the same boat, and my extended family are all either retired or about to go bankrupt… so nobody in our family can afford to help.
I’ve been to court twice in the last year regarding my claim, once was an overpayment which left me without 25% of my income for 6 months (I used the “extra” money to pay off debts), and I’m back where I started a year ago. Still jobless and in debt, despite spending all my money on absolute neccesities to look for work or pay debts (medical bills).
The second time they cut my income by 66%, so I’m currently waiting and waiting for EDD to “catch up” to my case, which the indecisive JUDGE couldnt have just admitted EDD made a mistake! So my bills are overflowing and I’m stuck at home. I couldnt afford to take a job even if I could find one (the initial gas to get there and back for 2 weeks). NOBODY in my area is hiring 20 yr olds with little job experience, not even part time since the holidays are over with.
This system is broken, and pathetic at best. We need decisive leaders, not manipulative lawyers in congress. I hope this serves America as a wake up call.
It’s simple: people need jobs, the gov needs tax $ from workers, and corporations need to be regulated. If there’s jobless people and cashier stands and call centers to be filled, who’s to blame? DUH! banks, politicians, and corporations. Nobody is hiring b/c profits are better when nobody is working. Its time we put the Jewish law (on limiting profit percentages) into effect, and start actually producing goods and services again.
I got through doing what Chris (or possibly JJ… when I finally got through I was so psyched I can’t remember for sure). No luck with the Vietnamese line. I did get right to human with one of the 916 numbers but she said all she could do was transfer me to the 800 #. Thanks, everyone, for the tips! Best of luck to all.
None of these tricks are working for me, the Vietnamese one just hangs up on me as soon as I press anything.
Maybe you guys can help me out. I just recieved 2 continued claim forms in the mail on the same day. They’re almost identical except for what it says at the top of the page (on that small section that you tear off). One form has information about my my balance and how much money I’m supposed to receive for that week. This form doesn’t prompt me to sign it and send it back. The second form has no information about money, but does prompt me to sign it and send it back. Is this normal? Do you always get two? I’m worried that one of them is the wrong one to send back, or that if I send both it will delay things even further.
I still haven’t received my debit card thing in the mail yet either. I first filed about a month ago. At one point I e-mailed them and they actually called me on the phone in response (about a week later), only to tell me that I’d made a mistake on my first continued claim form that needed to be fixed. Luckily the lady was able to help me out and correct the error over the phone, but she said it would be about another 10 days before I received anything. A few days later I got these two new continued claim forms at once. Really confused at this point.
Also, word to the wise, you have to mark down on the continued claim form that you’re looking for work, even if you’re just temporarily laid off from your job like I am. I didn’t realize that the first time, and that’s what the lady on the phone had to help me fix.