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 have a friend who has been off and on Un emplyment benifits for a little over 3 years now. I will find out the trick and let you guys know!! I myself have been on it for 1 year.
Does the former employer have anything to do with the payments??
Tried the vietnamese line but no luck. Tried 12117 with no luck. All I need to do is change my address. I just moved and accidently put 4602 instead of 4902 on my claim form. Now I won’t get my next form, which not only includes my check of course but also a chance to change my address again. Why there is no way to change your address online is beyond me. Why we can’t file online is beyond me. If you can file a claim, you should be able to file your form. That’s how my friends do it in Oregon. With California’s large population and high unemployment rate, this is like some sort of cruel joke that the system isn’t online yet. What a waste of time and money. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this frustrated!
Well after close to 8 weeks my EDD is FINALLY straightened out. Irene at EDD was very helpful to me in getting my checks. I filled out my forms incorrectly (Due to lack of knowledge of how EDD works) and had to wait but now they are coming in. I will take personal responsiblity now and try to start and emergency savings account in case something like this every happens again. I wish you all good luck. I went into the Employment Office and talked to the EDD rep, it sped things up but only because I had a 7 day notice on my PGE.
Kelly, change of address can be a nightmare when dealing with EDD. Don’t be surprised if this prompts an interview as it did with me. If you live near an EDD office, GO IN and correct your address. Hopefully that is an option for you instead of calling their 1-800-number.
Good luck.
I accidently mailed my last EDD form in 5 days late (this week) as it is only for one weeks pay vs. the typical two week window b/c it’s my last one for my initial 26 weeks. Will I still get the last check and Will this screw everything up in re upping me for the next 20 weeks (thanks to the stimulus program) or will I have to deal with EDD and a possible interview?
Any insight to this matter is greatly appreciated.
Good luck to all.
j
I’ve been down this hell road as well, I lost my job on Halloween day and kept on trying to find another one and after months of nothing I filed for unemployment, I finally got my phone interview 3 weeks later, the lady calls me and finds everything I said to be truthful and grants me the money after about 15 minutes on the phone, bang I got my first check and the next two right on time ALL the sudden I get a notice saying I made a mistake and to send the new form out again which I did only to get another I made a mistake which I know I did NOT, I was so angry they gave me the telephone number to call, you know the 800 number, well after over 1,000 calls a week for 2 1/2 weeks I now tried via email and now after 5 days I still haven’t heard nothing from them at all so again tonight I sent another email, it’s so old at the moment they rewarded me my money on may 24th and here I sit going into august and I’ve received a mere 3 checks so almost 10 weeks and only 3 checks and no communication from them to help I feel like a lawsuit would be best at this time, enough is enough
curious if la city made a delay in the $1,400,000 payment fot the pervert pop “star” salute/parade that we all paid for. curious if there were any delays in tax payer funding for the pervert pop star’s parade during a massive recession, double digit unemployment and millions in foreclosure and/or underwater on their mortgages.
ha
I’m not sure if this question has been asked/answered yet, but can a UI check be deposited through an ATM? Or does it have to be deposited in person (since the back of the check says to “Sign in front of person honoring check”? I just received my first UI check today so I wasn’t sure. Hope someone can answer. Thanks in advance!
Had my 2nd interview on July 29. The rep was curt, rude but I was polite. I mailed my forms on July 2nd, they only received one form. The two forms were for two-week periods. They did nothing with the one they had received and the rep couldn’t figure out why although she said she had it in her hand and was looking at it. The rep (forget her name) said there were too many notes on my record and she couldn’t figure out what was going on. My original application was pretty clear (she said so) so don’t understand what notes she referred to. Asked me a few questions (same questions I answered on the app), I answered them. Said she would resend the form that was supposedly lost in the mail and my case would be reviewed as far as previous weeks not paid (again, how many times are they reviewing my case??). I have talked to 5 reps in the span of 3 months. Two interviews and 3 call-backs based on those interviews and still no approval of my EDD benefits. I’ve been lucky to talk to reps, but talking to them so far has done no good. If I didn’t need the money so badly, I’d give up! I still have not received any paperwork based on the July 29 phone interview.
To contact EDD by email: click on Unemployment Insurance: https://eapply4ui.edd.ca.gov/eddcomm/asp/frmEDDCOMM.aspx
why are they curt? those telephonic operators make $15-25 an hour with excellent state (tax-payer subsidized) benefits. similar to those in congress (excellent health care) yet the average American gets the shaft as usual. When is there going to be action, proaction, marches on capital to cause peaceful, real change?
Fantastic. 12117 actually is working right now. I am waiting to hear a human voice right now but at least I got through to this point!
And then was disconnected. Have been calling all day with no luck.
Actually made calls to Senator Yee and Assemblyman Hill’s offices. That got me somewhat closer with a possibility of a call this week (no time or date). Still this is stressing.
I got a call this AM at 9 and was disconnected through no fault of EDD or myself. Now just trying to reestablish contact with no luck. Was told by both offices that EDD is 2 WEEKS behind.
What a mess.
I’ve contacted EDD by e-mail twice, hence the phone interviews. so frustrating
Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much! Calling the Vietnamese line worked like a charm…Twice in a row!
lets see got a check on july 10 09. sent form back on the 11th. it is now august 6 havent received any form or check just a stupid interview in 2 weeks on the 15th man i need the money…
Hey Angela- You should have no problem with your check if you deposit it in your ATM. I do it all the time.I would just say that it takes at least 24hrs for the funds to be available by using the ATM vs. teller. But thats because of the banks process. Good luck out there.
To get through on the lines its just the luck of the draw.I was dialing and redialing 130, while reading these posts. I have now gotten through and am on hold with an agent. It seems that not all agent have computer access and cannot answer specific claim questions. You have to ask that up front or your personal situation cannot be referenced. She has me on hold and is looking for a rep that has access to claims. I hope I get somewhere.I got a live person but no answers that pertain to my questions. Ok -I just spoke with a live person who answered all my questions and was very helpful. There is a GOD!! May you all be blessed!
Can i ask up front to pay my taxes, or can i use the excuse to the franchise (tax) board that i cannot access my files?
Two systems of govt. one for them, and the other for us. America is not a democracy by any stretch of the imagination (and falsely taught as such in schools), rather it is a democratic republic with a confuscatory (forced) tax system.
SO…………….I just got through!!!!!! yay..That 12117 trick works like a charm. I have been trying to get through to a real life person for a few days now and I never even got the “welcome” greeting. It went straight to the lines are currently busy! I tried 3 times with that trick and got through. Here’s the story.
I filed my UI claim on June 5th. Got a per diem job on June 10th and was reporting my wages earned on my UI forms like I was suppose to. I then was mailed a letter stating that I had to attend a job search seminar which I now know was because I updated my cal jobs account on the exact deadline! aparently deadlines arent really deadlines. They want you to do it the day before. After atending a seminar that told me absolutely nothing I didnt already know…….I went home and checked the mail to find another eerie letter in my mail box. The letter stated that my claim had been reopened and there was my per diem new employer listed! I called the UI office and explained that I didnt open a new claim and that I was working per diem there and still am. The lady was very pleasant and explained that since I repoted wages from that employer, the computer automatically re-activates the claim, and assured me that there was nothing to worry about!!!!!!!!!AHA…………..there obviously was something to worry about. Today is Monday, August 10, 2009 and I recieved a letter from the UI office stating that I must be home on September 2, 2009 to answer a telephone interview asking why I left my last employer!!!!!!?????? um……am I missing something? I didnt leave my last employer. I am still working there per diem!!!!!!!!!!!! So that brings me back to my victory of actually getting through on the phone lines! I just spoke to the nicest woman that seems to have fixed the problem. She said I should recieve a call back tonight or tomorrow to asure me that the problem with the system was fixed. ****crossing fingers********
Why can’t they do things right the first time, or even the second time? why is it when some state job individual gets something “right” –it is like a miracle? the phone lines are joke, the system is the way it is because PEOPLE accept it. no one complains effectively, no one writes, marches, or causes peaceful distrubances. Rather, status quo of poor quality government run around. The reason why american is 2nd rate is because many people accept junk, and do not vote with their wallets. That is why american cars are junk, quality service is a joke, and customer service in USA is a joke.
I’ve been calling and calling, and the 12117 technique worked!
However, if you have anything more than simply filling out a claim form, then the person who answered for me was “unqualified to answer my question.”
BUT it was totally worth it just to hear a human on the other side of the line.
After a week of calling all day long and not getting through, I just tried the 1-2-1-1-7….and it worked! The lady I spoke to was very nice, in spite of my telling her how freaked out I was!
call the number and hit the 12117 number. I had been trying to get through to EDD for two days straight and then I read this article tried the 12117 and got through the first time. It was amazing! Thanks for the great advice.
Email every question / concern you have to the EDD and after any phone interview request a current copy of your file. When you lose your phone interview having a paper trail that proves you have been proactive and tried to fix the issue will actually help you with the Appeals Judge. Also, you can call the appeals board to get general information about your UI status. They actually answer their phones which is a huge plus
document everything with those EDD jokers, you need all the prove when/if you must appeal. The state is going downhill fast, make sure you keep copies of everything for potential lawsuits and legal actions against EDD.
ARGH! What a nightmare! I’m so happy my tax dollars are paying for such an efficient system!
I filed my claim with no problem… except that I received info in the mail saying the EDD needed to verify my SSN number. I didn’t realize that they run records through the DMV, and my license had a different address than the one I filed under. So after 2 weeks, I got my letter in the mail with how much benefits would be. So a week after that, I hadn’t received a check. I knew in order to get through to someone on the phone, I had to go to an office, and use one of their direct line phones. I got through to someone, but that person could only take a message and have someone get back to me. Basically, I just wanted to know when I would start receiving my checks. Well, I got home and it was in my mail! Sweet! Everything was taken care of…
Not so fast! A week later I received an email in response to my phone call… saying I need to do a phone interview because EDD couldn’t determine my benefits at this time (which they already did)… due to self-employment. HUH? I’m not self-employed, nor have I ever been self-employed, so where they got that, I have no idea.
So now, I’m sure it will be another month or so until I end up getting another check, by the time they end up figuring this out.
SO infuriating!!! I’ve tried calling and have gotten through to the “Welcome…” and tried the 12117, and then it sounds like I’m getting through (the recording says, “This call may be monitored… please be prepared to give your Social Security Number.” Then I get another recording saying that due to the current volume of callers, they are unable to assist me at this time.
Any other ideas if I get that message? Any help or advice is appreciated!
Write to every congress man, senator, governor, elected “official” you can, email, write letter, telephone them. de unrelenting. The time is to rise up people, no more lemmings, and shoulder shrugs–this EDD is a disgrace and we’re all paying for incompetence and inefficiency. Write to everyone, keep copies of the letters, also, the local and national news media too, CNN, MSMBC, FOX, KCAL, whomever, the story needs to be out regarding this absurd “system” and the bloated salaries of those state “employees” that do little yet make alot! No more shoulder shrugging, STAND UP/and SPEAK UP.
UI in California is a HUGE joke. They operate in a violent manner. You can’t even send in a “comment” without supplying your name AND social security number, therefore scaring people into silence. A lot of us have dealt with checks and paperwork being “lost” in the mail, so who would want to send in a comment to them using their real name? I do and I did. We shall see what kind of shenanagains they cause to me now. I sent in my paperwork late because i was in another state looking for work and have sufficient proof for them of this. I figured they’d just deny me and send me the paperwork for the current week. But nooooooooooo they schedule a phone interview for me on September 10th 2009…which at the time was A MONTH away. I called and spoke with a very curt person who basically stone walled me into a waste of a phone call. I can’t even say “i don’t care about the phone interview or getting paid for anything up until now just let me start now”. They want to give me the run around with their little games to prolong paying another person. I have already filed an appeal and hope to speak my piece to a judge before the 10th.
I suggest that if this is going to be the game they’re playing, we claim exempt on our paychecks and save our money until the end of the year. They can deal with that. Withhold FROM THEM. Everyone needs to start writing their senators and congressmen and informing them that the people don’t want to take it anymore and if withholding our tax dollars through the year is the way to make them wake up then we will. MONEY TALKS.
Unemployment is here FOR US and paid for by our employers. If I am legit in looking for work and claiming unemployment, the violent threats by the unemployment office of denying me needs to STOP NOW.
Stop the abusive violent unemployment system!!
I’ve been unemployed since July 08..then got back to work for a couple of months and re-unemployed in October…..Since I had sometimes done independent contracting (very, very limited), I had a phone interview and the interviewer denied my claim last year..SO>>>i then went before a judge who reversed the EDD decision, allowing me to work a few hours a week (most of them at night) to earn some extra money….THEN..I exhausted those benefits..got an emergency extension…THEN they put me on a new claim, slicing my benefits in half INSTEAD of keeping me on/or giving me a first extension (as friends have received with no problem)..AND now since I reported 80.00 of contracting income, they want another phone interview EVEN THOUGH the JUDGE’S DECISION is in my file..Some rigamarole about this being a new claim..So now, I have to wait three weeks for a phone call and then try to fight for this all over again..in the meanwhile I am rapidly running out of money and seemingly unable to interest anyone in hiring me despite years of management and operations experience…….AWFUL
SPEAK UP/STAND UP/MONEY TALKS/POLITICIANS WALK/PEOPLE STAND UP TO EDD AND THE GOVT!
Change you CAN believe in=====a CHANGE in employment status.
Maubama.
Bushwacked.
The EDD is criminal. It is bad enough that lots of people have lost their jobs through no fault of their own and have to live on a fraction of what they were making before. To fabricate and hold onto any reason at all to withhold benefits should be a punishable crime. I have three teenage children and a husband (also unemployed, but not eligible for any type of benefits – also looking for work) to feed and house. I have been unemployed for 4 months and have not been paid for 3 months. I have been healthy and actively looking for work. Well, after calling a bizzillion times and finally getting a hold of someone, all they can do is give you a reference number. I sent an email to them. I received an “EDD Responds” informing me of the date and time of the previously scheduled interview (a month out – too many other issues to resolve with other people and heaven forbid if they resolve anything before the interview) with a note that they have 10 days after that time to make their determination. Then they have another 2 weeks after that to send payment. In the meantime, my charge card and house payments are over due. Are they going to reimburse people for late and interest charges???? They are creating major hardships for quite a number of people. I know I am in the same predicament as a lot of other people. This is totally wrong.
EDD Responds?!?!?! to what? is that their way of making it look like they are actually doing something substanitive?
where are the politicians???? why are they not creating quality jobs for americans? No one but Lou Dobbs, as stated before, write to/call every every news outlet regarding this travesty!
SO I have been dreading for DAYS to call EDD because I know of the frustration. After 2 hours of trying this morning, I read on here to dial 12117 after hearing the welcome greeting….amazing…got right through…..they dont tell you this because they dont want to deal with people!
I accidently marked NO when it asked if I was looking for work! Now I’m trying to get ahold of them and can’t! Will try these tips tomorrow to contact them. I need a new form. It was early and I hadn’t had coffee – then my gf sent off the mistake form before I had time to stop her!!
My check is late by three days and I have not been able to contact anyone! I tried using the website and never received a reply via email. I was afraid they were going to cancel, but I just made a mistake and need to correct it.
Also, when I tried to call and use the telephone service, they would not accept the amount of my checks used to verify it was me!! Crazy. So when I finally was able to get into the system, it says I input wrong information and hangs up on me… that after an hour of calling and hearing a busy signal.
Does anyone have any other suggestions for me? How do I let them know I made a mistake on the form I sent in and need a new one so I can get my check!?!
Lou Dobbs ===only television reporter investigating the job crisis in America. where’s the media? Jobless benefits yet again INCREASE. Hillary is dancing in Kenya, Maubama discussin bogus health “care”, and NASCARS is showing up at White House—-?!?!?!?! Where is the OUTRAGE and ACTION?
Thank you so much for your very helpful tips. Four of our family of six are unemplyed: 2 engineers, a teacher and an executive admin. Who would have thunk it! We each have our EDD horror stories to share. The worst being that my son’s employeer reproted his SS incorrectly and was denied benefits. It took from January to June to figure the mess out and when it was all said and done, he will only receive 3 weeks back pay. On a happier note, he was just hired!
Thank you for all tips and links. I was very frustrated after spending the day yesterday trying to find out why I haven’t received a check in the last month. I started the day today frustrated again in an endless lop of recorded messages and auto hang ups. Thank you, thank you for the e-mail contact information. Now I wait…hopefully not to long…
Did I say thank you, yet? I really do appreciate your very helpful tips.
Travis,
You will have to keep trying to call the 800 number and ‘clarify’ the mistake you made…if you don’t get through via phone or email to clarify, you will be receiving a letter in the mail with an appt. scheduled out approx. 4 weeks from the time you made the mistake…during that time unfortunately your payments will stop…my advice is to call like crazy to get through. Good luck
one “mistake”===4 weeks of non-payment and waiting for an interview by the very competent, hard working california state employees.
Thanks for the tips. I took a temporary job while on unemployment, and reported everything as instructed. I expected the reporting forms to let me report when that was over. Nope. They just stopped. No message by mail, email, phone or anything to tell me what happened with my claim or what I should I do next.
Searching the EDD website was not helpful in clarifying anything about this. Calling just gave me similarly unhelpful messages until I used that trick number. What is it? Maybe the extension of the one person who actually answers?
Using that number I quickly got a lady (maybe the same kind lady mentioned above) who took my information, explained what happened, and re-activated my (still open) claim. I still don’t know how I would do this, re-activate my existing claim, otherwise. I just hope that number still works later if I get another temp job.
What is so frustrating is how much the website says without explaining such basic functional aspects about how a claim works. For all the FAQs and links, you mostly get lead around in circles (website tells you to call, the phone message tells you to visit the website). And it would be so helpful if they would give you online access to your claim. You could report your biweekly info there, check your status, when your check is to be sent or was last sent, give you alerts like “your claim is now inactive because…” It would be so easy for them to be so much more helpful. And it would save them postage and telephone operator time. Well, I can dream.
Does this make sense? I’ve been on unemployment since July 5, 2009 and I just got a letter for an interview asking me why I quit my last job. I never quit my last job. My interview is 5 weeks away and they have stopped my checks until then. This has also been happening for the past 4 months. I get random interviews about every month with regards to random weird stuff, EDD seems to make up.
I meant unemployed since July 5, 2008. Sorry
welcome to the EDD, they try to deny, make you wait, obsfucate, and it is not reported in media. try speaking to lawyer or your elected officials. this is wrong.
Where to start? Well it seems someone at the EDD office made a mistake on my claim and put down my reason for unemployment as “terminated” when I was laid off due to lack of work. I have had my previous employer email them and write them a letter to try and remedy this error to no avail…I honestly don’t know how I am going to make ends meet, my Phone interview isn’t until Sept 10th, two months after filing my claim. I have already had my electric shut off and who knows what more is to come all due to some moron putting the wrong information it to the EDD system. And yes when I finally get through there is NOTHING that they will do to help, so I guess me and my kids will be on the street by then. I am so frustrated and pissed off.
How many jobs listings are required when they as for proof of you job search?
And to they actually call these companies to check if your being honest?
who’s hiring in this severe recession? are they serious????
there WILL be a depression come 2010. we are already at 12-30% CA unemployment, with another wave of massive foreclosures coming in the shadow market and many more NODs to go.
OMMYGODIGOTAPERSON!!! Vietnamese line rocks. Thank you SO much for this service you’ve provided. 6 months of dialing literally HUNDREDS of times a day, and I got through in a nanosecond without even having to get through a recording.
Question: Im currently receiving unemployment benefits in California to the Tune of around $900 (bi-weekly) and my scenario is the following: I received a tip from friend that his university was hiring and that he would put a word for me, so fine I applied and got the job without actually being interviewed; Im guessing because of the referral. So I get the offer and go in to start work, but about five hours after training, I realized that I was not qualified to do the work and surely did not want to waste anyone’s time, so I said to my friend and to HR that I would not be able to stay and continue and thanked them for the opportunity. Well, what happened next is very interesting; I was having a one on one discussion with the HR manager and she mentioned to me that I could be in trouble of loosing my current unemployment benefits because I had technically accepted a job and left it. So I came home and worried as hell I called my friend that referred me and told him the situation, as it had happened. He told me that I should not worry because the position was offered as a temporary position, therefore, I would not have any problems. Now my question to all of you is if you people out think that I basically f…. myself or am I going to be fine?
the type of peacefull revolt one is watching on the “news” media for health “care” is the one we should have for the EDD.