SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Employment Development Department (EDD) has come under scrutiny after freezing suspected fraudulent disability benefits claims, inadvertently leaving thousands of valid beneficiaries without support. One such case is Bill Grayson of San Jose, who relies on disability benefits due to his rare cancer, heart disease, and severe back injury. He noticed that his payments had been stopped without any proactive communication from the EDD.

Despite repeated attempts to contact the EDD through calls and online messages, Grayson received no response, forcing him to personally visit an EDD disability office. Facing a long wait time and experiencing severe physical pain, he left without achieving resolution. He noted the irony of a service meant for disabled individuals forcing them to physically visit an office, causing additional pain and discomfort.

Grayson was not the only one affected. Dale Phillips of Vallejo and Amanda Miroyan, a new mother, also reported struggling to receive their benefits. Grayson eventually received assistance from 7 On Your Side, who helped him connect with his state senator, Dave Cortese. Cortese’s office successfully contacted the EDD and obtained the simple form Grayson required, restoring his benefits.

The EDD did not disclose the exact number of claims still awaiting verification but mentioned that several thousand documents are still under review. They emphasized that 80% of claims were never suspended, however, this still leaves a substantial 20% of claims dealing with delays.

For those in similar predicaments, finding ways on how to contact EDD in a more efficient and less stressful manner is essential. One practical resource for this is eddcaller.com, a platform that offers various tips and strategies to directly get through to an EDD live person. By leveraging such platforms, beneficiaries can bypass the physical strain and potential health hazards of physically going to EDD offices, especially amidst the ongoing pandemic.