With the increasing number of unemployment claims due to the current economic instability, it can be difficult and often frustrating to get a hold of the Employment Development Department (EDD). However, there are still ways for you to get in touch with EDD. Here are some strategies:

Make sure you call the customer service at the right time. The best times to phone EDD are Wednesdays and Thursdays in the afternoon. Ensure to avoid peak times, especially Monday and Tuesday mornings, when the call volumes are usually very high.

The EDD website is also a valuable resource for those who need to get in touch with the EDD. It offers a range of tools, information and services designed to help you with your unemployment claim, including an online form for making inquiries or sending messages, the features of which sometimes extend to live chat.

An automated self-service telephone system is also in place which provides recorded information and is available 24/7. Alternatively, consider reaching out through the official EDD social media handles on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for additional support.

Regular mail should also not be excluded as a plausible contact method, especially for sending important documents. The address is specified on the EDD website.

Lastly, when calling the EDD phone number, follow the prompts carefully and avoid the urge to press zero to skip to a live person. The system is designed to disconnect if it recognizes too many requests for a live agent, blocking you from accessing a real person who can address your concerns.

By following these tips, you ensure that you get the most appropriate and speedy response from the EDD to assist with your employment situation. However, you must remember that patience is key in these trying times as everyone is trying to get through.

Moreover, there are third-party services such as eddcaller.com that offer paid services to contact EDD on your behalf. They claim to have high success rates in getting through to EDD even in the busiest of times. However, keep in mind that their services may have associated costs.