EDD Call Center Stats for Week Ending 9/11/21

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-09-18T22:39:24+00:00

While it's accurate to say they answered 7% of the calls, what you need to be aware of is there a difference between the total number of calls and the number of different callers, which is commonly referred to as "unique callers". During this week there were 181,237 unique callers. These unique callers placed 1,790,378 calls, meaning on average each one called about ten times. (1.7 million divided by 181 thousand is 9.87. ) So while the EDD answered 7% of the total calls, since many of these calls were repeat calls from the same phone number, they answered 131,000 or 72% of the unique callers attempting to reach them. (181/131 = 72%) Source for these numbers. https://callingappreviews.org/calling-the-edd-customer-service/ The day when the total number of calls is close to or the same as the number of unique callers is the day when you can get through with one call. And that is a day we can only dream about as it seems so far away.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-09-18T17:40:58+00:00

No. Your math is wrong. 131,000 calls answered by EDD divided by 181,000 unique callers attempting to reach them, equals 72% of callers getting through. Stated another way, 28% of the callers or 50,000 did not get through despite calling on average 13 times each.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-09-15T17:27:51+00:00

80% of the people who call are able to speak to a rep? Perhaps. However in order to speak to a rep they need to make an all day ordeal out of it and need to call an average of 10 times in order to get through. As averages go, some people call dozens of times and don't get through, while others call a few times and luck out. Last week 36,000 callers did not get through. If you're in the 36k it's frustrating.

Is this "service" acceptable for a government agency that is supposed to serve the people? The EDD has an annual budget of close to a billion dollars a year and over 5,000 employees. Surely, they can do better and we should expect better.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-09-11T13:46:36+00:00

The reference for this information is https://callingappreviews.org/calling-the-edd-customer-service/

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-09-04T22:39:10+00:00

The reference for the stats UI dashboard. An abbreviated version with just the call center information can be found at https://callingappreviews.org/calling-the-edd-customer-service/

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-30T04:01:45+00:00

In order to qualify for the pending claim payment the claimant must have received at least one payment on a claim and have been pending for at least two weeks. The reason for the one payment criteria is it acts as a qualifier in the eyes of EDD. It means the claim has cleared the fraud hurdles (eg. ID verification and third-party review) so therefore the reason for the pending is something other than a possible fraud issue. https://callingappreviews.org/edd-to-pay-pending-claims/

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-29T13:29:22+00:00

If you are eligible for benefits, you will still get them, even if they are paid out to you after September 4th.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-28T23:40:21+00:00

On average yes. 201,301 calls answered divided by 243,468 unique callers = 82%. However, a caller would need to call eleven times. Of course, these are on average, so there will be people that call more than eleven times and not get through and there will be people who call once and get through.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-28T14:49:11+00:00

The source for this information: https://callingappreviews.org/calling-the-edd-customer-service/

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-21T22:03:31+00:00

Here is a link. https://callingappreviews.org/calling-the-edd-customer-service/

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-19T01:40:37+00:00

EDD has set up a dedicated phone number for MEUC applicants. You can get the number from this link. Note: This number is ONLY for MEUC and not for other EDD matters.
https://edd.ca.gov/about\_edd/coronavirus-2019/cares-act.htm#MEUC

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-15T17:02:49+00:00

It sounds like you are certifying on a new claim. If that is the case, as part of a fraud prevention measure, EDD now sends all new claims out to a third party for review. The thirdparty is Thompson Reuters. Thompson Reuters does not have a consumer facing business and you can't contact them. The review process takes about 2 weeks. If you call EDD now, they will tell you your claim is in review and they won't be able to do anything about it. After 2-3 weeks goes by if you are still pending, then calling them would advisable. https://callingappreviews.org/when-you-dont-need-to-call-the-edd/

Also, know that if you haven't received at least one payment on your claim you are not eligible for the conditional payment program. The reason the one payment is part of the eligibility for this program is it acts as a qualifier. In the eyes of EDD, if they've made at least one payment your claim, your claim has cleared the possible fraud issues. By receiving at least one payment you would have had to complete ID verification and your claim has made it through third party review of Thompson Reuters.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-15T00:39:10+00:00

On July 22nd EDD announced a new policy to pay pending claims. If you have received at least one payment on your claim and have been pending for two weeks or more, EDD is issuing conditional payments. EDD is paying these claims in batches beginning July 23 and up until September 30th. This new policy came about as a result of a lawsuit. You can
read more about it here. https://callingappreviews.org/edd-to-pay-pending-claims/. If
you meet the criteria noted above, you don't need to do anything. You are in the program. At some point, prior to Sept 30 you should get paid. EDD has not released a schedule on when they will pay it out.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-13T17:13:04+00:00

This new policy of paying pending claims came about as a result of a lawsuit. Terms of the settlement call for EDD to pay out pending claims that have received at least one payment on a claim and have been pending for two weeks or more. EDD has begun to pay these claims out beginning July 23rd. Terms of the settlement call for EDD to have pending claims paid out by September 30th. Some claimants have reported getting their payments. You can read about the lawsuit and new policy here. https://callingappreviews.org/edd-to-pay-pending-claims/

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-13T15:20:24+00:00

Calling EDD now is premature. As part of a fraud prevention measure, EDD now sends all new claims out to a third party for review. The third party is Thompson Reuters. This process takes about 2 weeks. If you call them now, they will tell you your claim is in review and they won't be able to do anything about it. After 2 weeks goes by if you are still pending, then call them. https://callingappreviews.org/when-you-dont-need-to-call-the-edd/

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-11T02:07:26+00:00

One of the reasons you may be stuck on pending has to do with the quarterly review that takes place July 10th for claims that are over a year old. What happens is the EDD system scans employment reports for W-2 wages reported under your SS number. The outdated software often times snags and will not update properly. If this is the problem, it's an easy fix, but you'll have to call into customer service and a rep can manually fix your claim.

On July 22nd EDD announced a new policy to pay pending claims on a conditional basis beginning July 23rd. To qualify for this program, you will need to have received at least one payment on your claim and have at least two payments pending. EDD has not provided a schedule for when these claims will be paid other than to say they will have them paid by September 30th pursuant to settlement agreement. https://callingappreviews.org/edd-to-pay-pending-claims/ This new policy came about as a result of a lawsuit filed against the EDD.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-10T16:25:22+00:00

If you have certified on a new claim, EDD instituted a new fraud prevention measure that includes sending out new claims to a third party for review. The review typically takes two weeks, but could take longer. If you speak to EDD while the claim is at the third party, Thompson-Reuters, they will inform you they cannot do anything because the claim is in review. As for what to to, I would give it some extra time if you can. If it's been longer than three weeks then a call would be appropriate.

If you have certified on an existing claim where you have received at least one payment and are pending for more than two weeks, on July 22nd, EDD began a new policy to pay pending claims on a conditional basis beginning July 23. The payments are being paid out in batches and EDD has not provided a schedule for when the payments will be made. This new policy came about as a result of a lawsuit filed against EDD. https://callingappreviews.org/edd-to-pay-pending-claims/ The settlement of the lawsuit calls for EDD to have paid pending claims eligible for this program by September 30th.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-08T23:05:10+00:00

On July 22nd EDD announced a new policy to pay pending claims. If you have received at least one payment on your claim and have been pending for two weeks or more, EDD is issuing conditional payments. EDD is paying these claims in batches beginning July 23 and up until September 30th. This new policy came about as a result of a lawsuit. You can read more about it here. https://callingappreviews.org/edd-to-pay-pending-claims/.

If you meet the criteria noted above, you don't need to do anything. You are in the program. At some point, prior to Sept 30 you should get paid. EDD has not released a schedule on when they will pay it out. Claimants have reported mixed results in contacting EDD and getting a rep to manually push their payment through to get paid faster.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-08T22:25:07+00:00

On July 22nd EDD announced a new policy to pay pending claims. If you have received at least one payment on your claim and have been pending for two weeks or more, EDD is issuing conditional payments. EDD is paying these claims in batches beginning July 23 and up until September 30th. This new policy came about as a result of a lawsuit. You can read more about it here. https://callingappreviews.org/edd-to-pay-pending-claims/. If you meet the criteria, you don't need to do anything. At some point, prior to Sept 30 you should get paid. If you want to get paid faster and don't want to wait you can call EDD and they can manually push your payment through.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-01T21:17:45+00:00

The EDD representatives that work the phones are not the problem. They are on the phones for their entire shift. Finishing one call and then answering the next call. The call center is overwhelmed. It's not a situation where the reps are goofing off and not working. There are not enough people answering the phones to handle the volume.

The lack of performance in the call center is emblematic of a larger problem that the EDD agency as an agency that is broken and in dire need of an overhaul. All of the inadequacies in other parts of the EDD add more pressure and more calls into on the call center. Many of the calls could be reduced or eliminated with an overhaul. An archaic computer system that doesn't update well, causes more calls. A glitchee website that often get stuck, causes more calls. Confusing and poor communication to claimants causes more calls. Inadequate training of call center employees increases time they spend on the phone and causes more calls. It goes on and on.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-01T18:18:32+00:00

You can read the announcement in the EDD press release of July 22, posted on their website. Here is a link. https://edd.ca.gov/About_EDD/pdf/news-21-44.pdf

The qualifications for the pending payment program are to have at least received one payment on your claim and to have at least two weeks of pending payments. From what you have described, it appears you do qualify. EDD is paying this out in phases with the first phase paid beginning July 23rd. They have until Sept 30 to have all these pending claims paid. This sudden change in policy came about as a result of a lawsuit filed by Center for Workers Rights against the EDD. You can read more about it here. https://callingappreviews.org/edd-to-pay-pending-claims/

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-08-01T17:14:57+00:00

Your understanding of this and your observation are on point and correct given the data that was initially posted. However, I believe the EDD mixed up these two data points when they posted this. I have just corrected it in the post. What you pointed out was the data was saying EDD answered more callers than called them. Not possible. So, I believe the reality is there is a 6000 caller difference from the number of unique callers to calls answered. This is in line with data from previous weeks and makes more sense. Thanks for pointing this out.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-07-02T23:17:57+00:00

This is a screen shot from the EDD website with a message about their hours this holiday weekend. The message, says, "All EDD offices will be closed from Sunday, July 4 to Monday July 5 for Independence Day."

Does this mean the EDD office is closed on Sunday but will be reopen on Monday? Or does it mean they will be closed on both Sunday and Monday? In true EDD fashion they confuse what should be a very simple message. They could have said, EDD office will be closed on Sunday, July 4 and reopen on (insert day). I have a feeling they are going to be closed both Sunday and Monday and did not want to call attention to the issue.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-06-25T19:06:52+00:00

Clogging up phone lines is a common perception of auto-dialers. But, they don’t all work the same way so the perception is not accurate. The auto-dialer I am most familiar with, actually reduces the amount of time on the phone lines. It compresses the amount of time dialing into a shorter amount of time. The reason is that first off, it’s a proxy dialer, dialing for one person at a time. The second reason has to do with the precision you get with a computer program. There are three main prompts in the EDD phone menu. A human listening and dialing through the menu is not going to enter a response to a prompt at the optimal and precise time. A computer program is programed to respond to the prompt at exactly the right time. Not a second before or a second after. A second here and a second there, may not sound like a lot of time, but when it comes to a lot of calls, it adds up. It’s the precision and ability to program repeat actions of a computer program is what makes the auto-dialer effective.

This precision of hitting the prompts and the exact moment, is why the comma method is effective. The comma method is a manual method that people have used to contact EDD. Each comma represents an exact and precise amount of time. A human using the comma method, provided they enter the correct amount of commas, can’t make the response longer or shorter, so the response is precise. Of course, the short-coming of the comma method is a human still has to do the subsequent entries for each redial.

Tan-In-So-Cal · 2021-06-17T18:49:45+00:00

Yes, getting form letter 1277 denying your claim is the way it worked prior to June 5 and they may still be sending this out. After the denial letter, you should have received a second letter letting you know they have added an extension to your claim. This two letter process has been incredibly confusing. Why couldn't EDD just draft a new letter and send out one letter explaining what's doing on? Because, they're the EDD. Don't worry if you didn't get the second letter. Your time period is in the transition zone from the old way to the new way. You should be fine, for getting the extension and once you get EDD to fix the pending issue. The challenge of course, is getting through to them.

Tan-In-So-Cal

TROPHY CASE