6 weeks of payments stuck in pending - called governor's office and got PAID!

Omg this gives me hope!! Im on week 4 of pending and starting to lose my mind. I keep getting the stupid automated message saying high call volume when I try ESD. How did you contact the governor's office exactly? Like did you call a specific number or fill out a form online? Sorry for all the questions but I'm getting desperate here!!!

I called the constituent services number (I think that's what it's called). Just googled \

congrats on getting paid finally! its crazy that we literally have to contact the GOVERNOR to get our legitimate benefits. the system is so broken. i had to wait 8 weeks last year and nobody ever explained why. esd is a joke.

This is unfortunately common. The ESD system gets overwhelmed with claims, especially at the start of each quarter when monetary eligibility gets recalculated. Claims often go into pending for identity verification, employer response issues, or simply because the automated system flagged something random. Without speaking to an actual claims specialist, these can sit for weeks with no movement.

If you're struggling to get through to ESD on the phone, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents by navigating the phone system for you. Saved me hours of redial frustration when my claim was stuck in adjudication. They have a video demo too if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3

I've never heard of this! Does it actually work? I've been calling for weeks and just get the automated message saying they're too busy and to try later.

It worked for me! They basically navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when they've got an actual ESD agent on the line. Definitely beat me calling 30+ times a day and never getting through.

The same thing happened to my sister last month! Her claims were pending for almost 2 months (7 weeks!) and she was about to get evicted. She didn't know about the governor's office trick though. She ended up emailing her state representative and they helped push her claim through. So that's another option if anyone needs it - find your district rep and send them an email explaining your situation.

I'm actually going through this right now! 3 weeks pending so far. Does anyone know if there's a specific REASON they put claims in pending? Like did they ever tell you what was wrong or why it sat there so long?

There are several common reasons claims get stuck in pending status:\n\n1. Identity verification issues\n2. Employer response discrepancies \n3. Job separation issues requiring adjudication\n4. Eligibility questions (able and available for work)\n5. Job search compliance review\n\nUnfortunately, ESD often doesn't communicate which specific issue is causing the delay. Your weekly claims page should show if there's an alert or issue needing attention, but it's often vague. The most reliable way to find out is speaking directly with a claims specialist.

Ugh, that's what I figured. There's no alerts or issues showing on my account that I can see. Just says

Wait so what happens if they find an issue when reviewing your backlog of pending weeks? Do they just deny everything? I'm worried because I had a part-time job interview during one of my pending weeks and I reported the hours but I'm nervous they'll say I wasn't available for work that day or something stupid.

Having a job interview actually counts as a job search activity and doesn't make you unavailable for work - it shows you're actively seeking employment. As long as you reported everything accurately, you should be fine. If there is a specific issue with one week, they can deny just that week while approving others. Most importantly, keep detailed records of all your job search activities and any communications with potential employers.

i had an issue last year where i was stuck in pending for like 2 months and when i finally got through they said it was cuz my previous employer disputed my claim saying i quit (which was a lie - they cut my hours to like 5 a week so i had to find something else). had to go through this whole appeal thing. but it eventually got resolved and i got all my back pay.\n\nbtw did u get the payments by direct deposit or the debit card? i always had issues with that stupid card

I use direct deposit - set it up right when I first applied because I heard the cards can be a hassle. The money showed up in my checking account this morning. And wow, 2 months is a long time to wait! Glad you eventually got your money too.

This is a good reminder that there are escalation paths when your claim is stuck. In order of escalation:\n\n1. Regular ESD phone lines (888-318-6022)\n2. Submit a message through your eServices account\n3. Contact your state representative or senator\n4. Contact the governor's office\n\nFor those struggling to get through on the phone, calling right when they open at 8:00 AM often works best. Thursday and Friday tend to have slightly lower call volumes than early in the week.\n\nCongratulations on getting your issue resolved!

Thank you for listing this out! I've been trying #1 and #2 for weeks with no luck. Guess I'll start moving up the chain...