8 weeks pending in ESD system - sick of waiting, 800 number useless

The Governor's office is definitely one way to go, but I'd also recommend contacting your state representative. They often have dedicated staff who can escalate ESD claims. When I had 6 weeks pending last year, my rep's office got things moving within 3 days. Find your representative here: leg.wa.gov/legislature/pages/districtfinder.aspx and email BOTH your state rep and senator explaining your situation. Include your claim ID and contact info. Be specific about financial hardship.

That regular 800 number is TRASH!!!!! Been there, done that. Complete waste of time. I was in your exact shoes last month - 7 weeks pending and couldn't get through. Try calling at exactly 7:59am right before they open. sometimes you can get in the queue before everyone else.

I was in adjudication limbo for almost 3 months before finally getting through to an actual claims specialist who resolved my issue in 10 minutes. The problem is that regular ESD agents can't do much for pending claims - you need a tier 2 specialist or adjudicator. I finally had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through. It's a service that connects you with an ESD agent without the wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It was the only thing that worked after dozens of failed call attempts. The key is that once you get through, immediately ask for an escalation to a specialist for pending claims.

The same thing happened to me but mine was 10 weeks penidng and it took SO LONG to fix. The reason was that I had an identity verification issue I didn't even know about? Did you check your ESD account online to see if there's anything in the alerts section? Sometimes they need additional verification but they never actually tell you lol the system is broken

Have you checked if you're in adjudication? That's different from just pending. Adjudication means there's a specific issue they're investigating. Look under your "Decision status" tab in your ESD account. If it says adjudication, you need to find out what the issue is - could be employment separation reason, availability for work, job search activities, or ID verification. Each requires different documentation to resolve. The most common reason claims get stuck is that they need more info from you but haven't made it clear what they need.

your in adjudiation? that sucks, mine was stuck there 4 ever!! like 3 months!! and nobody told me why. i finally got paid after contacting my state rep AND the govs office. do both. the squeky wheel gets the greese!!!

Important tip based on your adjudication status: If you're able to get through to ESD, ask specifically for an adjudicator or claims specialist. The regular agents are limited in what they can do for adjudication cases. Also, with 8 weeks pending, you likely qualify for a hardship escalation. Make sure to mention the risk of utilities being shut off - that should get you a 72-hour escalation. Document everything - who you spoke with, date, time, what they promised, etc. You might need this information later if there are more delays.