9 weeks in ESD adjudication even after Governor's office intervention - is this normal?
I'm completely at my wits' end with ESD. I filed my unemployment claim back in January (so over 9 weeks ago) and it's STILL showing 'adjudication in progress' with zero movement. I've called dozens of times but either get disconnected or told to 'just wait.' Two weeks ago I finally contacted the Governor's office out of desperation, and they said they'd 'expedite' my claim. Well, nothing has changed at all. My eServices account shows the same status it's shown since week 2. I've submitted all requested documents, done my weekly claims religiously, and met all job search requirements. My savings are completely gone and I'm about to miss rent for the second month. Is a 9+ week adjudication normal these days? Has anyone had success getting through this nightmare scenario? What's my next step when even the Governor's office intervention doesn't seem to help?
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Hannah White
Unfortunately, 9 weeks in adjudication isn't unusual right now, even with the Governor's office involved. They're dealing with a huge backlog from the system update in December 2024. When your claim requires adjudication, it gets assigned to a specialist who reviews your specific issue - but they're prioritizing cases based on filing date and complexity. A few things you can try: 1. Send a secure message through eServices specifically asking for a status update on your adjudication 2. Check if there are any "alerts" or "action needed" items in your eServices portal you might have missed 3. Contact your state representative/senator's office (sometimes they have different channels than the governor's office) 4. Make sure you're continuing to file weekly claims during this waiting period What was the reason your claim went to adjudication? That might affect the timeline.
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Nick Kravitz
•Thanks for the response. My claim is in adjudication because my former employer is disputing that I was laid off - they're claiming I quit voluntarily (which is absolutely NOT true). I've uploaded the layoff notice and everything. I've been filing weekly claims religiously and checking eServices daily for any updates. I'll try contacting my state rep tomorrow. Just feels like I'm screaming into the void at this point...
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Michael Green
I was stuck in adjudication for 11 WEEKS last year because my employer contested my claim. It was absolutely horrible. What finally worked for me was using Claimyr to get through to an actual ESD agent instead of being disconnected or waiting on hold forever. The site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent I spoke with was able to see that my adjudicator hadn't even looked at my case yet, despite it being marked "in progress" for months. They escalated it to a supervisor and suddenly my claim was approved within 3 days. Sometimes you just need to get to an actual person who can look at what's happening behind the scenes.
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Mateo Silva
•did u have to pay for that service?? i'm broke af already waiting for my benefits and don't wanna spend more $ just to get what im entitled to!
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Michael Green
•Yes, it's a paid service, but honestly it was worth every penny after spending weeks getting nowhere. I probably spent more on the gas driving to the WorkSource office (where they couldn't help me anyway) than I did on getting actual results. You could try the state rep route first like others suggested, but if that doesn't work, this is a solid backup option.
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Victoria Jones
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!!! I waited 13 weeks and then suddenly got denied for "insufficient information" even though I sent EVERYTHING they asked for. Then they wanted me to pay back the few payments they did make. ESD is a JOKE and nobody in government cares about actual people. Good luck but don't expect anything to happen fast or make sense.
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Cameron Black
•While I understand your frustration, this isn't entirely accurate. ESD is overwhelmed, but the system isn't intentionally designed to deny benefits. What often happens is that cases get stuck in processing queues and sometimes documentation isn't properly attached to claims. To the original poster: After your employer contests a claim, ESD has to investigate both sides, which takes time. They'll typically schedule a fact-finding interview with both you and the employer separately. Did you receive any notification about a scheduled interview?
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Nick Kravitz
•No, I haven't received ANY notification about a fact-finding interview yet. That's what's so frustrating - there's been zero communication from ESD about next steps, expected timeline, nothing. Just endless waiting with a status that never changes.
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Jessica Nguyen
had similar issue but only waited 6 weeks. govs office didnt help me either. what finally worked was walking into my local worksource office in person and asking to speak with someone who could check on my claim status. the receptionist made a call to someone and within 3 days my adjudication was complete. worth a try?
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Nick Kravitz
•That's a good idea, I didn't think about going to WorkSource in person. There's one about 30 minutes from me. I'll try that tomorrow morning. Did you need to bring any specific documentation with you?
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Jessica Nguyen
•just bring ur id and know ur claim # if u have it. also maybe print out any communications youve had with esd so far. they probably wont need it but better to have it just in case.
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Isaiah Thompson
I work as an employment counselor and can tell you that employer disputes typically take 8-12 weeks to resolve through adjudication currently, though the official target is 3-4 weeks. The December 2024 system upgrade caused significant delays that they're still working through. Here's what you should do: 1. Make sure you respond to ANY communication immediately - check your spam folder daily 2. Continue filing weekly claims without fail 3. Document all attempts to contact ESD with dates/times 4. Request a formal status update through your eServices message center specifically asking for the name of your assigned adjudicator and estimated completion date 5. Ask WorkSource for an urgent adjudication escalation (they have internal channels) One thing to note - when an employer contests a claim alleging voluntary quit vs. layoff, ESD typically schedules fact-finding interviews with both parties. If you haven't received notice of this interview yet, that's likely the holdup. You might want to specifically ask about this when you contact them next.
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Nick Kravitz
•Thank you so much for this detailed information! This is incredibly helpful. I'll start with the WorkSource visit tomorrow morning and specifically ask about the fact-finding interview schedule. I've been checking my spam folder and eServices messages multiple times daily but haven't seen anything about an interview. Would they call me about it or only send a message through eServices?
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Isaiah Thompson
•They should send the fact-finding interview notice through both eServices messages AND to your email address on file. They may also attempt to call you, but the formal scheduling notice will come through those written channels. When you go to WorkSource, ask them to check if an interview has been scheduled in the system but the notice hasn't been sent. Sometimes there are communication gaps between their internal scheduling system and the notification system. Good luck!
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Mateo Silva
my cousin works at esd (not in claims tho) and she says they are SUPER backed up right now. like 2-3x normal volume because of the tech layoffs that happened in january. she said even with governors office emails theyre still processing in mostly date order unless theres a true hardship like eviction or utility shutoff with documentation. maybe try sending in hardship proof if u have eviction notice?
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Nick Kravitz
•I got a late rent notice yesterday, but not a formal eviction notice yet. I'll scan that and upload it to my documents section in eServices. Do I need to call and tell someone I've uploaded hardship documentation, or will they see it automatically?
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Cameron Black
•You need to both upload the document AND send a message through the eServices message center specifically stating you've uploaded hardship documentation due to pending eviction. Reference the document name in your message. The document won't automatically be flagged as hardship proof otherwise - it'll just sit in your file without changing your priority level. Make sure your message subject line clearly states "HARDSHIP DOCUMENTATION - EVICTION RISK" so it gets proper attention.
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Ruby Garcia
this happened 2 me 2 months ago. I was in adjucation for 10 weeks then suddenly everything was approved and got HUGE backpay all at once!! keep doing ur weekly claims so when it does approve youll get all the back weeks. i almost gave up 2 then BOOM money appeared. dont lose hope!!!
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Nick Kravitz
•That gives me a little hope... I've definitely been filing every week without fail. Did you do anything special that seemed to finally move things along, or did it just suddenly get approved?
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Ruby Garcia
•honestly i think it was just finally my turn in the queue lol. but i did call like 50 times and sent messages weekly asking for updates. squeaky wheel and all that. hang in there!!
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