So happy for you! It's such a relief when these things finally get sorted out. Thanks for updating us - gives me hope that the system does eventually work even if it takes way too long!

Congratulations on getting it resolved! This whole thread is such a perfect example of how broken the ESD system can be - approved claim but disqualified weeks, no clear communication about why, and having to jump through hoops just to talk to someone who can actually help. It's ridiculous that people have to go through weeks of financial stress because of technical glitches and poor system design. At least your story gives hope to others dealing with the same nightmare. The fact that it took one agent 5 minutes to manually fix what the automated system couldn't handle for 6 weeks really says everything about their priorities.

Update: Had my hearing today and Judge Ray was fair and professional. She asked specific questions about my childcare attempts and why my children needed my direct care. I presented my documentation including the doctor statements about why my children need parental care due to their specific conditions, records of school incidents, and emails showing I tried to get accommodations at work. She said she'd mail the decision in 10-14 days but seemed sympathetic to my situation. Thanks everyone for the advice - being prepared with everything organized made a huge difference!

Glad to hear your hearing went well! The fact that Judge Ray seemed sympathetic is definitely a good sign. I've been following your situation since you first posted and it sounds like you did everything right - having all that documentation organized and being able to clearly explain why you exhausted other options before quitting was key. The wait for the decision is always nerve-wracking but based on what you've shared, you presented a strong case that fits the legal requirements for good cause. Hope you get good news soon!

Has anyone actually HAD extended benefits magically appear after their regular UI ran out recently? This sounds like an urban legend or something from the COVID era. I don't think they're doing any extensions in 2025.

I'm in a similar situation - my benefits just exhausted last week too. Reading through all these responses, it seems like the consensus is definitely to keep filing even though it feels weird doing all the paperwork for $0. One thing I'm wondering about is whether there's any official ESD guidance on this? Like does their website specifically say to continue filing after exhaustion? I want to make sure I'm following their actual policy rather than just going off what people are saying (even though everyone here seems to agree). Also curious if anyone knows - when you file these post-exhaustion claims, does it show up differently in your eServices account? Like does it still say "processed" or does it give some other status?

Just wanted to add my voice as another newcomer who found this thread during my own ESD phone nightmare! I've been stuck in adjudication for almost 3 weeks now and have been calling multiple times daily with zero success - just that infuriating "high call volume" message followed by the disconnect. This community has been incredibly helpful and I'm planning to try several of the strategies mentioned here. I'm going to attempt the 7:58am employer line approach tomorrow morning, and I've already looked into the Claimyr service as a backup option. It's both comforting and deeply frustrating to see how widespread this problem is - the fact that we need to crowdsource workarounds just to access basic unemployment services really highlights how broken the system has become. Sofia, congratulations on getting your issue resolved! Your detailed update gives me hope that persistence will eventually pay off. I'll definitely report back with my results to hopefully help the next person who finds themselves in this same impossible situation. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where we can actually get useful information when the official channels completely fail us!

New member here who just discovered this incredible thread! I've been battling the ESD phone system for nearly a month now - stuck in adjudication with absolutely no way to reach a human being. Like so many others here, I was starting to think I was going crazy or missing something obvious. Reading through all these experiences has been both validating and incredibly helpful. I'm definitely going to try the 7:58am employer line strategy tomorrow morning, and I've already researched the Claimyr service and my state representative's office as backup options. It's amazing (and honestly depressing) how this single community thread contains more actionable solutions than the entire official ESD website and support system combined. Sofia, huge congratulations on getting your issue resolved - your detailed success story gives me real hope! And thank you to everyone who's taken the time to document their strategies and results. This community is literally saving people's sanity when our own government systems are completely failing us. I'll make sure to report back with my results to hopefully help the next desperate person who stumbles across this thread. The mutual support here is incredible and much needed during what's already such a stressful time for all of us!

is anyone else notcing that covid made everything with esd way worse?? my 2019 claim was easy but now its like they dont even care anymore honestly

Just wondering - did you get laid off from a major retail chain? I work in HR (not unemployment specific) and know some of the bigger companies have been really slow responding to ESD lately because they've been doing massive layoffs and their unemployment teams are swamped. Doesn't make it right but might explain the delay.