Update: I used Claimyr yesterday after seeing it mentioned here and actually got through to an ESD rep in about 40 minutes! Didn't have to sit by my phone either - they just called me when they had an agent. My question about relocating was answered and they updated something in my file too. Just wanted to let everyone know it worked for me.

i had this same problem back in februarry. so annoying!!! the whole system is a joke

You should submit any documents you want considered at least 24 hours before the hearing. There should be instructions in the hearing notice about how to submit them. If you miss that window, you can still ask the judge during the hearing if you can submit them, but they have discretion whether to accept late submissions. Make sure to send copies to the employer as well - the hearing notice should explain the process for this too.

My hearing was so stressful I nearly threw up beforehand, but it ended up being way more straightforward than I expected. Just remember that the judges do this all day long and they're used to people being nervous. Also when my old company lied about stuff, the judge actually called them out on contradictions in their testimony!! I was shocked, I thought no one would believe me but the judge was actually super fair.

Just a heads-up that while waiting for PFML approval you should still do your weekly UI claims if you have any weeks left. If your PFML gets backdated to overlap with UI weeks, you'd have to pay back the UI for those weeks, but at least you'd have something coming in during the gap. Better safe than sorry. And document EVERYTHING – save confirmation numbers, take screenshots of submitted forms, etc. These systems are so broken it's crazy.

I just got off the phone with my doctor's office and they confirmed they submitted all the required medical certification forms for PFML. They said it's not unusual for it to take 3-4 weeks for processing right now. I guess I just need to be patient and budget carefully for the gap. Thanks everyone for your advice and sharing your experiences. I'll stop my UI claims after my last eligible week and hope the PFML kicks in quickly after that.

I HATE to be negative, but I would prepare for the worst. I had what I thought was a simple layoff claim in 2025 and ended up in 'adjudication' for 11 WEEKS!!! The problem? My employer checked 'lack of work' instead of 'layoff' on their form - WHICH MEAN THE SAME THING!!! But the system flagged it as a 'discrepancy'!!! ESD is BROKEN and UNDERSTAFFED and NOBODY ANSWERS THE PHONES!!! I'm not saying you'll have problems, but have a financial backup plan just in case. Not trying to scare you, just being realistic based on what I and at least 6 of my former coworkers experienced.

Thank you everyone for the responses! Sounds like I shouldn't panic but should be prepared just in case. I'm going to: 1. Keep detailed records of everything 2. Make sure my job search activities are thoroughly documented 3. File my weekly claims consistently 4. Respond immediately to any ESD communications Fingers crossed I'll be one of the straightforward cases! I'll update if I hit any snags.

Listen carefully: overpayments happen for specific reasons. In my 12 years working with unemployment cases, the most common are: 1. Misreported work/earnings during weekly claims 2. Incorrect separation reason (quit vs. layoff) 3. Unreported return to work 4. Job refusal not reported 5. Incorrect base year wages You can prevent most issues by printing out EVERY weekly claim confirmation and keeping detailed records of ANY work (even 1 hour), job applications, and communications with ESD. ESD cannot legally issue an overpayment notice after 3 years unless they prove fraud, so your worry about 2027 is excessive. But better safe than sorry - document EVERYTHING.

my cousin works at esd and he says they're doing way more audits now bc of all the fraud during covid. they're checking old claims from years ago. the system flags anything weird automatically