You're actually onto something there. ESD typically has reduced staffing around major holidays, which can add a few days to processing times. Filing in the first week of a month can also mean slightly longer waits as they process end-of-month reporting from the previous period.

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice! I completed my WorkSource registration today (can't believe I missed that step!) and also double-checked that I don't have any adjudication or identity verification issues. Going to give it until the end of next week as suggested, and then try contacting ESD directly if I still don't see any movement. I really appreciate all the insights and timeline expectations - helps me plan better for bills knowing this delay isn't unusual.

Update: I just got the questionnaire from ESD about my missed week. It's asking if I was able and available for work, if I was physically able to work, if I was out of my labor market area, etc. I'm going to fill it out honestly stating I was traveling and unavailable. Fingers crossed this gets resolved quickly!

Perfect! That's exactly what you should do. Complete honesty is always the best approach with ESD. Since you're just looking to skip that week rather than receive benefits for it, this should be straightforward. Let us know how it goes!

Any update?? Did u figure out what happened?? I'm invested in ur story now lol

Finally got through to someone at ESD! Turns out there was an identity verification issue that somehow didn't trigger a notification. The agent said they've had system problems with alerts not being sent to claimants. She cleared it up right away and my payment should process within 48 hours. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

I'm an HR professional, and I can tell you that your situation sounds like what we call a "constructive discharge" in employment law. When your employer changes working conditions in a way that makes it impossible for you to continue working, it's not truly a voluntary quit. A few tips for your hearing: - Keep your testimony focused on FACTS rather than emotions - Be specific about dates and times of schedule changes - Explain exactly why the new schedule made continued employment impossible - Describe any attempts you made to negotiate an alternative schedule - Bring written documentation of everything BUT - be aware that if you were hired with the understanding that you might need to work various shifts, your case may be weaker. The judge will consider whether schedule flexibility was a known condition of employment from the beginning.

One more important thing based on my experience - make sure to submit all your evidence at least one week before the hearing! There's a deadline and if you miss it, the judge might not accept your documents. You can email them to OAH or upload through their portal. Also, write out a clear timeline of events and practice explaining your case in a logical order. The judges really appreciate when people are organized and to-the-point.

UPDATE: I'm finally back into my account! For anyone else having this issue, here's what worked for me: 1. Used the Claimyr service mentioned above (it actually did work) 2. ESD agent confirmed there's a system-wide issue with password resets right now 3. They had to manually unlock my account from their end 4. Had to create a completely new password that didn't share ANY characters with my previous 3 passwords (that was the issue!) So relieved I can file my weekly claim now. Thanks everyone for your help!

I had this same issue last month and wasted HOURS trying to fix it myself. This password reset problem has been happening since they updated the system in December. ESD knows about it but hasn't managed to fix it yet. Something else to try - if you're using a password manager or autofill, turn it OFF completely. Sometimes the system rejects saved passwords even when they're correct. Also check if your caps lock is on (I'm embarrassed to admit this was my problem once). BTW I've been on unemployment for 4 months now and the system has had some kind of technical glitch almost every month. It's beyond frustrating.