My sister filed in February and hers was pending for 4 days then switched to processing for another week before being approved. She said the most important thing was to keep filing weekly claims even while waiting for the initial approval. ESD can backpay those weeks once your claim is approved but ONLY if you filed claims for them! Don't miss any weeks thinking "what's the point" - you'll regret it later.

Update: I called ESD this morning using that Claimyr service someone mentioned, and I got through to an agent in about 20 minutes! Turns out there was a discrepancy between the dates I put on my application and what my employer reported. The agent fixed it right on the call and said my claim should move from Pending to Processing within 48 hours. Just wanted to update in case anyone else has a similar issue. Don't wait too long to check if something seems stuck!

i won my appeal in december and STILL havent got paid!!! ive called like 20 times and every rep tells me something different. one says "its processing" another says "theres another issue on your claim" and another says "looks good should be any day now" for TWO MONTHS!!! the whole system is broken and they dont care about us at all

One thing to note: If your appeal victory was based on a "procedural" issue rather than a direct finding about your eligibility, ESD might still need to complete their fact-finding process before issuing payment. For example, if the judge overturned ESD's decision because they missed deadlines or didn't properly notify you, ESD might still need to investigate your actual eligibility before paying benefits. Based on your description that "the employer didn't provide sufficient evidence," it sounds like a substantive ruling in your favor, which is good news for faster payment. Just be aware that the online status may not update immediately even when processing is underway.

One more important tip: If there's any information you're unsure about during the hearing, it's perfectly acceptable to say "I don't recall exactly" rather than guessing. Incorrect information, even if unintentional, can hurt your case. Also, if they ask why you waited until now to appeal (since it's been since August), just explain that you were following the process as instructed and were waiting for your assigned hearing date. The backlog isn't your fault, and they know the system is delayed.

Thank you everyone for all this advice! I feel much more prepared now. I've organized my emails chronologically, prepared notes about the timeline of events, and will definitely mention the 50% pay cut ultimatum. I'm still nervous but at least I have a better idea of what to expect tomorrow. I'll update after the hearing to let you know how it went!

wait did anyone else have to pay taxes on their ui benefits?? i just realized i have no idea if they withhold taxes automatically or if i'm gonna get screwed next april 😱

UPDATE: You all were right! All three of my pending payments hit my account this morning - exactly 2 business days after I got the approval letter. Such a relief! I also went ahead and set up that tax withholding that was mentioned. Thanks everyone for your help!

UPDATE: Finally got through to ESD this morning! Used the Claimyr service that someone mentioned above and was connected to an agent in about 30 minutes. Turns out my claim was flagged for identity verification because I had worked in two states last year. The agent was able to clear it while I was on the phone, and she said my payments should process within 48 hours. Such a relief to finally know what was happening! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

That's awesome! I'm going to try Claimyr too. This waiting game is killing me and my bank account!