Just to add some clarity here - VA benefits and workers comp are reported differently on your taxes too. VA disability is usually tax-free while workers comp can affect your unemployment calculation. Thats why ESD asks about them seperately and why its important to answer accurately on which benefits your getting.

Update: I was able to get through to ESD this morning! The agent told me that VA benefits are definitely NOT considered workers compensation, and she helped me correct my weekly claim. She said this is actually a pretty common mistake, especially for veterans who are filing unemployment for the first time. My payment should process normally now with the correction. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

congrats on winning!!! honestly dealing with esd is like banging your head against a wall. i was in the same boat last yr and finally got my money but took almost 3 months after the judge ruled in my favor. you have to be super persistent and call like everyday. good luck with ur new claim too!

Quick update on the process since I just helped my brother-in-law through this exact situation last month: Call 833-572-8400, choose the option for questions about an existing claim, then when asked about your specific issue, say "appeal decision payments." This should route you to the right department faster. Have your appeal decision handy - specifically the part listing which weeks you should be eligible for. They'll ask for the OAH docket number (starts with "OAH" followed by numbers) from the top right of your decision letter. The system has improved somewhat since 2024. Back payments after appeals now take about 3-4 weeks instead of 2-3 months like before. Just make sure you're very clear that you're requesting payment for weeks that were approved in your OAH decision, not regular weekly benefits.

I HATE how they do this to people!!!! 10 WEEKS is CRIMINAL when rent is due NOW. The whole system is designed to wear us down so we give up. I had a determination that took 2 months and it was just because my former employer contested it with totally FALSE information. Even after I was approved, they held my payments for "verification" for another 3 weeks!!!! Don't get your hopes up with these people. They're totally incompetent and don't care if we end up homeless while they take their sweet time.

I can clarify a few things about what you're seeing in your account: 1. A determination dated today means a decision has been finalized on your claim 2. The "waiting week" status for your first week is significant - this is only established for claims that are approved (denied claims don't set up a waiting week) 3. The "processing" status on subsequent weeks suggests the system is preparing to issue payment It's very likely you've been approved based on these indicators. The determination letters typically appear in your online account within 24 hours of the decision date. ESD does indeed run most of their system updates overnight between approximately 11pm-3am. Once your claim is approved, the payment process typically takes 2-3 business days. Continue filing your weekly claims during this period.

I've been on UI since November and I've noticed the payment timing is really inconsistent lately. Sometimes it's next day, sometimes it's 4-5 days. If your banking info is correct and you don't have any alerts or messages about issues with your claim, it's probably just in the processing queue. Also, remember that even though it shows as 'paid' on 1/27, that was a Friday, so the bank processing likely didn't start until Monday (1/30). Then add 1-3 business days for ACH processing. I'd expect it to arrive by tomorrow or Thursday at the latest.

UPDATE: The money finally hit my account this morning! So it took exactly 5 business days from when the status changed to 'paid'. Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance. For anyone else experiencing this - it seems like ESD payments are definitely taking longer than they used to.

i had the OPPOSITE problem with ESD last year lol. i WASNT in school & they somehow marked me AS attending school & disqualified me. took 6 calls & 2 months to fix. double check all your weekly claims to make sure you answered the school question correctly each week?

Actually, that might be part of the problem. When you answer "yes" to attending school, the system often flags your claim for review because it assumes you might not be available for work. This is why many people recommend applying for Training Benefits approval before starting classes. For now, I recommend: 1. File your appeal right away (30-day deadline!) 2. Try to reach an ESD agent (using Claimyr or persistent calling) 3. Keep filing weekly claims, but be consistent with your answers 4. Gather documentation showing your availability despite school And don't get discouraged - many people successfully overturn these kinds of disqualifications when they can prove the school schedule doesn't interfere with work availability.