did your husband recently change his name or anything? my cousin had something similar happen after she got married and changed her last name. ESD had her old and new name as different people somehow and it was a total mess!

After reading through this thread, I want to clarify something important: This is almost certainly a database association error, not identity theft. ESD's wage record system occasionally creates erroneous employer associations when processing quarterly wage reports, especially with similar SSNs or data entry errors. The good news is that once your husband speaks with a claims specialist, the resolution process is straightforward. The specialist will verify his identity, confirm which employers are legitimate, then remove the incorrect associations manually in the system. After that, the claim will be released from adjudication and processed normally. To expedite this, have the following ready when he calls: 1. His ID and SSN card 2. W-2s from his legitimate employer 3. A list of the incorrect employers shown on his claim 4. The approximate date when this issue occurred previously And as others have mentioned, he absolutely must continue filing weekly claims during this process.

UPDATE: My payment just processed normally this morning! Looks like adding the part-time work didn't cause any delays for me. They did reduce my benefit amount based on what I earned, but that's expected. Thanks everyone for the advice and sharing your experiences!

my sister had issues when she started working part time but it was because she made a mistake on her hours... she accidentally put 71 hours instead of 17 hours (typo) and that triggered some kind of review. just double check everything before you submit and you should be fine

One more thing - if your appeal deadline has already passed, you can request a "good cause" exception for filing a late appeal. The same situation with your wife's hospitalization that prevented you from responding to their documentation request could potentially qualify as good cause for filing a late appeal. Make sure to submit medical documentation and be very specific about how it prevented you from meeting the deadlines.

my cousin works at a call center and says most ppl get denied at first just to see if theyll give up!! its like a test!! dont give up man

I had problems with my direct deposit too! But mine was because I accidentally put my savings account number instead of checking. I spent WEEKS trying to fix it myself online. Kept getting error messages. Nothing worked! Finally broke down and called the main ESD number 100 times before getting through. The lady was actually super nice and fixed it in 2 minutes. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person.

Just to follow up on your situation - when did you initially file your claim? If it was very recent, the system is actually working as designed. The 'verification pending' status is normal protection against fraud. But if it's been more than 10 business days AND you haven't received a KeyBank debit card in the mail (which is ESD's default payment method until direct deposit verifies), then you should definitely contact them. Also, make sure you're still filing your weekly claims even while waiting for payment method verification. Payments will be retroactive once everything is verified.

Everyone keeps talking about Training Benefits but NOBODY mentions the Commissioner Approved Training program which is different!!! CAT doesn't extend your benefits but it DOES waive the job search requirement while you're in school/training. Training Benefits actually gives you additional weeks. ESD doesn't make this clear AT ALL and their own workers sometimes confuse the two programs!!

One last thing I want to mention - if your benefits do run out and you still haven't found work, make sure you connect with your local WorkSource office. They offer free employment services, resume help, interview practice, and sometimes have connections with employers that aren't advertising positions publicly. Also check if you qualify for other assistance programs like Basic Food (SNAP) or other support while continuing your job search. Better to research these options now rather than waiting until you're in a financial emergency.