UPDATE: Did your claim end up processing correctly? It would be helpful for others to know what happened in your situation.

Yes! Just checked my eServices account this morning and the claim is there showing as

Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I'll make sure my direct deposit info is updated, and I'll give it about 3 weeks before I start getting too concerned. If I don't see anything by then, I'll try that Claimyr service to get through to ESD directly. Really appreciate all the advice and sharing your experiences!

have u tried emaling ur state rep? when i had issues wth my claim i emaied my state rep and they got ESD to call me back the next day! worth a try if u dont get the $ soon

This is all really stressful. I'm worried because I worked less hours in 2024 than I did previously, so my benefit might go down. Does anyone know if they'll at least process the new claim quickly if I start it a few days before the benefit year ends like someone suggested?

make sure u check ur eservices inbox everyday!! they wont call u if theres a problem theyll just send message there and if u dont respond in like 5 days they can deny ur claim happened to my roomate

One important thing to understand about the backdating process: once your account is unlocked, you'll need to file for each week separately. The system will walk you through each missed week, but be prepared to spend about 20-30 minutes total completing all the backdated weeks. For each week, you'll need to report: - Your 3 job search activities for that specific week - Any earnings from part-time work during that week - Whether you were able and available for work - Any refusals of work If you're currently on day 5 or 6 of the processing time, I'd recommend organizing all this information now so you're ready as soon as your account is unlocked. That will help ensure you get paid as quickly as possible once the fraud hold is removed.

my cousin works at ESD (not in fraud dept tho) and she says they're super backed up right now because there was a big wave of identity theft cases in April. apparently some data breach somewhere led to a bunch of unemployment fraud attempts at once. so that might affect your timeline, unfortunately...

Look, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but without written documentation of your layoff, you're fighting an uphill battle. ESD almost always sides with the employer in these disputes unless you have solid evidence. I've seen this play out dozens of times - the burden of proof is on YOU to prove you were laid off, not on them to prove you quit. Your best shot is to write down EVERYTHING you can remember - exact conversations, dates, who was present, any witnesses who can verify you were laid off. If you have any indirect evidence (like texts where you mentioned being laid off and the employer didn't correct you), that can help. Also, did anyone else get laid off at the same time? Their testimony could be crucial. Be prepared for this to potentially go to appeal. If denied, you have 30 days to file an appeal for a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge.

Update: I finally managed to get through to ESD! They said my adjudication is delayed because they haven't been able to reach my former employer for their side of the story. The agent scheduled me for a fact-finding interview next week. She also suggested I upload any text messages or emails that might help my case, which I've done now. Thanks everyone for your advice - fingers crossed this gets resolved soon!

my claim was in ajudication for 5 weeks then i got paid everything at once it was like $4800 so hang in there! but yeah its totally different from pending. pending = waiting. ajudication = investigating. if your boss is lying about why you left that will definitely trigger it but you'll win if you have proof of layoff.

This is correct - and to add some clarity: if the OP wins their adjudication, they'll receive all back payments from eligible weeks in one lump sum, exactly as you described.

My cousin works at a law firm and says this comes up all the time. You only report the wages portion, NOT the punitive damages. But keep records of everything for at least 5 years in case there's ever a question about it. The settlement paperwork should clearly state which portion is for lost wages and which is punitive.

UPDATE: I called ESD this morning and finally got through to someone after using that Claimyr service. The agent confirmed that I should only report the wages portion of the settlement on my weekly claim. She also suggested I add a note in the comments section explaining that I received a settlement and am reporting just the wages component. Thanks everyone for your help!

one thing nobody mentioned yet - make sure you're on time for your hearing! they usually only wait 10 mins if your late and then you forfeit. also have you checked if its phone or video hearing? mine was on teams and i had technical issues at first

Another tip - take detailed notes during the hearing. If you end up needing to appeal the decision later, those notes will be incredibly helpful. Also, speak clearly and directly answer the judge's questions. Don't volunteer extra information unless it specifically helps your case about availability for work. And remember that everything is being recorded, so stay professional even if you feel frustrated by questions.

If your claim is in adjudication specifically, calling at optimal times helps, but there's also another approach. You can request an expedited adjudication review if you're experiencing financial hardship (like potential eviction or utility shutoff). To do this: 1. Call during mid-afternoon hours as suggested 2. Specifically ask for an "expedited hardship review" of your adjudication 3. Be prepared to provide documentation of the hardship This won't guarantee immediate resolution, but it can move your claim up in priority. Also, continue filing your weekly claims during this time, even while in adjudication.

I work nights so I always call around 3:30pm right before they close at 4pm. Sometimes catch them when call volume is lower. Not foolproof but worked twice for me in March.

I'm confused... if someone wasn't eligible for benefits for certain weeks because they worked too much, why do they still have to claim those weeks? Isn't the whole point of unemployment that you're, well, unemployed? The ESD system is so unnecessarily complicated.

I went back to full time for almost 2 months then got laid off again. Had to file for all those weeks I missed (about 8 weeks total). It was tedious but not a big deal. Just entered my full-time hours for each week, got $0 payments for those weeks since I earned too much, then was able to start getting benefits again after the layoff. The system just wants continuity.