One more thing to try - check if you can make an in-person appointment at your local WorkSource office. They can sometimes look up your claim status and identify issues that aren't visible on the portal. I've seen people get their pending issues resolved much faster with in-person help than trying to call the main ESD line.

update: i tried that claimyr thing someone mentioned and actually got thru to ESD! turns out i had an identity verification issue that never showed up in my portal. they fixed it and said my claim should move forward in 72 hrs. might be worth trying for u too

One more important suggestion: After you call and (hopefully) get your claim moved forward, make sure to log into your account daily to check for any new action items. Sometimes fixing the pending status triggers other verification requirements that need prompt response. Also, document everything - write down the date and time you call, the name of any agent you speak with, and notes about what they tell you. If you have to call back, having this information can help tremendously.

Update: I FINALLY got through to ESD this morning! Called right at 8am and used the "pending claim over three weeks" phrase when the automated system asked why I was calling. Still waited about 45 minutes, but I actually got a human! Turns out there was indeed a "clear-pending" flag on my account that needed manual override. The agent said my claim had passed all verification steps but was sitting in a review queue that wouldn't have been processed for ANOTHER 2-3 weeks without my call. She pushed it through while I was on the phone and said I should see payment within 48 hours for all my back weeks. Thank you all for pushing me to call instead of waiting longer. Will update when the money actually hits my account!

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the advice! I went ahead and did 3 job search activities yesterday - updated my resume, attended an online WorkSource workshop, and applied for a position similar to mine (just in case my return to work falls through). I've documented everything properly in my job search log. Frustrating to jump through these hoops when I'm returning to work in a week, but better safe than sorry!

thxs for posting this!! i might be in a similar situation next month so now i know what to do. esd rules are so confusing!!!

not to take this off topic but has anyone else noticed that ESD is taking FOREVER to process anything lately? my coworker had a simple address change take 6 weeks to process. wonder if the waiver is taking so long because of general backlog or if waivers are just low priority for them

UPDATE for everyone on this thread: ESD has recently (as of March 2025) implemented new processes for handling overpayment waivers. They are now reviewing older waivers first, so if your waiver request was submitted more than 3 months ago, you should see movement soon. For the original poster's son, I recommend he takes these specific steps: 1. File his new claim immediately 2. Upload a letter explaining his pending waiver situation in the document upload section of his new claim 3. Request standby status since he has a definite return date within 8 weeks 4. Call ESD using one of the methods discussed to check on his waiver status 5. Keep meticulous records of all his job search activities (if standby isn't approved) Even with a 50% reduction to repay the overpayment, he'll still receive some benefits to help with expenses during this temporary layoff.

Hey so random question but are you on standby status or regular unemployment? Because standby claims are supposed to be processed faster than regular ones. When I was on standby last year it only took 2 weeks to get my first payment even though regular UI was taking forever for everyone else

Just checking in - did you have any luck getting through to ESD? I've been thinking about your situation with the utilities and kids.