To answer your question about prioritization - ESD generally processes claims in the order received, but certain factors can affect prioritization: 1. Hardship cases (imminent eviction, utilities shutoff) may be expedited if you've submitted a hardship request 2. Simple issues are often resolved faster than complex ones 3. Employer response times can significantly impact resolution speed 4. Certain industries or claim types may be grouped together for efficiency Since you've been waiting since January, I'd actually recommend trying to reach them directly. At this point, a quick call could potentially identify if there's a specific issue holding up your claim that could be easily resolved.

UPDATE: You guys were right! I just checked my account this morning and my status has changed from "Adjudication" to "Paid"!!! All my weeks that were pending are now processing for payment. The date change DID mean something was happening. Thank you all for your help and suggestions. For anyone else stuck in adjudication - hang in there and watch for these system changes, they might be good signs!

After you try reaching ESD, if you still don't have an answer, you might want to contact your state representative's office. They often have liaisons who work directly with ESD and can sometimes get answers when individuals can't. Just search for "[your district] state representative" and call their office. I've seen this work for several people with stubborn claims.

Just following up - did you get any resolution to your claim? I was thinking about your situation and remembered that sometimes the first payment can be delayed if your former employer contests your unemployment claim. Did you leave your job under any questionable circumstances? If your employer disputed your eligibility, that would definitely cause delays while ESD investigates.

This is EXACTLY why the ESD system is so frustrating!! They make it impossible to get basic information that any normal payroll system would provide automatically. I spent THREE HOURS last year trying to reconcile my payment records because I needed the info for a mortgage application. The system is designed to be confusing on purpose I swear.

Just something to be aware of - make sure you're setting aside additional money for taxes if needed. The 10% withholding might not cover your full tax liability depending on your tax bracket and other income. I got caught by surprise last year when I still owed additional taxes even though I had withholding on all my UI payments.

Quick update question - have you tried calling right when they open at 8:00 AM? That used to be the best time, but in 2025 I've heard from several people that calling between 3:30-4:00 PM has a better success rate because many agents have finished their scheduled callbacks by then and can take incoming calls. Might be worth trying that specific window if you haven't already.

One other thing to consider - check if you received any fact-finding questionnaires that you might have missed. Sometimes ESD sends these with tight deadlines (often just 5 business days), and if you don't respond, they automatically disqualify you. These can come by mail, email, or appear in your eServices account. If you find you missed one, mention this specifically when you get through to an agent. They can often reopen the fact-finding if you have a reasonable explanation for missing the deadline.

Any updates? Has your status changed at all?

FINAL UPDATE: My claim was approved! Took exactly 3 weeks and 2 days from when I first applied. All weeks were paid including the waiting week (not sure why, but I'm not complaining). To anyone else in adjudication - hang in there! And definitely try to speak with an agent if you can, it seemed to speed things up in my case.