Try calling early in the morning like 7:55am right before they open. That's the only way I ever got through when my claim went pending for no reason. Waited on hold for 2 hours but at least got answers. They told me mine went pending because my employer submitted something late but they never bothered telling me!

UPDATE: Finally got through to ESD this morning! Turns out it WAS a quarterly review thing. The agent told me they're doing extra verification on claims that cross into Q2 2025. My claim should be back to paid status by next Wednesday. Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions!

I successfully resolved this exact issue last month. Here's what worked for me: 1. When calling 800-318-6022, press options for an existing claim, then payment issues (not new claims) 2. If you get through, immediately ask for a claims specialist or supervisor who can handle claim reactivation 3. Be prepared to explain that you had an appeal in process when you accidentally filed a new claim 4. Have your original claim ID number ready In my case, they were able to withdraw the new claim and restore my original claim with all weekly certifications transferred over. The key is getting to the right department - regular agents often can't help with this specific problem.

Update: I finally got through to ESD this morning! Used the phone menu options that @helpful_user suggested and got a claims specialist after about 35 minutes. They confirmed they can fix this by withdrawing my new claim and reactivating the original one. They're transferring all my weekly claims back to the original claim too. For anyone who finds this thread later with the same problem - be very specific that you need a claims specialist who can handle claim reactivation. Regular agents will just transfer you. The specialist said this happens pretty often because of the automatic system prompts. Thanks everyone for your help!!

Make sure your employer classifies you correctly! My company tried to say our reduced hours were due to "lack of work" rather than "reduced hours" which caused all kinds of problems with my claim. The adjudication process took FOREVER to sort out. If they don't code it right when ESD contacts them, you might get stuck in pending status.

One more thing to be aware of: starting in 2025, ESD requires claimants to use the new WorkSource WA job search log in your ESD account to document all job search activities (if you don't get standby status). The old paper logs are no longer accepted. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the online system if you end up needing to do job searches.

I'm dealing with something similar right now. The waiver paperwork is pretty extensive - took me nearly a week to gather everything they asked for (bank statements, bills, pay stubs, etc). Whatever you decide, start collecting all your financial documents NOW so you're ready. Also important: if you withdraw your appeal to apply for a waiver, get confirmation IN WRITING that your waiver application will be processed. I've heard horror stories of people withdrawing appeals based on verbal promises that weren't kept.

After reading through all these comments, I'd suggest one more thing: check if you qualify for free legal help through the Unemployment Law Project (unemploymentlawproject.org). They can give you personalized advice about your specific situation and might be able to help navigate this appeal vs. waiver dilemma. Also, document EVERYTHING. Keep records of all communications with ESD, take screenshots of your eServices account, and save copies of all documents you submit. If you speak with someone on the phone, write down their name, ID number, date, time, and what they told you. The system is complex and contradictory at times, so having detailed records can make a huge difference if there are disputes later.

Based on everything you've described, this sounds like what's called an "adjudication hold" without proper notification. Some claims get randomly selected for additional verification, and yours might be one of them. Unfortunately, the only real solution is making contact with an ESD claims specialist. I'd recommend a multi-pronged approach: 1. Continue attempting to call ESD directly 2. Contact your state representative as suggested above 3. Send a secure message through the eServices portal (they're supposed to respond within 5-7 business days) 4. If your husband's employer has an HR department, ask if they can help by verifying any information ESD might need For the phone approach, try calling the main line at exactly 7:00am, and if that doesn't work, try around 4:30pm. Some people have had success with the technical support line and then asking to be transferred to claims. Once he gets through, make sure to request retroactive payment for all weeks in pending status. They should process everything at once once the hold is lifted.

Just wanted to follow up - did your husband have any luck with the state rep approach? My sister used Claimyr (the service I mentioned before) because she tried calling for weeks and couldn't get through. The regular phone method just seems impossible right now with how backed up ESD is. Whatever works though! I hope he gets his money soon.