Adjudicator assignment taking 5+ weeks - is this normal for ESD?

Unfortunately, 5 weeks is pretty standard these days. My claim needed adjudication back in January and it took exactly 7 weeks before an adjudicator was assigned, then another week before they called me. The backlog has been consistently bad since they updated their systems last fall. Make sure you're still filing your weekly claims though, even while waiting for adjudication. Once they approve you (assuming they do), you'll get backpay for all those weeks if you filed correctly.

mine took 6 weeks and then the adjudicator never even called me just randomly got an approval email one day lol the system is so broken

The current average wait time for adjudication assignment is 4-8 weeks according to the latest data from ESD. The exact timeline depends on several factors including claim complexity, current workload, and staffing levels. What triggered your adjudication if you don't mind sharing? Some issues (like employer disputes or availability questions) tend to move faster than others (like identity verification or voluntary quit investigations). In the meantime, I'd recommend documenting everything. Keep a log of all your call attempts, make sure you're meeting your three job search activities weekly, and save any relevant documents related to your claim. This will help when you eventually speak with the adjudicator.

My cousin had the same problem last month! But then she called ESD like 50 times in one day and finally got through and they told her that her claim had actually been assigned to someone three weeks earlier but there was no update in the system. Maybe the same thing happened to you???

If you need to get through to ESD quickly, try Claimyr. I was in the same situation - waiting 6 weeks with no updates. Used their service and got connected to an ESD agent in about 30 minutes. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was happening with my claim and gave me an estimate of when it would be resolved. Saved me weeks of stress. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 It's basically a service that keeps dialing for you until it gets through. Way better than manually hitting redial 100 times.

THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!!! They WANT you to get frustrated and stop filing! I waited NINE WEEKS for adjudication last year and then they DISQUALIFIED me for some technicality that wasn't even true!!! Had to appeal to OAH which took ANOTHER two months!!! The whole department is a joke. Sorry you're dealing with this but sadly it's exactly how the system is designed to work: SLOWLY.

Quick tip: If your financial situation is getting dire while waiting, you can request a hardship expedition of your claim. Call the main line and specifically mention "financial hardship expedition request" when prompted for the reason for your call. This doesn't always work, but I've seen it speed up adjudication in cases where someone is facing eviction or utility disconnection. You'll need to provide some documentation of the hardship (late notices, etc.).

has anyone else noticed that esd's system always seems to flag claims randomly for adjudication??? like i've filed for unemployment 3 times in 6 years and EVERY SINGLE TIME i get stuck in adjudication for weeks with no explanation. like why even have the system if every claim gets flagged anyway???

Update: I used the hardship expedition request that someone suggested below and actually got through to a person! They confirmed my claim is still waiting for an adjudicator but because I have a late notice for utilities, they've marked my claim for expedition. They said it could still take 1-2 weeks but that's better than continuing to wait indefinitely. Thanks everyone for the suggestions and support. I'll post again when I hear anything more.