Anyone approved by ESD adjudication before 6 weeks? Need success stories!

Yes!!! I actually got through adjudication in exactly 4 weeks and 2 days. My issue was about availability for work (they questioned if I was truly available since I had some part-time hours). I didn't do anything special except make sure I answered all their questions honestly when they called. The agent was actually really nice. The funny thing was I got the approval randomly on a Saturday morning, wasn't expecting it at all. Don't lose hope!

mine took 9 weeeks so cant help u there. the system is completly broken imo. they make it impossible to get through to anyone! ive literally called 50+ times some days and always get hung up on. they dont want to help regular ppl like us

I'm an employment counselor who works with many unemployment claimants. Here's some perspective that might help: adjudication timeframes vary significantly depending on the complexity of your case and current ESD workload. While the 6-8 week timeframe is common, I've seen many claims resolved in 3-5 weeks, particularly for straightforward cases. Factors that can expedite adjudication: 1. Clear documentation from the beginning 2. Prompt responses to any ESD requests for information 3. Consistency in your statements and weekly claims 4. Straightforward separation reasons (clear layoff vs. disputed circumstances) In 2025, ESD has added more adjudicators, which has helped somewhat with the backlog. The most important thing is ensuring you've submitted all required documentation and continuing to file your weekly claims while in adjudication.

I went through adjudication twice last year. First time took almost 8 weeks (separation issue), but the second time when I had an availability question was resolved in just under 4 weeks. One thing that seemed to help the second time was that I uploaded additional documentation through my eServices account even though they didn't specifically ask for it. I added a detailed letter explaining my situation and screenshots of emails that supported my case. I also made sure to keep filing my weekly claims properly during the waiting period. From talking to others, it seems like the type of issue makes a big difference in how long it takes. Separation issues and misconduct allegations take longer than availability or job search questions.

I got through in 5 weeks! The key for me was actually getting through to a live person at ESD. I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an ESD agent after I'd been trying for days on my own with no luck. The agent was able to see that my adjudication was just sitting there waiting for someone to review it, and they escalated it. Got approved 3 days later! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Seriously worth it for the peace of mind alone. I was going crazy not knowing what was happening with my claim.

I was approved at week 5 but only because I had a very simple case (straightforward layoff, employer didn't contest). My friend waited 11 weeks for a more complicated situation. From what I've read on other forums, the average seems to be 6-7 weeks right now, but every case is different. Make sure you're still doing your job search activities and filing your weekly claims during adjudication! I've seen people get disqualified because they stopped filing weekly while waiting for adjudication to resolve.

i know this doesn't answer ur question directly but just wanted to say im in the same boat. week 4 of adjudication and feeling hopeless. can't pay my car payment this month and about to be late on utilities. why does it have to be so HARD just to get benefits we've paid into?? this is literally what the system is designed for! ugh sorry for venting, just at my wits end with esd

One additional point that might be helpful - if you're experiencing financial hardship while waiting for adjudication, you can request an expedite on your claim. Call the ESD claims center and specifically mention that you're facing imminent financial hardship (potential eviction, utilities shutoff, inability to afford necessary medications, etc.). This won't guarantee faster processing, but ESD does have a process for prioritizing claims where severe hardship is documented. Make sure you have any relevant documentation ready (eviction notices, past-due bills, etc.) as they may request this as evidence of hardship.

Quick update on my earlier comment - I forgot to mention that I called ESD twice during my 4-week adjudication period. The first time they just said it was in process, but the second time (around week 3) the agent added notes to my file about my hardship situation. Not sure if that helped speed things up or if I just got lucky with timing. Might be worth trying to get through to someone if you can!

I'm at week 2 of adjudication and already starting to panic about finances, so thank you for asking this question! Reading through these responses is actually giving me some hope. It sounds like there are definitely people getting approved before the 6-week mark, especially for simpler cases. I'm dealing with a layoff situation too - my whole department got eliminated but HR is taking forever to send ESD the proper documentation. I've been proactive about uploading everything I have (termination letter, final paystub, etc.) but I'm worried their delay will slow down my adjudication. @Ava Garcia - your advice about the hardship expedite is really valuable, I had no idea that was even an option. Going to try calling about that if I hit week 4 without resolution. @Miguel Silva - definitely going to look into that Claimyr service if I can't get through on my own. Seems like actually talking to someone makes a huge difference. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, both good and bad. At least now I have some concrete steps to try instead of just sitting here refreshing eServices every hour!