Best direct phone number to contact ESD about unpaid benefits?

The main ESD number is actually the best one, but timing is everything. Try calling exactly at 8:00 AM when they open. I'd also recommend checking your bank account details in your ESD profile - sometimes the banking info gets entered wrong and payments bounce back. That happened to me last year and it took forever to fix.

omg the same exact thing happened to my cousin last month!!! he had to call like 30 times before he got thru to someone. something about payment holds or whatever. good luck!!

You should check if there's an alert on your account. Sometimes ESD places a hold on benefits if there's identity verification needed or they have questions about your job search activities. Look for any messages in your ESD inbox requiring action. If the status shows 'paid' but no deposit, it could be a bank processing delay (can take 1-3 business days) or there might be an intercept for child support or other garnishments you may not be aware of. The main line is indeed the correct contact, but as mentioned, early morning calls have better success rates.

After trying for WEEKS to get through to ESD about a similar issue, I finally tried Claimyr and got connected to an ESD agent in about 10 minutes. It's a service that basically waits on hold for you and calls you when they get an agent. Check out their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 to see how it works. Saved me hours of redial frustration and I finally got my payment issue sorted out. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to try it.

THE ESD SYSTEM IS A DISGRACE!!!! I went through EXACT same issue in February!!!!!! They said PAID but no $$$$ for 3 WEEKS!!! Called 60+ TIMES!!!! When I FINALLY got through they claimed there was a "system flag" that no one bothered to tell me about!!! Had to verify my identity AGAIN even though I'd already done it!!!!! DEMAND to speak to a supervisor when you get through - regular agents just give you runaround!!!

hey so this might sound weird but have u tried the linkedin approach? i found an esd manager on linkedin & sent a polite message explaining my situation. she didn't reply directly but my issue got fixed the next day. might be worth a shot?

I forgot to mention - double check that you don't have an overpayment from a previous claim. Sometimes when it shows 'paid' but no deposit, they're actually applying that payment to an outstanding overpayment balance rather than sending it to you. You can see this in your payment history if you look carefully. Also, consider checking if your payment method is set to direct deposit or ESD debit card - if it's set to the card but you're expecting direct deposit, that would explain it.

btw did u try the online message center thing? sometimes they actually respond to those

UPDATE: I just learned that ESD recently changed their phone system. Try option 2, then 1, then 3 in the menu to bypass some of the general queues. Also, if you're willing to drive to a WorkSource center in person, they sometimes have direct lines to ESD representatives that can help with payment issues. Bring ID and your claim information if you go that route.