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Business closed Oct 1st - ESD claim still pending after providing separation letter - How long should I wait?

My employer completely shut down on October 1st and I filed for unemployment the very next day. I uploaded my official separation letter from the company clearly stating they were closing permanently. It's been over 3 weeks now and my claim is still showing as 'pending' with no movement. I've tried reaching the company for additional documentation but obviously they're completely gone - phones disconnected, email bouncing back. I'm starting to worry about bills piling up. Does anyone know how long ESD typically takes to process claims when a business closes? Is there a direct number to reach an actual person who can look at my claim? Any help appreciated!

When my company shutdown last year, it took ESD about 4 weeks to process my claim. The system gets stuck because they try to contact your employer to verify the separation, but obviously they can't reach a closed business. You need to call ESD directly and explain the situation - they can override the automated verification process. Good luck getting through though... I had to call over 50 times before I got through.

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4 WEEKS??? I can't wait that long! I've already called like 20 times but either get disconnected or it says the queue is full. Did you do anything specific to finally get through? Different time of day maybe?

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This is actually a common situation with business closures. When a company goes out of business, ESD has a special process for verification since they can't contact the employer. Some things that might help: 1. Make sure you uploaded the separation letter in the "Provide Documents" section, not just as a general message 2. If your letter doesn't specifically say "permanent closure" or similar language, try to get something that does (business license termination notice, newspaper article, etc.) 3. Call the ESD technical support line instead of the claims line - sometimes they can transfer you more effectively 4. Check if your former employer filed a WARN notice (required for larger employers) The current processing time for business closure cases is averaging 25-30 days as of last month.

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Thank you for this detailed info! I did upload the letter in the documents section and it definitely uses the phrase "permanent closure" so that's good. I didn't know about the technical support line though - I'll try that tomorrow. Do you know what number that is?

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my boss closed up to in february.. took me 6 WEEKS to get aproved. esd is a JOKE!!!!! they say they need to verify but the place is GONE!!! what are they smoking over there?? still never got back pay for first 3 weeks

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Same experience here! Business closed in August, took until October to get my first payment. ESD kept saying they were "attempting to contact employer" even after I explained multiple times the business was gone. System is broken.

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I found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to ESD after my company downsized. Their system holds your place in line so you don't have to keep redialing. Saved me days of frustration when my claim was stuck pending. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 or go to claimyr.com. It was honestly the only way I could get a human on the phone to explain my situation.

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does it actully work? seems sketchy to me. how fast did u get thru??

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Yes, it actually works. I got through in about 45 minutes instead of spending days redialing. The system just holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. You still talk directly to ESD, it just handles the waiting and busy signals for you.

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I process unemployment claims, and here's what's happening in your case. When a business closes, ESD still attempts to verify the closure through multiple channels before processing the claim. This includes: 1. Checking if quarterly tax reports stopped being filed 2. Verifying if multiple employees filed claims citing business closure 3. Checking business registration status with Secretary of State This additional verification typically adds 2-3 weeks to processing time. Your best course of action is to call the ESD claims center at 833-572-8400 and request expedited processing due to financial hardship. Be prepared to provide your former employer's UBI number if you have it - this helps us locate their tax records faster. Also, make sure you're still filing your weekly claims during this waiting period. You'll be paid retroactively once approved.

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This is so helpful, thank you! I didn't realize they check all those things. I've been filing my weekly claims but didn't know about requesting expedited processing. I'll call with the UBI number tomorrow.

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When my workplace closed down my claim was pending forever too!!! Have you tried messaging them through your eServices account? That's what finally worked for me. Click on the 'Send a message' link, then select 'Claims Questions' and explain that your employer closed permanently. I got a response in 3 business days and they pushed my claim through.

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I sent a message last week but haven't heard back. Maybe I should try sending another one specifically about the business closure instead of just asking about the pending status. Thanks for the tip!

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Just wondering - did you select the right reason for separation when you filed? If you selected "laid off" instead of "business closed" that could be causing the delay. You might need to call and have them correct the separation reason in their system.

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I'm pretty sure I selected "business closed" but now I'm second-guessing myself. Is there a way to check what I selected in my eServices account? I don't see that information anywhere in my claim details.

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You can view your initial application by going to eServices > Claims > View Submitted Applications. The separation reason is on page 3 of the application summary. If it's incorrect, you'll need to call to have it changed.

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update? did u get through to them? im in similar boat, company went under oct 15, still waiting...

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Yes! Finally got through yesterday using the technical support line that someone suggested. They were able to verify my claim directly and overrode the employer verification hold. They said I should see movement in 3-5 business days. I'll update again once I see a change. Hang in there!

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