Called governor's office after 5 weeks of ESD claim stuck in processing - anyone had success?

I did the exact same thing last month! Called governor's helpline after 6 weeks of nothing. They actually did help - my claim was approved 8 days after the governor's office contacted ESD. Hang in there 🙏

The governor's office can definitely help move things along, but there are some other steps you should take as well. First, make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even though you haven't been approved yet - you'll get backpay for all eligible weeks once approved. Second, check your eServices account and Secure Message Center for any communication from ESD - sometimes they request additional information but don't notify you by email or phone. Third, if you've provided everything they've asked for, the holdup might be with your former employer not responding to ESD's request for information. In that case, contacting your previous employer's HR department could help speed things up too.

THE GOVERNORS OFFICE IS USELESS!!!! I tried that route TWICE and they just sent me generic emails saying they "forwarded my concern to ESD" but nothing happened. The whole system is rigged to make us give up. I waited 9 WEEKS before getting approved and that was only after I hired a lawyer to threaten them. ESD is literally the worst government agency in the state. They don't care if we starve or get evicted.

have u tried going to worksource? sometimes they can see whats going on with ur claim when u go in person. thats what i did when mine was stuck for like a month

I had a similar issue back in October - claim stuck for 7 weeks with no updates. For me, it turned out there was an identity verification flag that wasn't clearing even though I'd uploaded my documents. I used Claimyr to get through to an actual agent (claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3). Got connected to ESD in about 40 minutes instead of spending days calling. The agent was able to manually clear the flag and my claim was processed two days later. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human who can see what's actually happening with your claim.

I work with unemployment claims regularly and can tell you that contacting the governor's office can be effective, but results vary. Your claim might be stuck for several reasons: 1. Identity verification issues (very common - even if you uploaded documents, the system might not have processed them correctly) 2. Employer dispute over separation reason 3. Wage verification issues 4. Adjudication backlog for more complex issues While you wait, please contact your local food bank immediately - that's what they're there for. Also check with 211 for emergency rental assistance programs. For your claim, make sure you've uploaded clear copies of your ID (both sides), Social Security card, and any separation documents. If nothing happens within 3 business days of the governor's office contact, follow up with them again and mention the desperate financial situation.

My claim was stuck for 6 weeks too! I called my state representative's office (not the governor) and they helped get it unstuck within a week. Might be worth trying both approaches. The thing that's so frustrating is you just sit there with no information while bills pile up. I also found out later that mine was delayed because of a simple data entry error on ESD's part! My previous employer's EIN was entered incorrectly so the system couldn't match my wage records. Such a stupid reason to make someone wait with no income. Hope yours gets resolved soon!!

anyone else notice how ESD seems to "lose" documents we upload?? I had to upload my ID verification THREE TIMES before they acknowledged receiving it. The whole system is either incompetent or deliberately designed to make us give up. And don't get me started on their "customer service" line that NEVER answers!!!

Quick update: The governor's office contact method has been increasingly effective in 2025 because ESD implemented a new escalation process for those cases. Based on recent reports, claims flagged by the governor's office are now typically reviewed within 3-5 business days. Just make sure when you talk to them that you clearly communicate the financial hardship you're experiencing - they prioritize cases with imminent eviction risks or severe financial distress. Also, keep filing those weekly claims while waiting for the initial approval! Many people don't realize they need to do this.