Document review holding up ESD claim for 4+ weeks - normal wait time?

Welcome to the ESD nightmare! YES they are that far behind on document verification. Mine took EIGHT weeks from when I uploaded to when they finally reviewed everything. The system is completely broken and they don't care that people are suffering. I had my landlord threatening eviction before they finally approved my claim. The worst part is there's literally nothing you can do to speed it up.

While document verification is definitely taking longer than usual, there are a couple things that might help in your situation: 1. Make sure the documents you uploaded are clear and meet all the requirements (no glare, all corners visible, nothing cut off) 2. Check your eServices account for any messages or additional information requests you might have missed 3. If you haven't already, try sending a secure message through your eServices account specifically asking about the status of your document verification Also, keep filing your weekly claims even while you're waiting. Once they verify your documents, they should process all your pending weeks at once, but only if you've filed for them correctly.

i was in the same boat last month!! took 5 weeks for them to look at my stuff. they never even told me when they approved it just suddenly got all my payments at once. keep doing ur weekly claims

I recently went through this exact situation, and what finally worked was getting through to an actual claims specialist who could flag my documents for priority review. Regular agents can't help you with this. After weeks of trying to call with no luck, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to ESD without the constant busy signals. They have a service that helps you bypass the phone system. I was skeptical, but you can check out their video demo (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3) to see how it works. Once I got through to a real person, they escalated my document review and my claim was processed within 3 days. Worth trying if you're at your wit's end like I was.

Document verification has been a complete disaster since they implemented the new identity verification system in 2024. The average wait time I've heard from others at my WorkSource office is 5-7 weeks, so unfortunately what you're experiencing is pretty typical. One thing that might help - double check that you uploaded the documents to the correct section. I've seen several people who thought they uploaded everything correctly but it turns out they put them in the general document upload area instead of specifically in the identity verification section. Also, if you're experiencing severe financial hardship (eviction notice, utility shutoff, etc.), you can request an expedited review. You'll need documentation of the hardship, but it can sometimes speed things up.

anybody knows if calling the 866 number works better than the main line?? i heard theres a special department for document stuff

The thing that drives me CRAZY about ESD is they expect us to submit everything immediately but then they take MONTHS to review it!! And if we're late on anything, they penalize us, but they can take forever with no consequences. The whole system is designed to make people give up. I had to borrow money from family while waiting for my documents to be verified.

I know this is frustrating, but I actually got mine reviewed faster than expected. Uploaded my docs in mid-February, and they were verified by late March (so about 5-6 weeks). The key for me was making sure I followed up with regular secure messages (not too many, just one per week) asking politely about the status. I think being persistent without being pushy helped my case. When they finally processed everything, I got all my back payments at once - it was a huge relief after waiting so long.

my cousin works for esd (not in claims tho) and she says theyr super understaffed in the document department right now. like literally 5 people reviewing thousands of documents. its not right but thats why its taking so long

Just wanted to add one more thing - check your spam/junk folder regularly. Sometimes ESD will send an email saying they need additional documentation, and if it goes to spam and you miss it, your claim will remain pending indefinitely. Also, sometimes the uploaded documents are illegible or corrupted in the system even if they looked fine when you uploaded them. If it's been over 5 weeks, it might be worth uploading them again (don't delete the originals though).

I'm in a similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from my local legislator's office. If you've been waiting over 6 weeks for document verification, you can contact your state representative or senator's office for help. They have caseworkers who can directly contact ESD on your behalf and sometimes get faster results. I reached out to my rep's office last week after 7 weeks of waiting, and they said they've been getting tons of calls about ESD delays. They submitted an inquiry for me and said they usually hear back within 1-2 weeks. It's worth a shot since the normal channels clearly aren't working. You can find your legislator's contact info on the Washington State Legislature website. Also, document everything - dates you uploaded docs, confirmation numbers, all your attempts to contact ESD. The caseworker asked for a timeline of everything I'd tried so far.

I've been waiting 6 weeks for document verification myself, so I completely understand your frustration! What worked for me was a combination approach - I contacted my state rep's office (like Keisha mentioned) AND used the Claimyr service to actually get through to ESD by phone. The legislator's office inquiry seemed to put some pressure on ESD, and when I finally got through to a claims specialist via Claimyr, they were able to see that my case had been flagged for review. My documents were approved 3 days later. One thing I learned - the regular customer service reps literally cannot access the document verification queue, so calling the main line is pretty much useless. You need to get transferred to someone in the claims department who can actually see what's happening with your docs. Also, definitely try the hardship expedite request that Diego mentioned if you have shutoff notices or eviction threats. Having that documentation on file can sometimes bump you up in the queue. Hang in there - it will eventually get resolved, but I know how stressful the waiting is when bills are piling up!