ESD adjudication date changed but still no payment - what does this mean?
I started filing my weekly unemployment claims on August 11th but haven't received a single payment yet. My claim status changed to 'Adjudication in progress' on August 22nd, which was frustrating but at least showed movement. Today I finally got through to someone at ESD (after calling like 50 times), and they basically told me there's no timeframe for when a decision will be made - super helpful, right? But I noticed something weird after the call - the adjudication status now shows today's date instead of 8/22. Does this date change actually mean anything? Like is my claim being looked at again, or is this just a system update that doesn't really impact anything? I'm getting really worried about bills piling up with zero income coming in.
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Lara Woods
The date changing usually means someone touched your claim today. Could be good news! When my claim was in adjudication last year, the date changed the day before they approved it. Hopefully yours gets resolved soon!
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Oliver Alexander
•Really? That gives me some hope! Did you have to do anything special to get yours approved or did it just happen?
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Adrian Hughes
The date change typically means your claim was reviewed or updated by an adjudicator today. Based on my experience working with the system, this is actually a positive sign - it means your case is actively being worked on rather than sitting in the queue. Adjudication can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks depending on complexity and current workload. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims during this period, as you'll receive all back payments once approved.
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Molly Chambers
•yep keep filing those weekly claims no matter what! my cousin didnt for 2 weeks thinking it was pointless while in adjudication and then had to appeal to get those weeks paid
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Ian Armstrong
It means someone looked at your claim today, but that doesn't necessarily mean they made a decision. When I went through adjudication, the date changed 3 times over 6 weeks before they finally made a determination. The system just updates the date whenever anyone accesses your file. Try calling again early morning (right when they open) - sometimes you get different answers from different agents.
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Eli Butler
•Getting different answers from different ESD agents is EXACTLY why the system is broken! I swear they don't even train their people properly. One tells you X, another tells you Y, and meanwhile your bills are piling up and they don't care AT ALL!!!
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Oliver Alexander
Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm going to keep filing weekly claims while I wait. Does anyone know if there's a way to get my claim prioritized? I'm about to miss my rent payment and I'm getting really stressed out.
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Marcus Patterson
•There's technically a hardship prioritization process, but it's almost impossible to get through to request it. After trying for weeks to reach someone about my adjudication, I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent in about 15 minutes. I was able to explain my hardship situation and got my claim expedited. Check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website at claimyr.com. Seriously saved me from getting evicted while waiting for adjudication.
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Lydia Bailey
my claim was in adjudication for 9 weeks!!! dates changed like 5 times, its just them opening ur file but not actually doing anything. system is completely broken. keep calling every day thats the only way
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Adrian Hughes
•While persistent calling can help, it's also important to understand that ESD adjudicators are handling thousands of claims. Date changes often indicate progress, even if it's just preliminary review. I'd recommend calling twice weekly rather than daily, and also sending a secure message through your eServices account specifically mentioning any hardship situations. This creates documentation that can help prioritize your claim.
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Oliver Alexander
Update: Wanted to let everyone know that I took the advice here and tried that Claimyr service to get through to ESD. I was able to talk to someone who actually explained what's happening. Apparently there was a discrepancy between what I reported and what my employer reported about my final paycheck date. The date changed because they sent a request for additional information to my former employer. The agent told me these typically take 2-3 weeks to resolve once they get the employer's response. At least now I know what's happening! Thanks everyone for your help.
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Ian Armstrong
•That's great you got some clarity! Wage discrepancies are actually one of the most common reasons for adjudication. Make sure you have your final pay stub ready in case they need to verify anything from your side. Also, consider uploading any supporting documentation to your eServices portal - sometimes this can speed things up if the adjudicator sees it when reviewing your case.
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Charlie Yang
•So glad you got some answers! Wage discrepancies are super common and usually get resolved once the employer responds. In the meantime, if you're really struggling with bills, some local food banks and assistance programs don't require you to wait for unemployment approval - might be worth looking into while you wait for this to clear up. Fingers crossed your employer responds quickly!
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Molly Chambers
this happened to my brother he was in adjucation for 2 months!!! but then got all the back pay at once. ESD is soooooo slow its crazy but at least you'll get all the money eventually
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Lara Woods
•That back pay deposit is such a relief when it finally hits! Happened to me too - 6 weeks of nothing and then suddenly over $5,000 in my account. Just hang in there OP!
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Connor Gallagher
Wage discrepancies are definitely frustrating but they're usually straightforward to resolve once the employer responds. Since you now know what's causing the delay, you might want to reach out to your former employer's HR department to let them know ESD is waiting for their response - sometimes they don't prioritize these requests unless they know someone is waiting on them. In my experience, a polite follow-up call can sometimes speed things along. Keep filing those weekly claims in the meantime!
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Victoria Scott
•That's a really good point about contacting HR directly! I never thought about following up with my former employer myself. It makes sense that they might not prioritize responding to ESD if they don't realize someone is waiting on unemployment benefits. I'm definitely going to give them a call tomorrow and see if I can get them to expedite their response. Thanks for the tip!
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Lia Quinn
I've been through something similar and that date change is definitely a good sign! When my adjudication date updated, it meant an actual adjudicator was actively reviewing my case. Since you found out it's a wage discrepancy with your employer, I'd suggest also checking if you have any documentation on your end - final pay stub, separation notice, etc. Having everything ready can help speed things up once they get your employer's response. The waiting is brutal but at least you know what's happening now. Keep filing those weekly claims and you'll get all that back pay when it's approved!
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Aidan Percy
•Thanks for the encouragement! I actually do have all my documentation ready - final pay stub, separation letter, everything. It's reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same thing. The waiting really is brutal when you're watching bills pile up, but at least now I know it's not just sitting in limbo forever. Hopefully my employer responds quickly since I already gave HR a heads up. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - makes this whole process feel less isolating!
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