ESD adjudication delays beyond 7 weeks - legislator contact numbers not working
Completely frustrated with the endless waiting!! My claim has been sitting in adjudication for almost 7 weeks now. Called unemployment today and finally got through, only to be told it's 'normal' to wait 5-6 weeks minimum. I tried contacting legislators for help like people suggested - called 800-833-6384 but that number isn't even valid! Then tried 800-562-6000 and all they do is give numbers to voicemails that are either full or not even set up. I did manage to get direct numbers to my representatives, left messages but nobody returns calls. Does ANYONE actually care about people waiting for benefits? My savings are almost gone and I need this resolved ASAP. Has anyone found a way to speed this up or reach someone who actually helps? Any better advice than 'just keep waiting'?? Thanks in advance for any real solutions!
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Keisha Robinson
I know exactly how frustrating this is. I waited 8 weeks in adjudication last year. What finally worked for me was contacting my state rep through email (not phone) and being VERY specific about my situation - claim ID number, exact dates, and what steps I'd already taken. My rep's assistant contacted ESD directly and my claim was resolved within 3 days after that. Don't give up on the legislative route, just switch to email instead of phone. You can find your rep's email on leg.wa.gov by entering your address.
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Yara Nassar
•Thank you SO much for this suggestion! I didn't even think about email - was just following advice about calling. I'll look up my rep's email right now. Did you put anything specific in the subject line to get their attention? I'm desperate to get someone to take action at this point.
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GalaxyGuardian
the phones are usless trust me ive been dealing with esd for 3 months now. they keep telling me different things every time i call. one lady said my claim looks fine and then next day someone tells me theres an issue they need to investigate lol. its all BS
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Paolo Ricci
•That's typical ESD inconsistency. They have different tiers of agents and many of the first-level people you reach can only see basic status info but can't actually fix anything. Always ask to speak with a claims specialist or tier 2 agent when you call - they have more training and system access to actually resolve issues.
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Amina Toure
Have you tried using Claimyr? It helped me get through to ESD after weeks of busy signals. It's a service that basically holds your place in line and calls you when it's about to connect with an agent. Saved me hours of redial frustration. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and sign up at claimyr.com. I was skeptical but it actually worked for me when I was in adjudication hell last month.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•Does this really work?? I've never heard of it before. I've been trying to get through to ESD for two weeks straight with no luck. Getting desperate at this point.
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Amina Toure
•Yes it does work! But getting through to ESD is only half the battle. Once you reach them, make sure you specifically ask about your adjudication timeline and what's causing the delay. Sometimes they can expedite if you can prove financial hardship (like eviction notices or utility shutoff warnings).
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Natasha Volkova
Another option is to file a formal complaint with the ESD Office of Equity and Access. They're required to investigate all formal complaints. Go to esd.wa.gov, scroll to bottom for Office of Equity link. I did this when my claim was stuck for 9 weeks and suddenly it started moving. Might be coincidence but worth trying along with the other suggestions here.
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Yara Nassar
•Thank you! I didn't know this option existed. I'm going to try everything at this point - email my rep, try Claimyr to reach an agent, AND file a complaint. One of these has to work...right? This wait is absolutely killing me financially.
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Javier Torres
I'VE BEEN WAITING 11 WEEKS!!! Sorry for the caps but I'm at my breaking point. The system is BROKEN. I finally got through last week and they said my adjudicator hasn't even LOOKED at my case yet. When I asked why others filed after me were getting paid, the agent just said "each claim is different" which is their way of saying "we have no actual system for processing these in order." I'm about to lose my apartment and car. This isn't right.
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GalaxyGuardian
•yep thats exactly what they told me too. "each claim is different" is just code for "we have no idea and dont really care" imo
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Paolo Ricci
One thing that has helped some people is to document financial hardship and request expedited processing. If you have shutoff notices, eviction warnings, or critical medication you can't afford, mention this specifically when you speak with ESD. By law, they're supposed to prioritize claims where severe hardship is documented. Also, make sure there are no pending "tasks" in your online account that need your attention - sometimes adjudication is delayed because they're waiting for you to upload a document or answer a question, but the notification system fails to alert you properly.
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Yara Nassar
•I just checked my online account again and you're right - there was a task hidden under the "Decisions" tab that I completely missed! It's asking for some additional employment verification that wasn't requested initially. Thank you so much for this tip - I'm uploading the documents right now. Hopefully this moves things along!
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Oliver Zimmermann
Has anyone tried going to WorkSource in person? I heard from a friend that sometimes the WorkSource staff can see what's happening with your claim and might be able to make internal calls to ESD on your behalf. Worth a shot maybe?
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Keisha Robinson
•This is hit or miss. Some WorkSource offices have dedicated ESD staff who can help, others don't. Call your local WorkSource office first and specifically ask if they have any ESD specialists on site before making the trip. The Vancouver and Tacoma WorkSource offices definitely have ESD staff, but smaller offices may not.
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Yara Nassar
UPDATE: I want to thank everyone for their helpful suggestions! I ended up doing several things: 1) Emailed my state rep with specific details about my claim, 2) Used Claimyr to finally reach an ESD agent who escalated my claim when I explained my financial hardship, and 3) Discovered and completed a hidden task in my online account. Not sure which one did the trick, but my adjudication was completed yesterday and benefits are being deposited tomorrow! Don't give up hope if you're stuck in adjudication - being persistent and trying multiple approaches really does help.
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