ESD adjudication 'in progress' status with changing dates - what exactly does this mean?
Hi everyone! I'm totally confused about what's happening with my ESD unemployment claim. It's been showing 'adjudication in progress' for almost 3 weeks now. I noticed there's also a 'change date' that keeps updating every few days even though nothing else seems to be changing. Does anyone know what this actually means? Is someone actively reviewing my case each time the date changes? Or is this just some automatic system update? Getting really worried since my savings are almost gone and I haven't received any payments yet. The ESD website is so confusing and I can't get through on the phone!
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Henry Delgado
same thing happened to me... the change date just means someone looked at your file but didnt decide anything yet. dont worry too much about it
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Gianni Serpent
•Thanks for responding! Do you remember how long yours was in adjudication before it finally got resolved? I'm getting really nervous about bills piling up.
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Olivia Kay
The "adjudication in progress" status means your claim has one or more issues that need to be resolved before benefits can be paid. The changing date typically indicates that an ESD agent has looked at your file or made some kind of update, but it doesn't necessarily mean they've made a decision yet. They might be waiting for additional information from you or a former employer. Have you received any notices in your ESD inbox requesting additional information? Sometimes they need documentation or clarification on something, and your claim won't move forward until you provide it. Also check if your status says "pending" or "processing" on your weekly claims - these are different statuses that require different actions.
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Gianni Serpent
•I checked my ESD inbox and there aren't any messages asking for documents or information. My weekly claims all say "processing - adjudication in progress" when I look at the status. Does that mean I just have to wait? It's so frustrating not knowing what's happening!
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Olivia Kay
•Unfortunately, that does mean you're in a waiting pattern. The adjudicator needs to review your case, and they're working through a backlog. With no specific information requests, all you can do is continue filing your weekly claims while you wait for a decision. Make sure you're completing your work search activities (3 per week) and documenting them properly in case you're asked about them later.
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Joshua Hellan
Ugh ESD is THE WORST!!! My claim was stuck in "adjudication" for SIX WEEKS last year and every time I called they just said "be patient" like I don't have bills to pay?? The changing date means absolutely nothing - it's just their system updating randomly to make it look like someone's working on your claim but NOBODY IS. The whole system is designed to make people give up!!!
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Gianni Serpent
•Six weeks? That's terrifying! Did you end up getting your benefits eventually or did something else happen?
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Joshua Hellan
•Yeah I finally got it but only after I contacted my state representative's office and had them intervene. Suddenly my claim was magically approved within 2 days after that. Funny how that works! 🙄
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Jibriel Kohn
I had success using Claimyr to actually get through to an ESD agent when my claim was stuck in adjudication. It's a service that basically waits on hold for you and then calls you when an agent is available. Cost money but was worth it for me since I was able to find out exactly what was causing the hold up (which turned out to be a simple verification issue). You can see how it works at claimyr.com or watch their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent I talked to explained that the change date updates whenever anyone in the system touches your file - could be an adjudicator, could be someone just assigning cases, or even some automated system process. So it doesn't necessarily mean progress is being made, just that something happened with your file.
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Gianni Serpent
•I hadn't heard of that service before! Did they actually tell you anything helpful when you got through? I'm wondering if it's worth trying or if they'll just tell me to keep waiting.
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Jibriel Kohn
•In my case it was definitely worth it. The agent was able to see exactly what was holding up my claim (an employer response that was flagged as potentially contradicting my statement). They explained what would happen next and gave me a realistic timeframe. Just having that information made the wait less stressful. Sometimes they can even expedite things if your situation is causing hardship.
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Edison Estevez
i know im supposed to do 3 job searches while waiting for adjudication but do they actually check those? i have been looking but forgot to save some of the job posting information 😬
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Olivia Kay
•Yes, they absolutely can and do check job search activities! While not every claim gets audited, if yours is selected for review and you can't provide documentation of your job searches, you could be disqualified and have to repay benefits. You need to record the date of contact, employer name, position, contact method, and result for each activity. Don't risk it - make sure you're properly documenting everything going forward.
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Edison Estevez
•yikes ok thanks for the warning... gonna start being more careful about writing everything down
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
My adjudication took 4 weeks to resolve in January 2025. The key things to remember while you're waiting: 1. Keep filing your weekly claims on time 2. Complete and document your job search activities (3 per week) 3. Check your ESD account inbox daily for any messages or requests 4. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date The changing date usually means some kind of activity on your claim, but ESD processes cases in order of receipt (for the most part), so they might just be noting something in your file without making a determination yet. If it goes beyond 4-5 weeks, consider reaching out to your state representative as they can sometimes help move things along.
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Gianni Serpent
•Thank you for this clear breakdown! It's helpful to know what to expect. I'll keep filing my weekly claims and documenting everything carefully. Is there anything specific I should say if I do end up contacting my state representative? I've never done that before.
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James Johnson
Hey just wondering did u leave ur job voluntary or were u laid off? Cuz that makes a HUGE difference in adjudication time... voluntary quits take way longer to process i learned that the hard way last year 😞
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Gianni Serpent
•I was laid off - my position was eliminated when my company downsized. They told me they were making cuts due to budget issues. Does that usually take less time to process?
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James Johnson
•Oh that's good news for you! Layoffs are usually processed faster because there's less to investigate. When I got laid off in 2023 it took about 3 weeks. But when my friend quit because of a hostile work environment it took her almost 8 weeks to get through adjudication because they had to interview her former boss and everything. So you should hopefully hear something soon!
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Olivia Kay
UPDATE: Just wanted to check in - has there been any change in your claim status? Sometimes claims can suddenly be approved after sitting in adjudication for weeks with no apparent movement.
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Gianni Serpent
•Yes!! My claim was just approved yesterday - after 24 days in adjudication. No explanation for what took so long, but I'm just relieved. All my weekly claims that were pending got paid at once. Thanks everyone for the help and advice during the wait!
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
•That's great news! Glad it worked out. Make sure you keep up with your job search requirements and weekly claims. Sometimes people get tripped up thinking everything is fine after adjudication ends, but you still need to maintain compliance with all the program requirements.
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