ESD adjudication stuck for 3+ weeks - is this normal wait time?

Yep completely normal. Took 6 WEEKS for mine to get through adjudication back in January!!! The system is BROKEN and they don't care about how we're supposed to pay bills. I called literally 42 times over those weeks and either couldn't get through or got hung up on. Good luck!!

The normal processing time for adjudication is 2-4 weeks, but it can definitely take longer depending on your specific situation and current ESD workload. Adjudication happens when there's something about your claim that needs additional review - could be employment separation issues, availability for work questions, or income verification. My advice: 1. Keep filing your weekly claims even while in adjudication 2. Check your ESD secure message center for any requests for information 3. Make sure you've uploaded all requested documentation 4. Be available if they call (they often call from blocked numbers) If you need to speak with ESD urgently, many people have had success with Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that helps you get through to an ESD agent without spending hours redialing. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3

The frustrating thing about adjudication is they don't tell you WHAT they're even investigating! My claim was stuck for 5 weeks because my previous employer disputed my hours, but ESD never bothered to tell me that was the holdup. I just saw "adjudication in progress" with no explanation. One thing to check - did you answer YES to any of the weekly claim questions? Like if you said you turned down work, were unable to work certain days, or traveled out of your job search area, that can trigger adjudication.

My adjudication took 4 weeks to clear in 2025. From what I understand, ESD has specific timeframes they're supposed to resolve adjudications within, but they rarely meet them due to backlog. Their official goal is to resolve most issues within 21 days, but that's more aspiration than reality. One thing that helped me was contacting my state representative's office. They have liaisons who can inquire about stuck claims. It didn't fix my problem immediately, but my claim was resolved about a week after they reached out to ESD on my behalf.

hey has anyone else noticed that if u call right when they open u have better chance of getting thru? ive had to call them like 3 times this year and i always get thru if i call at 8am sharp but not later in day

I had a similar situation last year. When they finally resolved my adjudication (took about 5 weeks), I learned it was because my previous employer had contested the reason for my separation. I had put "laid off" but they claimed I had quit voluntarily. The most frustrating part was that I couldn't get any information about what was happening during those 5 weeks. My advice - document EVERYTHING. Every call attempt, every message you send, everything. And keep filing your weekly claims so that when your adjudication clears, you'll get paid for all those weeks at once. I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to finally reach someone at ESD. It was frustrating to pay for a service just to talk to unemployment, but after weeks of failing to get through on my own, it was worth it to finally speak to a human. The service connected me with an agent in about 25 minutes after I had spent literally hours redialing on my own with no success.

Quick update - I just wanted to clarify that even while your claim is in adjudication, you should continue completing your three job search activities each week and documenting them. If you don't maintain job search requirements during adjudication, you could be disqualified from those weeks even after adjudication completes successfully.

my freind waited 8 weeks and then it just suddenly approved one day lol. esd is weird like that. sometimes it takes forever and sometimes it goes thru fast. no rhyme or reason

UPDATE: My adjudication cleared after 5 weeks. I was persistent with calling and finally got through using the Claimyr service another commenter mentioned. The agent told me they were short-staffed in the adjudication department and experiencing higher claim volumes than normal. Apparently certain industries (like tech and manufacturing) are facing more layoffs, which is causing more claims to be filed. One thing I learned: if you have ANY income during your weekly claims while in adjudication, make absolutely sure you report it correctly. They scrutinize this heavily, and errors can lead to overpayment notices later.