ESD adjudication stuck since 2/2 after unsafe workplace termination - running out of money

Ya this is normal unfortunately. My claim was stuck in adjudication for 9 weeks last year when I got laid off. ESD is sooooo slow with these things. They need to talk to your employer and investigate why u were fired. Since u mentioned unsafe working conditions they probably need to check if its a valid reason which takes time. Just keep doing ur weekly claims and hang in there!

Your situation is actually a bit more complex than a standard layoff. When you're separated due to reporting safety violations, it falls under a special category that ESD reviews more carefully. This is actually good for you in the long run because termination for reporting unsafe conditions is typically not considered misconduct. The adjudicator will need statements from both you and your employer, possibly documentation of the safety concerns you reported, and verification of whether you followed proper channels for reporting. Adjudication is currently taking 6-10 weeks on average. Since you're at week 7, you're in the typical timeframe. I recommend preparing documentation that shows: 1. Dates when you reported safety concerns and to whom 2. Any responses you received 3. Photos or evidence of the violations 4. Any witnesses who can verify your reports This will help your case tremendously when the adjudicator contacts you.

I was in adjudication for 8 weeks earlier this year after being terminated for "performance issues" (which was really just me refusing to work unpaid overtime). What finally broke the logjam for me was getting through to an actual person at ESD who could check my file and tell me what was going on. I used a service called Claimyr to get through to an ESD agent without waiting on hold for hours. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Once I got through, the agent saw my adjudication had been assigned but was sitting in someone's queue. They flagged it as urgent since I was experiencing financial hardship. Got approved about a week later with full backpay.

THE ESD SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN!!! I had the EXACT same situation last year - fired for reporting safety violations (I worked in food service and reported black mold). My adjudication took ELEVEN WEEKS and I almost lost my apartment!!! The system is designed to make you give up. They hope you'll just find another job and stop claiming benefits because it saves them money. Certainly keep doing your weekly claims, but you NEED to escalate this! Call your state representative's office - that's what finally worked for me. I called mine and explained I was about to be evicted, and their constituent services person contacted ESD directly. Magically my claim was approved 3 days later. FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS when someone with power asks questions!!!!

idk if this helps but my brother had something similar happen when he was fired for refusing to drive a forklift without proper training (which is illegal). his adjudication took like 6 weeks but then he got all the back pay at once. ESD is really slow but they usually side with the worker if safety is involved. its just the waiting that sucks.

I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned above when I was dealing with my claim issues. It actually did work - got me through to an agent in about 45 mins instead of spending days trying to call. The agent was able to tell me what documents they were waiting on to process my adjudication. Worth the money if ur desperate to talk to someone.

One important thing to note - if your adjudication is approved, you'll get paid for all those weeks at once. Make sure your payment method is set up correctly in eServices. Direct deposit is faster than the debit card option. Also, document all your job search activities meticulously. If you get approved but then they do a job search review (which is random), you don't want to lose benefits because you didn't properly document your activities.

have u tried the esd secure message center to ask about ur claim? sometimes they respond there faster than by phone. go to ur eservices account and use the message option to ask for a status update

Quick update on timeframes - I've been tracking adjudication times across various unemployment forums, and it appears ESD is currently averaging 7-9 weeks for cases involving termination with disputed circumstances. Safety whistleblower cases like yours tend to receive favorable outcomes, but they do require more thorough investigation. If your financial situation is becoming dire, when you do speak with an ESD representative (whether through regular channels or using a service to get through), specifically mention "financial hardship" and ask if your claim can be expedited. They have protocols for prioritizing claims where claimants are at risk of losing housing or utilities.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I called my state rep's office this morning, and their staff was really helpful. They took down all my info and said they'd reach out to ESD on my behalf. I'm also going to try getting through to ESD directly tomorrow using that Claimyr service that a couple of you mentioned. Will update once I know more. Really appreciate all the support - it's been a stressful few weeks.