ESD adjudication taking 9+ weeks after LOA-to-termination transition - help!
I'm at my wit's end with this ESD adjudication process. It's been going on for 9 weeks now with zero movement on my claim. I've submitted everything I can think of: ID verification docs, termination letter, all the supporting paperwork for backdating my application, but still nothing. My situation is complicated because I started on medical leave in December 2024, but while I was out, my employer terminated my position on January 15, 2025. Of course, I didn't discover this until mid-February when I was preparing to return to work. Talk about a shocking welcome back! The adjudicator left me one voicemail three weeks ago asking about the gap between termination and filing, which I promptly explained via the ESD messaging portal. Radio silence since then. Is my LOA-to-termination situation causing this extreme delay? Has anyone dealt with something similar? Any suggestions beyond uploading documents and checking eServices daily? I'm burning through savings while waiting for ESD to make a decision.
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Paolo Rizzo
Ouch, that's rough. I had somethng similar happen but my adjudication took only 6 weeks. Have you tried calling them? I know its basically impossible to get through, but that's what finally worked for me. Had to call like 45+ times just to get in the queue.
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Keisha Williams
•I've tried calling at least twice a week since this started. Either get a busy signal or that automated message saying they're experiencing high call volume and to try again later. It's beyond frustrating!
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Amina Sy
Your LOA situation is definitely complicating things. There's a specific classification issue at play here - ESD needs to determine if you were technically "able and available" for work during that transition period. Since you were on medical leave when terminated, they're likely investigating whether you qualify from the termination date or from when you were medically cleared to return. You need to make sure they have: 1. Medical documentation showing exactly when your LOA was scheduled to end 2. Your termination notice with the exact date 3. Documentation showing when you discovered the termination This creates what's called a "separation issue" in ESD terminology, which always triggers adjudication. The timeline confusion is probably why it's taking so long.
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Keisha Williams
•Thanks for explaining! I've uploaded the termination letter, but I didn't think to include documentation about when my medical leave was supposed to end or proof of when I found out about being fired. I'll get those uploaded today.
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Oliver Fischer
•This is exactly correct. I used to see these cases all the time when I worked at WorkSource. The "able and available" determination is critical here. Make sure you clearly document that you were physically and mentally capable of returning to work on [specific date], but discovered your termination on [later date].
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Natasha Ivanova
i waited 12 weeks last year lol esd is always backed up. just gotta wait honestly
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Keisha Williams
•12 weeks?? That's insane... I'm not sure my savings will last that long. Really hoping it doesn't take that much longer.
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NebulaNomad
You should definitely try using Claimyr to get through to ESD. After my claim was stuck for almost 2 months, I used their service and got connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was holding up my claim and put a note in my file to expedite it. Worth every penny since I got my benefits the following week. Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Go to claimyr.com - it's so much easier than calling hundreds of times yourself.
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Javier Garcia
•Is this legit? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach ESD these days.
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NebulaNomad
•100% legit. I was skeptical too, but it actually worked. They basically keep dialing for you using their system until they get through, then connect you. The ESD agent I spoke with even said they're getting lots of calls through this service now because their phone system is so overwhelmed.
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Emma Taylor
THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!!! They WANT you to wait forever so you'll just stop trying to get YOUR MONEY that YOU EARNED through unemployment insurance! I had to wait 15 WEEKS before getting a determination, and my situation was simple. This system is BROKEN BY DESIGN.
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Natasha Ivanova
•preach. esd system is totally rigged against us
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Keisha Williams
Update: I took some of the advice here and uploaded additional documentation showing when my medical leave was supposed to end and an email thread proving when I discovered I'd been terminated. Also going to try that Claimyr service tomorrow morning to see if I can actually speak to a human being at ESD.
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Amina Sy
•That's good! One more thing - make sure to check your weekly claim history and verify that all weeks have been properly submitted during this waiting period. Sometimes people forget that you still need to file weekly claims even while in adjudication. Also check for any alerts or messages in your eServices account that might have been missed.
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Keisha Williams
•Yes, I've been filing my weekly claims religiously! I learned that lesson from a friend who didn't realize he needed to keep filing while waiting. I'll double-check for any alerts I might have missed though.
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Oliver Fischer
I had a similarly complex situation last year (pregnancy leave that turned into a layoff), and what finally worked was contacting my state representative's office. They have dedicated staff who can reach out to ESD on your behalf. My claim was resolved within 10 days after my rep's office got involved. Might be worth a try if you're still stuck after trying the direct approach.
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Keisha Williams
•That's a great suggestion I hadn't thought of! If I don't make progress in the next week, I'll definitely reach out to my representative. Thank you!
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Amina Sy
Good news! I just checked the ESD adjudication processing times dashboard, and they're currently processing cases from 8-10 weeks ago. So you should be coming up in their queue very soon. Here's the link if you want to check it yourself: https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment/dashboard Be prepared for a possible interview call once your case comes up for review. Have all your documentation organized and ready to discuss the timeline of your LOA, termination date, and when you became available for work again. Good luck!
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Keisha Williams
•Thank you! I didn't even know about that dashboard. Just checked and you're right - looks like I might finally be getting close to a resolution. I'll make sure to have everything organized in case they call for an interview.
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