ESD approved my claim and paid backpay but still shows 'Adjudication in process' - safe to spend?

same thing happened to me!!! the system shows one thing but they do another... typical ESD chaos lol. i'd say go ahead and pay your rent, that's what the $$ is for anyway

This is actually quite common with ESD's system. What you're seeing is a disconnect between their payment processing system and their online status display. The determination letter is your official approval, and the payment confirms that your claim has been accepted. The pending issues indicator sometimes takes a few days (or even weeks) to update in eServices. You can safely use the money they've deposited, particularly for essential expenses like rent. The determination letter is your legal documentation that you were approved for those benefits. Just make sure you continue filing your weekly claims accurately and meeting your job search requirements (3 activities per week). Keep that determination letter somewhere safe. If you ever need to prove your claim was rightfully approved, that's your evidence.

I wouldnt touch that money for at least 2 weeks!!! ESD makes mistakes ALL THE TIME and if they decide you weren't supposed to get paid, they will hit you with an overpayment notice so fast and then add penalties on top!!! happened to my cousin and he had to pay back $4200 plus $800 in penalties because he spent it all thinking he was approved. The system is rigged against us!!!

I had the exact opposite problem last month - my account showed approved but I never got paid lol. Had to call them 37 times before I got through. When I finally reached someone, they fixed it in 5 minutes. So frustrating!

Check the date on your determination letter!!! The date matters because you have 30 days to appeal if anything is wrong. But in your case, it sounds like they approved you (yay!) so just keep that letter safe. I think their computer system is just slow to update. My pending issues disappeared about 10 days after I got my first payment. The determination letter + payment means your APPROVED!!! Pay your rent and breathe easier. Make sure you keep doing your 3 job search activities each week though. They're super strict about that in 2025!

This happens coz ESD has different departments that don't talk to each other. The payments dept processed ur approval and sent money, but the website dept hasn't updated ur status yet. U'll prob get a letter in a week saying the same thing as the first letter. ESD is so inefficient it's ridiculous!!!!

Based on what you've described, you should be fine to use the money. Here's how ESD typically handles these situations: 1. The determination letter is your official approval document 2. The payment itself is a separate confirmation that your claim has been accepted 3. The eServices portal often lags behind actual claim processing If you're still concerned, you could try calling ESD directly at 800-318-6022. They open at 8am and it's best to call right when they open. If you're unable to get through due to high call volume, you might try a service like Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps connect you with an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 that shows how it works. But honestly, with both a determination letter AND payment, you should be in good shape to use the funds as needed.

UPDATE: I paid my rent and some utilities with part of the money but kept about $900 in savings just in case. Just logged in today and guess what? The pending issues and adjudication notices are GONE from my account! System finally updated. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!!!