ESD approved my claim but no payments for 2 months - emails and calls ignored

Same boat here!! They approved me in November and I only got the first two payments. Nothing since early December despite filing every week. The system keeps saying "processing" but like??? Process FASTER. I've called at least 30 times and either get disconnected or stuck on hold until they close for the day. It's INSANE they can just approve us then ghost us while bills pile up!!!

have u checked ur account for any alerts or messages? sometimes they need more info but dont tell u directly and u have to check the eservices account

This sounds like a payment block issue. There are several reasons this can happen with ESD even after approval: identity verification problems, quarterly wage review, job search compliance review, or a random audit. Unfortunately, the only way to resolve it is speaking directly with an agent who can see what's flagged in their internal system. When this happened to me last year, I tried for weeks with no luck calling their main line. Then I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an ESD agent in about 35 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Once I got through, the agent saw my payments were flagged for quarterly review (which happens automatically) but there was no notice sent to me. She removed the block and my backpay hit my account three days later.

have u tried going to a WorkSource office in person? some of them have ESD people there who can look up ur claim. doesnt always work but worth a shot before paying for anything else

This is fairly common with ESD unfortunately. When they approve your claim, it means you qualify for benefits, but there are often additional verification flags or system holds that prevent payment. The frustrating part is these aren't visible to you in eServices. A few things to try: 1. Check if you received a debit card in the mail (they sometimes send these without notification even if you selected direct deposit) 2. Make sure your identity verification is complete - sometimes this gets flagged after initial approval 3. Verify all your weekly claims show as "processed" not just "submitted" 4. Look specifically for any overpayment notices from previous claims that might be causing a block If everything looks correct, then you need to speak with an agent who can see the internal notes on your account. The phone lines are terrible in 2025 - even worse than previous years with their staffing cuts.

I had this EXACT issue after my restaurant closed last year. Claim approved in October, but no payments until January! What finally worked was contacting my state representative's office. They have dedicated staff who deal with ESD problems. I filled out their assistance form online, and within 3 days someone from ESD called me. Turns out my previous employer had contested my claim but hadn't provided any documentation, so ESD just let my payments sit in limbo instead of releasing them. The rep fixed it while I was on the phone and I had all my back payments within a week. DON'T WAIT like I did thinking the system will eventually work. It won't. You need to escalate this.

@profile1 I tried that Claimyr thing you mentioned and IT WORKED!! Got through to ESD in about 40 minutes (after trying for WEEKS on my own). The agent found that my payments were on hold because my former employer submitted some info late and the system automatically froze my payments even though I was approved. She released everything while I was on the phone with her and said I should see all my backpay in 2-3 business days. THANK YOU!!

THIS IS WHY I HATE ESD!!! They do this ALL THE TIME - approve claims then just sit on the money while people suffer. It's like they WANT us to give up so they don't have to pay. The whole system is designed to frustrate people into surrender. I had to file a formal complaint with the state ombudsman before they would release my payments last year. The worst part is they never even explained why they were holding them!!

UPDATE: I tried both suggestions! Used Claimyr yesterday morning and actually got through to someone at ESD. The agent said my payments were being held because of a "quarterly review flag" that automatically happens in their system. She cleared it while I was on the phone and said my back payments should process in 48-72 hours. I also contacted my state rep's office as a backup. Thank you all for the help!! Will update again when/if the money actually shows up.

Unfortunately, quarterly reviews are standard for all unemployment claims, so you might experience the same issue at the start of April (beginning of Q2 2025). The good news is that now you know what's happening and how to address it. I recommend calling ESD proactively in the last week of March to see if they can prevent the hold from occurring again. Also, because you've contacted them about this issue already, there should be notes in your file that might help avoid the same problem.