ESD claim shows 'active' status but no payments received - what's happening?

An 'active' claim just means your application is in the system and being processed. It doesn't necessarily mean payments have been approved yet. There's often an invisible 'pending' status where they're verifying your information with your former employer or checking eligibility. Check if there's an 'issues/decisions' tab or section in your eServices account - that's where they'd list any problems with your claim. Sometimes there are identity verification or fact-finding issues that need to be resolved before payments start.

same thing hapened to me last month! claim said active for FIVE WEEKS b4 i got my first payment. turns out they were doing some kind of 'background verification' that doesn't show up anywhere on ur account. super annoying they dont tell u whats happening!!

This is actually extremely common with ESD. 'Active' status just means your claim has been established, but there are several behind-the-scenes processes that happen before payments begin: 1. Employer verification (they contact your former employer) 2. Wage verification (confirming your reported earnings) 3. Identity verification (even if not explicitly requested) 4. Initial eligibility determination Some of these steps don't show visible status indicators on your account. The first payment typically takes 2-4 weeks from when you file, but can take longer if there are any flags in the system. If it's been over 3 weeks with no communication, I'd recommend trying to contact them to check if there's a specific hold on your claim that needs addressing.

CLASSIC ESD!!!! I spent TWO MONTHS with an "active" claim and no money last year! They were "reviewing" my case but never bothered to TELL ME or ask for ANYTHING! Then one day money just appeared in my account with no explanation! The system is BROKEN and they don't care that people have bills to pay!!!! 😡😡😡

have you checked your spam folder? sometimes the notices from esd go there. also make sure you look at the "alerts" section of your eservices account. they might have sent you something that needs a response.

I was in the exact same boat last month! Try checking if you have a waiting week. The first week after you file is usually a waiting week where you file but don't get paid. So if you filed 3 weeks ago, you should only be expecting payment for the past 2 weeks. Also check if your payment method is set correctly (direct deposit vs debit card). By the way, when I was going crazy trying to get through to ESD, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 25 minutes instead of spending days trying to call. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Once I talked to an agent, they found the issue (employer dispute that wasn't showing on my account) and fixed it right away. Might be worth trying if you're desperate to talk to someone.

Yeah it worked for me! I was skeptical at first but after trying to call ESD myself for over a week with no luck, I was willing to try anything. They basically keep dialing for you and then call you once they get through. The agent was able to see things on my account that I couldn't see myself.

One other thing to check - make sure all your weekly certifications show as "processed" and not just "submitted." Sometimes you can have an active claim but if your weekly claims aren't processed properly, no payment will be issued. Also, if this is your first unemployment claim ever, they sometimes take longer to process as they're establishing everything from scratch. If you've claimed before, it's usually faster. Definitely try to get through to an agent if you can - they might be able to see a pending issue that isn't visible to you through the online portal.

Active status means your claim has been established, but payment approval requires several additional steps. In 2025, ESD has been taking around 2-4 weeks for initial payments due to increased verification processes. Here's what you should do: 1. Continue filing weekly claims on time 2. Check for any correspondence in your eServices message center 3. Verify your identity documentation is complete (if they requested it) 4. Make sure you're reporting your job search activities correctly (3 per week) If nothing shows in your online account under issues/decisions but it's been more than 4 weeks, there's likely an internal review happening. Only an ESD agent can tell you the specific status.

when i filed last year my claim also said active but turns out they needed additional info from my employer who was taking their sweet time responding. maybe call your former employer and ask if ESD contacted them? sometimes they ignore ESD requests which holds up your claim

Based on your comments that your weekly claims show as "submitted" rather than "processed," that's likely your issue. When they show as just submitted, it means ESD hasn't completed reviewing them. This could be due to: 1. Your employer not responding to their verification request 2. A potential eligibility issue that requires manual review 3. Random selection for fraud prevention checks 4. System backlog during high claim periods The fact that you don't see any pending issues is actually promising - it suggests there's nothing specifically wrong with your claim, just that it's in a processing queue. Definitely try to speak with an agent as they can often push these through once you reach them.

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! My claim has been "active" for about 2 weeks and I'm getting really anxious about when payments will start. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and terrifying - reassuring that this seems to be normal, but terrifying that it could take months! @Keisha Jackson - definitely try contacting your former employer like Malik suggested. I just did that yesterday and found out ESD had sent them a request for wage verification 10 days ago that they hadn't responded to yet. My HR person said they'd prioritize it after I called. Sometimes employers don't realize how urgent these requests are for people waiting on benefits. Also, the tip about checking if your weekly claims say "processed" vs "submitted" is gold - I never would have thought to look for that difference. Mine all say "submitted" too, so now I know what to ask about when I (hopefully) get through to an agent. This whole system really needs better communication about what's happening behind the scenes. The stress of not knowing is almost worse than the financial stress!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and it was incredibly frustrating! My claim showed "active" for almost a month with no payments, and like you, I couldn't get through to anyone on the phone. What finally worked for me was sending a secure message through the eServices portal. Go to your account, look for "Send ESD a Secure Message" or similar option, and explain your situation. Ask specifically about the status of your weekly claim processing and whether there are any pending verifications. I got a response within 3 business days (much faster than trying to call), and the agent was able to see that my claim was stuck in a "quality review" queue that doesn't show up anywhere on the member portal. Once they flagged it for processing, I received my backpay within a week. Also, document everything - take screenshots of your account showing the active status and submitted weekly claims. This helps if you need to escalate later. The secure messaging system creates a paper trail too, which phone calls don't. Don't give up! The money is probably coming, it's just caught up in their internal processes that they don't communicate well to claimants.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed about 2.5 weeks ago, claim shows active, weekly claims all say "submitted" instead of "processed," and I can't get through to anyone by phone. It's such a relief to find this thread and realize I'm not alone in this situation. The tip about sending a secure message through eServices is brilliant - @Mateo Gonzalez thank you for that! I had been so focused on calling that I completely overlooked that option. I'm going to try that approach today. Also planning to call my former employer tomorrow to see if ESD has contacted them about verification. Reading everyone's experiences here, it sounds like employer delays are super common and might explain why our claims are stuck in limbo. @Keisha Jackson - please keep us updated on what you find out! It would be so helpful to know what finally breaks the logjam. This whole experience has really opened my eyes to how opaque the ESD system is. We shouldn't have to play detective to figure out why our benefits aren't coming through when we're already stressed about finances. Fingers crossed we all get resolution soon! 🤞

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Filed 3 weeks ago, claim shows active, but all my weekly certifications say "submitted" rather than "processed" and no payments yet. The lack of transparency in this system is maddening when you're already stressed about money. After reading through this thread, I'm going to try the secure messaging option through eServices that @Mateo Gonzalez mentioned - that sounds way more promising than the endless phone calls. I'll also contact my former employer tomorrow to see if ESD sent them any verification requests they haven't responded to. @Keisha Jackson - thank you for starting this thread! It's been incredibly helpful to see I'm not alone and get actual actionable advice. The tip about checking whether claims say "processed" vs "submitted" is something I never would have thought to look for. Please keep us posted on what works for you - I think a lot of us are in the same boat and could benefit from knowing what finally breaks things loose!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Filed my claim 2.5 weeks ago, everything shows "active" but zero payments. Like others mentioned, all my weekly claims say "submitted" instead of "processed" which seems to be the key indicator that something is stuck. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm realizing this is way more common than it should be. The complete lack of transparency from ESD about what's happening behind the scenes is honestly cruel when people are already stressed about paying bills. I'm definitely going to try the secure messaging approach that @Mateo Gonzalez mentioned - seems way more reliable than the phone system that never works. Also planning to call my former employer tomorrow to see if they're sitting on some verification request from ESD. Thanks @Keisha Jackson for starting this thread - it's been incredibly reassuring to know I'm not alone in this situation. The advice from everyone here has been more helpful than anything I could find on ESD's actual website! I'll report back if any of these strategies work for me.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my claim about 2 weeks ago, shows "active" status, but haven't received any payments yet. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm both relieved and frustrated - relieved that this seems to be a common issue and not something uniquely wrong with my claim, but frustrated that the system is so opaque about what's actually happening. The tip about checking whether weekly claims show "submitted" vs "processed" is incredibly helpful - I just checked mine and they all say "submitted" too! That explains a lot. I had no idea there was even a difference to look for. I'm definitely going to try the secure messaging approach through eServices that @Mateo Gonzalez mentioned. I've been banging my head against the wall trying to call with no success, so having an alternative path forward is huge. Also planning to contact my former employer tomorrow to see if they're sitting on any verification requests from ESD. @Keisha Jackson - thank you so much for starting this thread! The collective wisdom here has been more helpful than anything on ESD's actual website. I'll report back on what I find out and hopefully we can all get our claims unstuck soon. The financial stress is bad enough without the added anxiety of not knowing what's happening! 💙

I'm going through the exact same frustrating situation! Filed my unemployment claim about 3 weeks ago, account shows "active" status, but absolutely no payments have come through yet. Like many others here, all my weekly claims show "submitted" instead of "processed" - I had no idea that was even a distinction to look for until reading this thread. The complete lack of transparency is what makes this so stressful. When you're already worried about paying rent and bills, not knowing what's happening with your claim adds a whole extra layer of anxiety. At least when I read everyone's experiences here, I realize this delay seems to be more the norm than the exception, which is both reassuring and infuriating. I'm definitely going to try the secure messaging approach through eServices that @Mateo Gonzalez mentioned - I've been trying to call for over a week with zero success, so having an alternative method is a huge relief. Also planning to contact my former employer tomorrow to see if ESD sent them any verification requests they haven't responded to yet. @Keisha Jackson - thank you for starting this thread! It's been incredibly validating to see so many people dealing with the same issue and getting actual actionable advice from community members. This has been more helpful than anything I found on ESD's official resources. I'll definitely update everyone on what I discover!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My claim has been showing "active" for about 2 weeks but no payments yet. After reading through all these experiences, I'm both relieved to know this is common and frustrated that the system is so unclear about what's actually happening. The tip about checking if weekly claims show "submitted" vs "processed" is a game-changer - I just looked and mine all say "submitted" too! I had no idea that was even something to look for. It really explains why we're all stuck in limbo. I'm going to try the secure messaging approach through eServices that several people mentioned here - seems way more reliable than trying to call. Also planning to contact my former employer tomorrow to see if they received any verification requests from ESD that they haven't responded to. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and solutions. This thread has been more helpful than anything on ESD's actual website! I'll report back on what I find out. The stress of not knowing what's happening is almost worse than the financial pressure itself.

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Filed my claim about 2.5 weeks ago, shows "active" status, but haven't seen a penny yet. The stress is real when rent is due and you're counting on these benefits. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm realizing this "submitted" vs "processed" distinction for weekly claims is huge - I just checked mine and they're all stuck on "submitted" too! I had no clue that was even something to monitor. Definitely going to try the secure messaging approach through eServices that @Mateo Gonzalez mentioned - I've been calling ESD obsessively with zero luck, so having an actual alternative is amazing. Also planning to call my former employer first thing tomorrow to see if they're sitting on some verification request. @Keisha Jackson - thank you so much for posting this! It's been incredibly reassuring to realize this isn't just me, and the community advice here has been way more helpful than anything on ESD's official site. The lack of transparency in their system is just brutal when people are already financially stressed. I'll definitely update everyone on what I find out. Fingers crossed we all get our claims unstuck soon! 🤞