ESD claim stuck after Governor's Office escalation - how long until adjudicator approval?

After waiting 7 excruciating weeks with no approval letter from ESD, I finally took the advice of someone on Reddit and escalated my unemployment claim through the Governor's Office yesterday. My weekly claims are still showing as 'pending' with zero payments issued. I called ESD dozens of times but either got disconnected or was told they couldn't help without an adjudicator. The representative at the Governor's Office said they'd forward my info directly to an adjudicator, but didn't give me any timeline. Has anyone gone this route before? How much longer should I expect to wait for approval after escalating to the Governor's Office? I'm getting desperate as my savings are almost gone and rent is due next week. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

0 coins

17 comments

Emily Parker

•19d

I work as an employment counselor, and Governor's Office escalations typically get assigned to senior adjudicators within 3-5 business days. However, the actual resolution timeframe varies significantly based on claim complexity. If your claim involves employer disputes, multiple employers, or voluntary quit issues, it could still take 2-3 weeks even with the escalation. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims during this waiting period, as those will automatically pay out once the main claim is approved. Also, check your ESD online account for any new correspondence or questionnaires - sometimes adjudicators need additional information before making a decision.

0 coins

Benjamin Johnson

•19d

Governor's Office escalations can definitely help, but there's another approach that worked for me when I was in adjudication limbo for 6 weeks. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual ESD agent on the phone. They have a service that navigates ESD's phone system and calls you back when they reach an agent. There's a video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. The agent I spoke with was able to add notes to my claim about the urgency of my situation, and it was approved the following week. Might be worth trying while you wait for the Governor's Office escalation to work its way through the system.

0 coins

Daniel Rogers

•19d

I was stuck in adjudication for nearly 9 weeks before I reached out to the Governor's Office in January. After my escalation, it took exactly 6 business days for my claim to be approved, and I received my first payment (including all back payments) two days later. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date in your ESD account because the adjudicator tried calling me twice before approving my claim. Also, in my experience, sending a clear, concise email to the Governor's Office with your claim ID, the date you filed, and a brief explanation of your financial hardship helps prioritize your case. If you don't see movement within two weeks of your escalation, I'd recommend following up with both the Governor's Office and trying to reach ESD directly. Sometimes claims need an extra push.

0 coins

Emily Parker

•19d

I understand your frustration, but as someone who works in the employment field, I can assure you this isn't accurate. ESD doesn't save money by delaying claims - the funding for benefits comes from employer-paid insurance, not from ESD's operational budget. The delays are typically caused by staffing shortages, complex eligibility rules that require manual review, and the high volume of claims. The system definitely needs improvement, but there's no conspiracy to deny valid claims.

0 coins