ESD claim stuck in pending after military service - how long after restarting?

Pending usually means theres an issue they need to review. Since u quit ur last job that's probably why. Military service is qualifying but quitting the civilian job makes it complicated. Could take 4-8 wks honestly

WELCOME TO ESD HELL! They're notorious for this. I quit a toxic workplace last year and my claim was stuck in pending for 9 WEEKS before they finally contacted me for an interview about why I quit. The whole system is designed to make you give up. Don't!

The issue is likely that your claim requires adjudication due to the voluntary quit. When you leave a job voluntarily, ESD needs to determine if you had "good cause" according to their guidelines. Military service provides qualifying eligibility, but the civilian job separation creates a new determination need. Some things that might help: 1. Check your ESD correspondence tab daily for any questionnaires they might send 2. Make sure you're still completing your weekly claims while waiting 3. Prepare documentation about why the job wasn't suitable (medical reasons, substantial deviation from job description, etc.) 4. Make sure your contact information is up to date I'd also recommend calling the veterans services hotline at WorkSource - they can sometimes help navigate the system faster for veterans.

I was in a similar situation last year after getting out of the Army. If your separation reason is "quit" they 100% will put you in adjudication, and yes, it can take FOREVER. Mine was about 6 weeks. The thing that finally worked for me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually reach a live person at ESD. They have this service that gets you through the phone system and puts you in line for a callback. Totally worth it since I'd been trying to call for weeks with no luck. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3

Military to civilian transitions with unemployment can be challenging, but there are some specific things to understand: 1. Your military service established initial eligibility (UCX claim) 2. When you worked at the civilian job, your claim likely converted to a regular UI claim 3. The voluntary quit from the civilian job triggered an adjudication requirement 4. For the quit to be considered with "good cause," you'll need to show one of the following: - Medical necessity (with documentation) - Significant change in hiring agreement - Unsafe working conditions - Illegal activities required - Substantial reduction in hours/pay If you have documentation showing the job was physically unsuitable due to service-connected conditions, gather that now. Medical documentation connecting your service injuries to the job requirements would be very helpful. ESD is currently taking about 4-6 weeks for adjudication in 2025, but veteran claims do sometimes receive priority. Make sure you've identified yourself as a veteran in your profile and documentation.

has anyone else noticed that the ESD system seems to "forget" your veteran status sometimes? When I first applied after leaving the Navy, I had to remind them multiple times that I was a vet. OP - double check that your military service is actually showing in your profile. might help speed things up a tiny bit.

Quick update on timelines - I work with unemployment cases regularly, and the current adjudication wait for standard cases is running about 5-6 weeks. However, for cases involving veteran status and legitimate medical/physical limitations, it can sometimes be expedited if properly flagged. If you have medical documentation from the VA showing your service-connected condition and how it made the civilian job unsuitable, that's exactly what you need. This creates a very specific unemployment situation where the voluntary quit would likely be considered with good cause. Until adjudication is complete, just keep filing those weekly claims, and consider reaching out to WorkSource's veteran services specialists. They sometimes have direct channels to help veterans navigate ESD issues.

btw dont forget ur job search activities while waiting! 3 per week even when pending. i messed that up and had to start all over