ESD claim stuck in pending for 8 weeks after submitting ID and SSI verification - need help!
I'm at my wits' end here. My unemployment claim has been sitting in 'pending' status for 8 WEEKS now! All they asked for was my ID and proof of my SSI benefits, which I uploaded immediately through my eServices account. I've tried calling every single day for the past month but either get disconnected or am told the wait time exceeds 2 hours (and then I still get disconnected!). The online message center doesn't seem to work either - sent 3 messages and got zero responses. My rent is coming due AGAIN and I'm about to be evicted if I can't get this resolved. Has anyone experienced a similar delay with identity verification? Is there any secret to getting through to an actual human being at ESD? I'm desperate for any advice at this point.
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Zachary Hughes
pending for 8 weeks is ridiculous!! i had same issue back in january. took them 5 weeks just to verify my drivers license. system is completely broken
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Rachel Clark
•Did you ever get it resolved? Did you have to do anything special or did it just randomly start working one day?
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Mia Alvarez
ID verification issues are some of the worst right now. ESD's identity verification system was updated last quarter and there are major backlogs. Have you tried calling right when they open at 8am? Also, make sure your ID photo is completely clear and that your SSI award letter shows your full name and current benefit amount. Lots of claims are getting stuck because the documents are slightly blurry or information is cut off.
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Rachel Clark
•Thanks for the tips. I've tried calling at 8am sharp but still can't get through. My documents should be fine - I scanned them directly instead of taking photos. Is there any other number I can call besides the main ESD line?
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Carter Holmes
This exact thing happened to me for almost 10 weeks! I tried everything to get through to ESD with no luck. What finally worked was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they got me connected to an actual ESD agent within 25 minutes after weeks of failed attempts. The agent told me my claim was literally just sitting there waiting for someone to review my documents. They approved it while I was on the phone and my payments started processing that night. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3
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Sophia Long
•ANOTHER claimyr post?! How much do they pay you guys to post this stuff? ESD should just fix their broken system instead of making us pay extra just to talk to them!!
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Carter Holmes
•I don't work for them - just sharing what helped me after being desperate. After 10 weeks of trying to get through and almost losing my apartment, I was willing to try anything. You can obviously keep trying the regular way if you want.
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Angelica Smith
Former ESD employee here. The ID verification and SSI cross-check are unfortunately big bottlenecks right now, especially since the 2025 system update. Here's what you need to know: 1. Your claim is probably stuck in the identity verification queue, which is handled by a separate department than regular claims 2. When you call, specifically ask for the "identity verification team" or "ID verification specialist" - regular agents often can't help with these issues 3. If you have a WorkSource office nearby, go IN PERSON. They can sometimes expedite these cases or at least check the exact status 4. Reupload your documents if it's been more than 4 weeks - sometimes documents get lost in the system, especially PDFs over 2MB 5. Make sure your SSI verification shows your current benefit amount - this is critical for proper processing
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Rachel Clark
•Thank you for this detailed information! I didn't realize I needed to specifically ask for the ID verification team. I'll try that tomorrow morning. There is a WorkSource office about 30 minutes from me - do I need an appointment or can I just walk in?
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Angelica Smith
•Most WorkSource offices take walk-ins, but it's better to schedule an appointment if possible through their website. Bring printed copies of ALL your documents (ID, SSI letter, any ESD correspondence). And one more tip: if you go in person, ask specifically about an "adjudication bypass" for cases pending over 6 weeks. Not all staff know about this option, but it exists.
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Logan Greenburg
my neighbor had the same problem last month and she said when she finally got through they told her there was a FRAUD hold on her account because someone else tried to claim using her ssn!!!! might want to check if thats happening to u too
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Rachel Clark
•Oh no, that's scary! I hadn't even considered that. Did she have to do anything special to prove it wasn't her committing fraud?
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Logan Greenburg
•ya she had to fill out some special fraud form and send like 3 types of ID plus utility bills with her name on them. took like another 3 weeks after that. total nightmare!!!
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Charlotte Jones
Have you claimed every week even though you're pending? YOU MUST CLAIM EVERY WEEK or they'll close your whole claim and you'll have to start over!!! This happened to my brother and he lost 6 weeks of backpay because he stopped claiming while waiting for them to fix his pending status.
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Rachel Clark
•Yes, I've been religiously filing every Sunday no matter what. That's one thing I made sure to keep up with. Thanks for the warning though - I can imagine how frustrating that would be to lose all that backpay!
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Mia Alvarez
Just wanted to follow up - what ended up working for you? I'm helping several people with similar issues and would love to know which approach finally got your claim moving.
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Rachel Clark
•I actually took the advice about going to WorkSource in person. The staff there called someone directly at ESD while I was there. Turns out there was a system flag because my SSI benefit amount changed slightly in February (cost of living increase), but I had uploaded my older award letter. Once I provided the updated letter, they removed the hold and processed my claim within 48 hours. Got all my backpay in one lump sum! Definitely recommend the in-person WorkSource approach if anyone else is stuck.
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