ESD claim stuck on "pending" for 8 weeks straight - impossible to reach anyone

Same boat here... been pending for 7 weeks. ESD is a JOKE. They expect us to follow every little rule perfectly but they can't even process claims in a reasonable timeframe? I've called literally 60+ times and never gotten through. Good luck!

Your claim is almost certainly stuck in adjudication, even if the website doesn't explicitly say so. There are a few things you can try: 1. Email your state representative and senator - they often have staff dedicated to helping constituents with ESD issues 2. Contact your WorkSource office directly - sometimes they can see more details about your claim than what appears online 3. If you have any documents that might help resolve whatever issue is holding up your claim (separation notices, pay stubs, etc.), upload them proactively to your eServices account 4. Call right when they open at 8:00am - that's generally when you have the best chance of getting through, though it's still difficult Unfortunately, ESD's backlog has gotten worse in recent months due to staffing shortages. Many claims that would have been automatically approved are now getting flagged for manual review, which creates these long delays.

when i had this happen last year i just kept filing my weekly claims and eventually all the money showed up at once. took 11 weeks tho. sucks but sometimes u just gotta wait it out

I went through this exact nightmare last spring - stuck on pending for 10 weeks with no explanation! What finally worked for me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual ESD agent. They basically hold your place in line so you don't have to keep redialing. I was skeptical at first but they got me connected to an agent in about 25 minutes after I'd spent WEEKS trying on my own. The agent was able to see my claim was flagged for an employment verification issue that nobody had bothered to tell me about! Once I provided the missing info, I was paid for all back weeks within 3 days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Seriously saved my sanity after hitting dead ends everywhere else.

I work with unemployment claimants regularly, and here's what's actually happening behind the scenes right now: ESD implemented a new identity verification system in January 2025 that's flagging far more claims for manual review than their previous system. Unfortunately, they didn't hire enough adjudicators to handle the increased workload. When a claim shows as "pending" for this long, it almost always means there's an issue requiring adjudication, but the system isn't clearly displaying what the issue is to claimants. Common reasons include: - Employer dispute about separation reason - Missing wage information - Identity verification issues - Work authorization verification - Prior overpayment on record Your best approach is multi-pronged: 1. Continue filing weekly claims - when resolved, you'll be paid for all eligible weeks 2. Submit a formal request for adjudication through your eServices account 3. Contact your state representative with a detailed timeline of your efforts 4. If you must speak with ESD directly, try calling at 7:58am (two minutes before they officially open) as the phone queue starts accepting callers slightly early Be prepared with your detailed work history, separation documentation, and ID documents when you do connect with someone.

thisis why i always tell people to have AT LEAST 6 months of expenses saved b4 quitting a job... the system is completely broken and u cant count on getting benefits when u need them even if u qualify! its so messed up

After spending weeks in the same situation, I actually got through to ESD yesterday! Here's what worked for me: 1) I called exactly at 8:00am 2) When the automated system asked why I was calling, I said "payment status" rather than "claim status" (different phone queue) 3) I had to wait on hold for 1hr 47min, but actually got a person! The agent told me my claim was stuck because my former employer had contested my eligibility, claiming I was fired for misconduct when I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. Once I explained the situation and provided documentation, the agent was able to remove the hold. They said my payments should process within 48 hours. The most important thing is to keep calling AND keep filing your weekly claims. You'll eventually get through, and when you do, you'll get backpay for all eligible weeks. Also, I learned that supposedly Tuesday and Wednesday mornings tend to have slightly lower call volumes. Might be worth trying those days specifically at 8am sharp.

Another important tip: check your "Notices/Letters" section in eServices regularly. Sometimes ESD sends requests for information there without sending an email notification, and if you miss responding to those requests within their timeframes (usually 5-10 business days), it further delays your claim.

I've been dealing with a similar situation for 6 weeks now - stuck on pending with no explanation. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both reassuring (I'm not alone) and terrifying (some of you waited 10+ weeks!). I'm definitely going to try the "payment status" option when calling tomorrow morning, and I'll also check my Notices/Letters section since I may have missed something there too. The tip about contacting state representatives is something I hadn't considered but makes total sense. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I discovered that if you're on social media, tweeting at @ESDwa sometimes gets a faster response than their normal channels. A friend of mine got a DM response within 24 hours asking for her claim details, though I haven't tried this myself yet. This whole system is beyond broken. We're expected to follow every rule perfectly while they can't even process claims or answer phones. Hang in there everyone - sounds like persistence eventually pays off, literally.

I've been lurking on this forum for weeks dealing with my own pending claim (week 5 now) and finally decided to create an account after reading all your stories. It's both comforting and horrifying to see I'm not alone in this mess. A few things I've learned from my own attempts that might help others: 1. I've had better luck with the online chat early in the morning (around 7:45am) before it gets completely overwhelmed - still mostly useless responses, but at least I can get connected sometimes 2. My WorkSource office told me they can't see much more than what's on the website, but they did give me a direct email for their ESD liaison who supposedly has better connections - haven't heard back yet though 3. I found out through a friend who works at ESD that they're also dealing with a massive computer system upgrade that's causing additional delays beyond the staffing issues The financial stress is unreal. I'm rationing groceries and considering selling furniture just to make it through another week. It's insane that in 2025 we still have a system this broken. Keep filing those weekly claims everyone - from everything I've read here, that seems to be the one consistent piece of advice that actually matters in the end.

I'm on week 6 of pending status and feeling completely defeated. Reading through everyone's experiences here has given me some hope though - knowing that people are eventually getting through and getting their backpay is keeping me going. I tried the "payment status" option this morning at exactly 8am and actually got into a queue! Unfortunately after waiting 2 hours and 15 minutes, the call just disconnected. I nearly threw my phone across the room. But I also checked my Notices/Letters section after seeing that tip here and found a request for wage verification from 2 weeks ago that I somehow missed. I've uploaded everything they asked for and crossing my fingers this helps move things along. For anyone still fighting this battle - one thing that's helped my sanity is keeping a detailed log of every attempt I make (calls, messages, uploads, etc.) with dates and times. If nothing else, it makes me feel like I'm doing something productive, and I figure it might be useful when I finally do get through to someone. This system is absolutely broken, but seeing everyone here supporting each other and sharing what works gives me hope. We shouldn't have to become experts in gaming a dysfunctional system just to get the benefits we're entitled to, but here we are. Keep fighting everyone!

I'm currently on week 4 of pending status and this thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for sharing your experiences and tips! I've been doing the daily 8am call routine with no luck, but after reading through everyone's advice I'm going to try several new approaches: 1. Switching to "payment status" instead of "claim status" when calling 2. Checking my Notices/Letters section thoroughly (haven't looked there in weeks) 3. Reaching out to my state representative 4. Trying the 7:58am call timing trick The most valuable thing I'm taking from this discussion is that I need to be more proactive about checking for missing documentation requests. It seems like a lot of people discover they missed some critical notice that was holding up their entire claim. It's both reassuring and frustrating to see that this is such a widespread problem. We're all just trying to get the benefits we've paid into and are legally entitled to. The fact that we have to become amateur detectives and develop elaborate strategies just to access basic unemployment services is completely ridiculous. For anyone else reading this who's stuck in pending hell - keep filing those weekly claims no matter what, and don't give up. Based on what I'm seeing here, persistence and trying multiple approaches eventually pays off. We'll get through this!