ESD claim switched to 'Pending' after old employer contested my unemployment - what happens next?

Yes, absolutely keep filing your weekly claims! That's the #1 most important thing to do while your claim is pending. If you stop filing and they eventually approve your claim, you won't get paid for those missed weeks. What's happening is your former employer responded to the notice ESD sent them about your claim. This is normal - all employers get a chance to provide their version of what happened. If there's a discrepancy between what you reported and what they said, ESD puts your claim in adjudication status to investigate further. The process typically takes 3-6 weeks, but it can sometimes be resolved faster. You'll eventually receive a determination letter explaining whether they approved or denied your benefits. If approved, you'll get all the back payments for the weeks you claimed during this waiting period.

Ugh that SUCKS. My ex boss did that to me too last year, it took 8 WEEKS to resolve!!!! They will interview both you and your employer to get both sides of the story. Make sure you have proof about your reduced hours if you can find old schedules or something. Seriously tho the waiting game is THE WORST.

I went through this exact situation in May. What most likely happened is your employer contested your eligibility by claiming you either quit voluntarily or were fired for misconduct. Either would disqualify you from benefits. If they reduced your hours significantly (as you mentioned), that's considered "constructive dismissal" or an "involuntary quit with good cause" in ESD terminology. This is a valid reason to qualify for benefits, but you'll need to prove it. Here's what will happen next: 1. ESD will schedule a fact-finding interview (usually by phone) 2. Both you and your employer will have a chance to present your case 3. An adjudicator will make a decision based on the evidence My advice: - Gather evidence of your reduced hours (schedules, paystubs, texts) - Document any conversations about the reduction - Be completely truthful in your interview - Explain how the hours reduction made it impossible to sustain your living situation During my adjudication, I was absolutely stressed about reaching someone at ESD to check on my status. I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual ESD representative in about 25 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It was super helpful for getting a status update and understanding what was happening with my claim.

theres like a million reasons ur claim could be pending and it mite not even be ur employer contesting u. sometimes ESD just randomly puts ppl in adjudication for like verification or whatever. happened to me twice and both times went thru fine after like 3 weeks. just keep filing ur weekly claims and wait it out.

The pending status is frustrating but completely normal in the ESD process. Let me clarify what's happening and correct some information in this thread. When you apply for benefits, ESD sends your employer a notice about your claim. The employer has 10 days to respond. If they contest your eligibility (by saying you quit voluntarily or were terminated for misconduct), your claim goes into adjudication. In cases where hours were significantly reduced (what ESD calls a "substantial involuntary reduction in hours"), you generally qualify for benefits IF: 1. Your hours were cut by at least 25% 2. The reduction wasn't temporary 3. You didn't agree to the reduction when hired What you described - being reduced to "practically nothing" - sounds like it would meet this criteria. Key things to know: - Adjudication currently averages 4-5 weeks (not 8 as someone mentioned) - You MUST continue filing weekly claims during this time - You don't need to upload evidence unless specifically requested - If approved, you'll receive all back payments for weeks claimed - If denied, you'll receive a Notice of Determination with appeal rights One correction to something mentioned above: You won't necessarily have a fact-finding interview. Many adjudications are decided based on the written statements and evidence without interviews. Hang in there! Most claims do get approved eventually.

my claim went to pending for like 2 weeks but then just switched back to paid without me doing anything. sometimes their systems just do weird things and its not actually a problem at all. could be nothing honestly

Call them!!! Seriously you have to be super proactive with ESD. Call them first thing in the morning like right when they open. You might be on hold for an hour but its worth it to find out what's happening with your money! If u wait for them to contact u it could be MONTHS!!

Just wanted to update everyone - I checked my claim this morning and it switched from Pending back to Paid! They also deposited all the missing payments from the last three weeks. I never received any communication about what the issue was or if my employer contested anything. It just resolved itself! Thank you to everyone who replied with advice and support. I'm so relieved right now.

I'd like to add something important about your case specifically - you mentioned you were a line cook whose hours were reduced after a new kitchen manager came in. Restaurant industry claims have some unique aspects because: 1. Variable schedules are common in food service, so ESD looks carefully at patterns over time 2. The industry has high turnover, so ESD has specialized experience with these claims 3. Seasonal fluctuations are considered normal in some cases Make sure you clarify that this wasn't just normal season-related scheduling but a significant change targeted at you specifically after management changes. That distinction can be important. I know the waiting is stressful, but the case you described sounds like it should ultimately be decided in your favor based on the substantial hours reduction. Just keep filing those weekly claims and documenting everything.