ESD denied my benefits over wrong job history - desperate to reach a REAL person

I had almost the exact same issue! ESD had me confused with someone with the same name who worked at some company I'd never heard of. The only way I finally got through was using Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's a service that basically holds your place in line and calls you back when an ESD agent is available. Worth checking out, they have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. I was skeptical but it worked for me when I needed to get someone to fix my claim that was denied for a similar reason.

I hate to tell u this but ESD ALWAYS makes these kinds of mistakes!!! It happened to my cousin, my neighbor and ME. The system is BROKEN!!! When I finally got thru to someone they said I needed to provide proof of my employment history for the past 18 months even tho they should already have all that info. The whole system is designed to make you give up and go away!!!

This is actually a relatively common issue that has a specific solution path. What you're experiencing is likely an identity cross-match error in the ESD system. Here's what you should do: 1. Continue attempting to reach an ESD representative (I know that's frustrating) 2. Prepare documentation proving your actual employment history (W-2s, paystubs, employment verification letters) 3. Write a formal identity verification statement explaining the error 4. Request a formal adjudication on the issue rather than just appealing Identity cross-match errors must be handled through a specific process called an "Identity Verification Interview" rather than standard appeals. When you do reach a representative, specifically ask for this. They may need to transfer you to a claims specialist who can initiate this process. In the meantime, continue filing your weekly claims despite the denial. This will preserve your claim week history once the error is corrected.

So this actually happened to my roomate last year and it turned out that someone had used his ssn for a job he never worked at!! You might wanna check your credit report and make sure nobody stole your identity!!

Have you tried contacting your state representative? I was stuck in adjudication for 3 months with no movement until I contacted my district's state rep. Their office has liaisons that work directly with ESD and can often get things moving. Google "[your county] state representative" and you should find contact info. They often have constituent services forms right on their websites.

lol good luck getting anyone at esd on the phone. i gave up after trying for 2 weeks straight. ended up just finding a new job cause it wasnt worth the hassle

I work in HR and deal with unemployment issues regularly. This is definitely an identification mix-up in the ESD system. I've seen many cases where ESD has confused claimants with similar names or SSNs. I'd recommend doing all of the following: 1. Continue trying to reach a live agent (others have suggested methods) 2. Submit a formal appeal through the OAH (Office of Administrative Hearings) - this is different from the eServices appeals you've submitted 3. Go to your local WorkSource office in person - sometimes they can help escalate these issues 4. Contact your state representative as someone suggested 5. Continue filing weekly claims despite the denial Most importantly, document EVERYTHING. Note the dates/times of all calls, take screenshots of all online submissions, and keep copies of all documents you submit. This creates a paper trail showing your due diligence that can help get any waiting week penalties waived once the issue is resolved.

UPDATE: I finally got through to a real person at ESD! I used the Claimyr service that someone suggested above, and it worked great. Got a call back in about 2 hours. The agent confirmed it was indeed a case of mistaken identity - they had somehow merged my records with someone else's who had the same last name but different first name and SSN! They've escalated my case to a claims specialist who will call me within 48 hours to process the correction. I'm still going to submit that OAH appeal as backup, but it looks like things are finally moving in the right direction. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!