ESD determination letter shows weekly benefit amount but claim says $0 processing - what's happening?

This actually happened to me back in February. The $0 processing status usually means there's an issue ESD needs to resolve before they can pay your benefits. Even though you got the monetary determination letter (which just tells you what you COULD receive), there might be an eligibility issue they're reviewing. Check your account for any alerts or messages about providing additional information. Also look for an "Issues and Decisions" tab that might show what's holding things up.

dont worry too much yet the system is always so slow. sometimes it takes like 3-4 days for the $$ to show up after it says processing. just wait a few more days before panicking

Actually, the "able and available" issue means ESD is questioning whether you're available for work. This commonly happens when you answer one of the weekly claim questions in a way that raises a flag - like saying you weren't available for work, weren't looking for work, or turned down a job. This will definitely prevent payment until resolved. You need to respond to this issue ASAP. Look for a questionnaire in your account or a letter in your correspondence section. If you can't find anything, you'll need to contact ESD directly to provide information about your availability for work.

The "able and available" determination can take 2-4 weeks to resolve if you have to wait for ESD to process it manually. Unfortunately, this is one of those issues that puts your claim into adjudication, which means a human has to review it. In the meantime, keep filing your weekly claims correctly, even though you won't get paid until this is resolved. Make sure you're doing your three job search activities each week and documenting them properly. Once the issue is resolved, you'll get backpaid for all eligible weeks.

THE EXACT SAME THING happened to me last month!!!! I was FURIOUS because I answered everything right but still got flagged for "able and available" because the system is BROKEN. I had to wait 5 weeks - FIVE WEEKS!!! - before someone fixed it. The ESD phone lines are a joke. I called 43 times in one day and never got through.

I had success using Claimyr to get through to ESD when I had a similar issue with my claim showing $0 while in processing. It's a service that basically waits on hold for you and then calls you when an ESD agent is available to talk. Saved me hours of frustration with busy signals. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Once I got through to an actual person, they were able to see that I had answered a question wrong and fixed it while I was on the phone. My payment was processed the next day instead of waiting weeks for adjudication.

u can also try the online message center thing but they take 4ever to respond lol

I don't think the monetary determination letter means anything tbh. I got one saying I'd get $580/week and then after waiting 3 weeks they denied me completely for some reason about my previous employer contesting my claim. The whole system is designed to confuse people and delay payments. Good luck!

Quick update on timeframes - I work with unemployment cases, and currently in 2025, "able and available" issues are actually being resolved faster than they were last year. The current average is about 10-14 days if you don't contact them, but often much faster (1-3 days) if you can actually speak with an agent. If you used Claimyr or managed to get through on your own, ask the agent to look specifically at the "able and available" issue and explain that you made an error on your weekly claim. Many agents can resolve this on the spot if it was clearly just a mistake in how you answered the question.

When I had this problem I just went down to my local WorkSource office and they helped me fix it. Sometimes talking to someone in person is easier than dealing with the phone systems. Just bring your determination letter and ID.

UPDATE: I used Claimyr this morning and got through to ESD in about 90 minutes! The agent was really helpful and confirmed I had accidentally answered "no" to being available for work on my weekly claim. She fixed it right on the call and said my payment should process in 24-48 hours. She also showed me exactly how to answer those questions correctly for future claims. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your advice!