ESD hold times - what to expect after finally getting through the queue?

When I got through last month, I was on hold for about 1 hour and 20 minutes before speaking to someone. Make sure you have your claim ID number and social security number ready, plus dates of your last employment. They'll definitely ask for those. If your phone battery is low, try to plug it in ASAP - you don't want to lose your spot after waiting so long!

omg it varies SO MUCH. i was on hold for 2.5 hrs last week and then got disconnected right when someone picked up!!! wanted to throw my phone across the room lol

I called ESD last Thursday about my construction job layoff adjudication too! Hold time was exactly 1 hour 47 minutes. The agent told me they're understaffed right now because of training for the new system update. Once you get through, ask them to check if there are any specific documents they're waiting for. In my case, they were waiting for verification from my employer that never came. Good luck!

If you've been waiting that long in adjudication, you should specifically ask if your claim has been assigned to an adjudicator yet. That's the key question. If it hasn't been assigned, ask them for an estimated timeframe. Also request that they add detailed notes to your file about your financial hardship - sometimes that can help move things along. Current hold times are averaging 90-120 minutes according to the ESD's own reports, but it depends on the day and time you call.

My sister works at ESD (not answering phones tho) and she says hold times are crazy right now because they just implemented some new system and half the staff is still getting trained on it. Lots of people calling with questions about the same issues.

If you're finding it impossible to get through to ESD by phone, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was in the same situation last month - couldn't get past busy signals for days, and when I finally got on hold, I waited 2+ hours only to get disconnected. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an ESD agent within about 20 minutes. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It was a huge relief after spending days trying to get through on my own.

ESD SUCKS!!!! I was on hold for THREE HOURS last week and then the call just dropped for no reason!! Been trying to resolve my claim for THREE MONTHS now! The whole system is designed to make people give up. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US AT ALL!!!!!

One thing I learned is that calling earlier in the week (Monday/Tuesday) and earlier in the day (right when they open) tends to result in shorter hold times. Fridays are apparently the worst. Also, while you're waiting, gather any documents related to your claim - separation notice, past correspondence from ESD, your work search log if applicable. Having everything ready will make the conversation more productive when you finally get through.

Wow, congratulations on getting through! I've been trying for over a week now and can barely get past the busy signal. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying - 2+ hour hold times sound brutal but at least there's light at the end of the tunnel. I'm also dealing with a construction layoff claim that's been stuck in adjudication for about 5 weeks now. Did the agent give you any sense of why these construction industry claims seem to be taking so long? Seems like a lot of us in the same boat are having similar delays.