ESD pending issues taking forever to resolve - anyone else stuck with 'requires more research' message?
Feeling pretty frustrated right now. I filed my weekly claim last Sunday and I'm still showing 'Pending' status with a message that says 'Issue(s) pending since 3/14/2025' and then 'Your claim requires more research. We have not decided yet whether you'll receive benefits. If you already responded to our request for information, you don't need to contact us. We will contact you if we need more information.' This is my second week with no payment. I answered all their questions honestly when I first applied, provided all the documents they asked for, and I've been doing my job searches exactly as required. I'm starting to get worried about paying rent next month if this drags on. Has anyone dealt with this 'requires more research' status recently? How long did it take to resolve? I'm trying not to panic but it's getting harder by the day.
23 comments
Join the conversation
GalaxyGazer
yep, same boat here. mine's been stuck on "pending" for 3 weeks now with that exact same message. its infuriating that they tell you NOT to contact them but then dont give any timeline for when they'll make a decision. how are we supposed to plan??
0 coins
Amina Sow
•3 weeks?? That's terrifying to hear. Did you try calling them at all or are you just waiting it out like they said?
0 coins
Oliver Wagner
From my experience, anytime it says "requires more research" it means you're in adjudication. Something in your application triggered a flag that needs human review. Could be anything - your reason for separation, availability for work, earnings reported, etc. Unfortunately adjudication is taking 5-6 weeks right now from what I've heard.
0 coins
Amina Sow
•5-6 WEEKS?? How is anyone supposed to survive that long without income? This is insane. Do they backpay you for all those weeks once approved?
0 coins
Oliver Wagner
•Yes, if you're approved, they'll pay for all the weeks you've claimed and been eligible. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on time during this period! A lot of people stop filing while in adjudication, which is a mistake.
0 coins
Natasha Kuznetsova
I went through this exact situation in January. Mine said "requires more research" for about 4 weeks before it finally resolved. The most frustrating part is being completely in the dark about what the issue even is. In my case, it turned out they were verifying my previous employment and wages with my former employer, who was slow to respond to ESD. I only found this out after it was resolved. Keep filing your weekly claims, document ALL of your job search activities meticulously (save screenshots of everything), and prepare yourself for a wait. The good news is that if approved, you'll get backpaid for all those weeks you claimed during the pending period.
0 coins
Amina Sow
•Thank you, that's helpful to know. I'll definitely keep filing and documenting everything. It's just really stressful not knowing what the issue is or how long it will take.
0 coins
Javier Mendoza
mine was stuck 4 almost 7 weeks!!! they say dont call but i called EVERYDAY and couldnt get thru. ESD is the WORST!!!! why make us wait with no$$ and no info???
0 coins
Emma Thompson
•I totally feel your frustration! When my claim got stuck last year, I was literally in tears trying to get through on the phone. I finally discovered this service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent after weeks of failed attempts. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It's not free but honestly it was worth every penny to finally talk to a human at ESD who could at least tell me what was going on with my claim. Sometimes you just need to know WHY you're waiting and how much longer it might be.
0 coins
Javier Mendoza
•thx will check it out, at this point ill try anything. just need ANSWERS!!
0 coins
Malik Davis
Let me explain what's happening behind the scenes: When you see "requires more research" with a pending issue, your claim has been flagged for adjudication review. This happens in about 30% of all claims and isn't necessarily a bad sign. Common reasons for adjudication include: 1. Verification of separation reason (especially if there's any hint of being fired or quitting) 2. Wage verification if there's a discrepancy between what you reported and what your employer reported 3. Availability for work questions (if you indicated any limitations) 4. Identity verification issues 5. Previous benefit year issues The current ESD adjudication timeframe is approximately 4-6 weeks. They work cases in the order received, with few exceptions. Contacting them generally won't speed up the process, but if you're experiencing severe financial hardship, you can note that in your messages to them, as some offices do have hardship protocols. Meanwhile: - Continue filing weekly claims - Document all job search activities thoroughly (you may need to verify these later) - Check your ESD account messages daily - Make sure your contact information is current - Check your spam/junk folders for ESD communications If approved, you'll receive all backdated payments for weeks you properly claimed.
0 coins
Amina Sow
•Thank you for this detailed explanation! This helps a lot. Do you know if there's any way to find out which of those reasons triggered the adjudication in my case? Or are we just supposed to wait in the dark?
0 coins
Malik Davis
•Unfortunately, the specific issue flag isn't visible to claimants through the eServices portal. The most direct way to find out would be to speak with an ESD agent, but as others have mentioned, that's extremely difficult right now. If you check your messages in eServices, sometimes they send a questionnaire related to the issue, which can give you a clue about what's being investigated.
0 coins
Isabella Santos
Has anyone noticed if filing your weekly claims differently makes any difference? I'm wondering if maybe I answered something wrong in my weekly claim that triggered this. Like maybe I should have said NO to being able and available that one day I had a doctor's appointment? I'm overthinking everything now.
0 coins
Natasha Kuznetsova
•Based on what you're describing, it sounds like your adjudication was probably triggered by your initial application, not your weekly claims. A single doctor's appointment wouldn't typically trigger a lengthy adjudication - you're still considered available for work if you have occasional appointments. The system usually flags initial application items like job separation reasons or identity verification issues. Try not to overthink your weekly claims - just answer honestly. Changing your answers week to week can actually create MORE flags in the system.
0 coins
Isabella Santos
•That makes sense. Thanks for the reassurance! Trying not to second-guess every little thing.
0 coins
Amina Sow
Thanks everyone for the responses. This is really helpful (though scary to hear how long some of you had to wait). I'm going to keep filing my weekly claims and documenting everything carefully. Might try some of the suggested methods to contact them if this drags on much longer. Will update if anything changes on my end!
0 coins
Oliver Wagner
Just a quick update on current timeframes - my neighbor's claim just got through adjudication after 5 weeks and 2 days. She had the 'requires more research' message too. So that seems to be the current timeline people should expect. Not great, but at least there's an end in sight!
0 coins
Amina Sow
•Thanks for the data point! That gives me some hope at least. Did your neighbor do anything special to move things along, or just wait it out?
0 coins
Oliver Wagner
•She just waited it out. She tried calling a few times but never got through. One day she just logged in and everything was approved and processed. She got all her backpay the next day.
0 coins
StarStrider
This happens all the time!!! ESD is literally the WORST agency in the state. They intentionally make everything confusing and put everyone in adjudication so they don't have to pay benefits right away. It's their way of discouraging people from collecting unemployment at all. I went through 3 months of adjudication last year for no reason whatsoever - my employer even confirmed everything was fine on their end!
0 coins
Malik Davis
•While I understand your frustration, I want to clarify that ESD doesn't financially benefit from delaying claims. Adjudication exists to ensure benefits go to eligible claimants and prevent fraud, which has been a significant issue. The delays are primarily due to staffing shortages and high claim volumes, not an intentional strategy. Your 3-month wait was definitely longer than average, and I'm sorry you experienced that.
0 coins
StarStrider
•well maybe not "intentional" but they sure don't seem in any hurry to fix the problems either. 4-6 weeks is ridiculous when people have bills to pay.
0 coins