Finally called ESD after 8 weeks of adjudication - resolved in 20 minutes!
I've been stuck in adjudication for EIGHT WEEKS and was getting desperate about paying rent. My claim kept saying 'pending - adjudication in progress' with zero updates. Been calling that 800 number literally 30+ times a day for weeks and either got busy signals or disconnected. I finally got desperate enough to call the Governor's office yesterday (was super nervous about it!!). Honestly thought they'd just brush me off, but the lady who answered was incredibly kind and took all my info. She said she'd send an inquiry to ESD on my behalf. I didn't expect much, but an ESD agent actually called me THIS MORNING! They resolved whatever the issue was in about 20 minutes, and my payments should process within 48 hours! If anyone's been stuck forever like me, don't be scared to escalate to the Governor's office. Has anyone else tried this route?
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Harper Collins
You're so brave for calling the Governor's office! I've been in adjudication for 5 weeks and I'm too scared to try that. Did you just call the main number on their website? What information did they ask for? My landlord is already threatening eviction and I'm freaking out.
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Donna Cline
•I just called the main Governor's constituent services line (360-902-4111). They only asked for my name, claim ID number, and when I first filed. Super simple and they were really nice! Don't be scared - I was shaking when I made the call but it was so much easier than I expected. Way better than dealing with ESD's usual runaround.
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Kelsey Hawkins
The Governor's office trick actually works because it creates an official inquiry that ESD has to respond to within a certain timeframe. It's one of the better escalation paths when you're stuck in adjudication. Just make sure you've already tried the normal channels first (which you clearly did). For anyone else reading this: before trying the Governor's office, make sure you've documented your attempts to contact ESD directly, waited at least 3-4 weeks in adjudication, and have a genuine hardship like potential eviction or utility shutoff. This helps ensure the Governor's office prioritizes the truly urgent cases.
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Dylan Fisher
•i tried callin the govs office last year but they didnt help me at ALL just told me to wait it out. maybe they changed things or maybe i got a bad person that day idk
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Edwards Hugo
Glad you finally got through! I've been helping people with ESD claims for years, and the Governor's office can definitely help in situations like yours when you've been waiting an unreasonable amount of time. Another option is to contact your state representative or senator - their constituent services can also submit legislative inquiries that ESD has to respond to quickly. If anyone is still struggling to reach ESD directly, I've seen a lot of success with a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They basically get you to the front of the ESD phone queue so you don't have to spend all day redialing. There's a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Can be worth it when you're desperate to talk to an actual person at ESD.
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Gianna Scott
•The whole system is RIGGED to make it as difficult as possible to get your benefits!!! They HOPE you'll give up so they don't have to pay you what you're owed! I've been stuck in adjudication TWICE and both times I had to escalate to get anything done. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops for money WE PAID INTO THE SYSTEM!!
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Alfredo Lugo
My sister works for another state agency (not ESD) and she says the Governor's office inquiries get flagged as high priority tickets in their system. They literally have to respond within a specific timeframe or someone gets in trouble. That's why it works!
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Donna Cline
•That makes so much sense! The ESD agent who called me actually apologized for the delay and seemed genuinely concerned about my situation. Totally different experience from my previous attempts at contact.
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Harper Collins
Has anyone tried that Claimyr service mentioned above? I'm desperate to get through to ESD but don't want to get scammed...
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Dylan Fisher
•i used it last month when my payments stopped for no reason. it worked but kinda weird giving my phone # to a random website lol. but they did get me through to esd in like 20 min when i had been trying for days so 🤷♂️
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Sydney Torres
OK so I called the governer office today after reading this and they took my info but said it could take up to 10 business days for ESD to respond to me??? Is that normal??? I thought they were supposed to call back faster based on what ur saying...
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Kelsey Hawkins
•It varies based on current workload and the specific details of your claim. 10 business days is their standard response time estimate, but many people hear back much sooner. They're essentially giving you the maximum timeframe. The more complex your claim issue is, the longer it might take. If you're facing an immediate hardship like eviction or utility shutoff, make sure you mentioned that specifically as those cases tend to get expedited.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
congrats on getting your issue fixed! my claim was stuck for like 3 months last year and i wish i knew about calling the governors office. i just kept calling esd over and over again til i finally got someone helpful. what a waste of time
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Donna Cline
•Thanks! And yeah, I wish I'd known about this option weeks ago. I probably spent 30+ hours total just calling ESD over and over. It's ridiculous that we have to go to these lengths to get our legitimate benefits.
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Gianna Scott
WHY isn't this information on the ESD website?? They deliberately hide these options because they DON'T WANT TO PAY US. I've been stuck in adjudication for 7 weeks and my car was already repossessed. I'm calling the Governor's office TOMORROW MORNING!!!
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Edwards Hugo
•I understand your frustration, but just to set expectations: while contacting the Governor's office can help expedite your claim, it's not an instant fix for everyone. The effectiveness often depends on how long you've been waiting, the complexity of your claim issue, and current ESD workload. It's definitely worth trying, but also continue pursuing other options simultaneously. If you're facing severe financial hardship, also consider contacting your local WorkSource office as they sometimes have emergency assistance programs while your unemployment claim is processing.
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