Finally got UI benefits after 8 weeks of ESD adjudication and contacting officials

Congratulations on finally getting through the process! Your experience highlights something really important that many claimants don't realize - how critical proper documentation from employers is to the UI process. When employers don't provide proper separation documentation, it automatically triggers adjudication, which is essentially ESD investigating why you're no longer employed. \n\nFor anyone reading this who's in a similar situation, requesting a formal layoff letter from your employer (even after the fact) can sometimes help speed things up. Also worth noting that the steps you took - hardship letter, contacting elected officials - are exactly what I recommend when claims are stuck for extended periods.

Thank you! I wish I'd known to ask for that letter right away. My manager was new and I don't think she understood unemployment procedures at all. The whole process was so confusing and stressful.

OMG 8 WEEKS??? I'm on week 4 of adjudication and losing my mind already. Did they backpay you for all those weeks or just approve going forward?

Yes, they paid me for all 8 back weeks! That was the one silver lining - getting that lump sum payment finally. But it was still so stressful waiting and not knowing if I'd ever get approved.

Your approach of escalating to elected officials was smart. Many people don't realize that contacting your state representatives or the governor's office can actually work. These offices typically have dedicated staff who handle constituent services and can sometimes cut through red tape faster than you can on your own.\n\nFor the benefit of others reading this: if you're considering this route, be sure to include your claim ID number, the date you filed, and a clear timeline of your attempts to resolve the issue with ESD directly. This helps the officials' staff get right to work instead of having to ask you for basic information.

That's a great point! I did include all my claim details, timeline, and copies of my previous communications when I reached out to the governor's office and Sen. Murray. I think that helped them jump right in.

im in week 6 of waiting and this gives me hope!!! did you just call the governor's main office number or is there a special place to contact them about ESD issues?

I used the governor's website contact form first, then called the main constituent services line a week later when I hadn't heard back. The second call is what seemed to get things moving. Hang in there - I know how awful the waiting is!

I went through something similar last year but my adjudication took 12 weeks! And yes, it was also because my employer didn't properly document my layoff as a reduction in force. The ESD system is so broken and punishes workers for employer mistakes.\n\nOne thing I discovered way too late was Claimyr.com - it helped me finally get through to an actual ESD agent after weeks of busy signals and disconnects. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Might be useful for others stuck in this situation who need to talk to someone at ESD directly.

omg thank you for this!! i've been trying to call ESD for DAYS and can never get through!!!

My sister works at ESD (not in claims though) and she says they're still dealing with massive backlogs from the pandemic plus they lost a bunch of experienced staff. Not making excuses for them, but that's why so many claims are taking forever especially if there's any kind of issue that triggers manual review. The system is absolutely overwhelmed.

That's not an excuse in 2025! They've had YEARS to fix these issues and hire more people. It's ridiculous that people are still waiting months for benefits they're entitled to. I don't blame the workers, I blame the management and politicians who won't properly fund and fix the system.

I actually had a really nice ESD agent when I finally got through. She seemed genuinely apologetic about the delay and explained they're dealing with huge caseloads. I'm mad at the system, not the individual workers.

This is a valuable post. I work with clients on UI issues, and I wish more people understood that proper documentation from employers can prevent weeks or months of adjudication. If you're being laid off or your position is eliminated, ALWAYS ask for a letter stating the reason for separation explicitly. It's for YOUR protection during the UI process.\n\nAlso, for anyone stuck in adjudication currently, consider submitting a formal hardship declaration through your ESD account messaging system. Include specific details about which bills you cannot pay, risk of eviction/foreclosure, or inability to afford necessities. This can sometimes get your claim flagged for expedited review.

I wish I'd known all this beforehand! My hardship letter definitely seemed to help - I included copies of past-due notices and explained I was at risk of losing my apartment. Within a week of sending that, things started moving.

did you keep filing your weekly claims during the 8 weeks? i'm confused if i should keep doing that while in adjucation?

Not the original poster, but YES - you absolutely must continue filing weekly claims even while your claim is in adjudication. If you don't, you won't be paid for those weeks even if your claim is eventually approved. This is one of the most common mistakes people make during the waiting period.

ok thanks!!! i've been doing them but wasn't sure if it mattered since it just says \

Yes, I filed every single week without fail! That's super important - if I had missed even one week I wouldn't have gotten paid for it. The system is really strict about that.

I actually had the opposite happen last month. My employer GAVE me a layoff letter but ESD still put me in adjudication because they said they needed to verify I didn't quit! So frustrating. I'm still waiting... ☹️

That's because ESD automatically checks with the employer too, and if the employer reports something different or doesn't respond quickly, you go to adjudication regardless of what documentation you have. The whole system is designed to be difficult. Have you tried calling? If you can't get through using the regular number, seriously consider using a service like Claimyr - it saved me weeks of frustration.

For anyone dealing with extended adjudication, there's actually a formal process to request an expedited review based on financial hardship. Navigate to your ESD account, select the

I wish I'd known about the formal expedited review process! I just sent a general hardship letter through the message system. But mentioning the 8+ week wait when I contacted officials definitely seemed to get their attention.