First time claimant - What does 'adjudication in progress' mean on my ESD account?

Adjudication means ESD is investigating something about your claim that needs to be resolved before benefits can be paid. Usually it's because your employer disputed something - maybe the reason you were separated from your job. It's normal but unfortunately can take several weeks to resolve. You should have received a notice in your ESD portal explaining what issue they're investigating. Check under 'Letters' in your account.

hang in there!! i was in adjudication for like 6 weeks last spring lol. it suuuuucks but keep filing every week even tho nothing is happening. when they finally approve you (IF they do) youll get all the back pay at once

Yes, definitely call them! You need to make sure your side of the story is heard. Your employer might have reported something different about why you were let go. If they're claiming misconduct or voluntary quit, you could be denied benefits. The problem is actually getting through to ESD on the phone - it's nearly impossible these days. I was in adjudication for 4 weeks and kept getting the automated hang-up message every time I called. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual person at ESD in under an hour. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Once I explained my situation to the claims agent, they were able to expedite my adjudication and I had my benefits within a week. Definitely worth it when rent is on the line!

my friend had the same thing happen and it turns out her boss told ESD she quit! she had to send them emails proving she was actually laid off. check ur letters tab

ADJUDICATION IS A NIGHTMARE!!! I was stuck there for TEN WEEKS while they "investigated" whether I was eligible. Meanwhile bills piled up, credit cards maxed out, had to borrow money from family. The whole system is designed to PREVENT you from getting benefits that YOU AND YOUR EMPLOYER paid into!!! When I finally got approved they backdated the payments but by then I was already behind on EVERYTHING!! The worst part is you can't even get a human on the phone to explain what's happening!!!!

Adjudication means ur in ESD jail lol. I was there for 3 weeks then magically one day it fixed itself. Keep doing your weekly claims tho

I used to work for ESD (not anymore thank goodness). Here's what happens during adjudication: 1. An adjudicator reviews your initial application and employer response 2. If there's a discrepancy (like separation reason), they may contact both sides 3. The adjudicator makes a determination based on available evidence 4. You receive a written determination in your ESD account If you disagree with their decision, you have 30 days to file an appeal. The key is getting your evidence in front of them ASAP. Call or upload any documentation that proves you were laid off - termination letter, emails about the department closing, etc. This will speed up the process considerably.

Just checking in - any progress with your claim? Did you manage to get through to ESD?

Great news! Once the adjudicator reviews your documentation, they should be able to make a determination quickly. If they rule in your favor, you'll receive all back payments for the weeks you've claimed. For anyone else reading this thread who's facing adjudication: the most common delays happen when claimants don't respond promptly to ESD's requests for information. Always check your online account daily, upload requested documents immediately, and make sure to keep filing weekly claims even when payments are pending. This ensures you'll receive full backpay once approved.

I went through something similar last year when my company did layoffs. The adjudication process is definitely nerve-wracking, but it sounds like you're on the right track now with uploading your termination letter. One thing that helped me was keeping a detailed log of all my interactions with ESD - dates I called, reference numbers, who I spoke with, etc. It made follow-up calls much easier. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're documenting your job search activities thoroughly each week. Even though you're in adjudication, you still need to meet those requirements to qualify for benefits once approved. Hang in there - it's frustrating but most legitimate claims do get resolved eventually!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed in early January after my retail job cut hours to basically nothing, and I've been stuck in adjudication for 3 weeks. My employer is claiming I "voluntarily reduced my availability" but that's not true - they just stopped scheduling me for shifts. It's so frustrating because I can see other people getting their benefits while I'm just sitting here waiting. I've been doing the weekly claims religiously and keeping up with job searches, but my savings are running out fast. Reading through all these comments gives me hope that it will eventually get resolved, but man this process is brutal when you're already stressed about money. Thanks for posting this - it helps to know I'm not alone in this mess!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress! Adjudication is unfortunately very common and can feel overwhelming when you're already dealing with job loss. From what I've seen in this community, it typically means there's a discrepancy between what you reported and what your employer told ESD about your separation. The good news is that most legitimate layoff cases get resolved in your favor once ESD reviews the evidence. Since you mentioned your entire department was eliminated, make sure you have any documentation that proves this - layoff notices, company-wide emails about restructuring, anything that shows it was a business decision and not performance-related. Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what - this is crucial for getting backpay when you're approved. I know the waiting is agonizing, especially with bills piling up, but hang in there. Many people in this community have been through the same process and came out the other side. You're not alone in this!

I've been lurking in this community for a while and finally decided to create an account because I'm going through the exact same situation! Filed my claim in mid-January after getting laid off from a tech startup (they ran out of funding), and I've been stuck in adjudication for almost 4 weeks now. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - especially learning that I need to keep filing weekly claims even while everything is pending. I was starting to wonder if I should stop since nothing was happening anyway. The part about employers sometimes lying about separation reasons really opened my eyes too. I just assumed ESD would take my word for it, but now I'm wondering if my former employer said something different. The financial stress is real though. I've been living off credit cards for the past month and it's terrifying. But seeing that so many people here eventually got their benefits (with backpay!) gives me hope. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it helps to know we're not going through this alone. I'll definitely be more active in checking my ESD account daily now and will upload any additional documentation I can find about my layoff. This community is a lifesaver during such a stressful time!

I've been following this thread since I'm in a similar situation, and wanted to share what worked for me. I was in adjudication for 5 weeks after my restaurant job ended (they claimed I was a "no-show" but I actually had COVID and provided doctor's notes). The key thing that finally moved my case forward was being super proactive about documentation. I didn't just wait for ESD to ask for more info - I kept uploading anything that supported my case. Medical records, text messages with my manager about being sick, even a screenshot of the positive COVID test result. Also, for anyone struggling to get through on the phone, I found that calling right at 8:00 AM on Tuesdays had the best success rate. Took me about 20 tries over different days, but I finally got through to someone who could actually look at my case and explain what was happening. The financial stress during this waiting period is absolutely horrible, but try to remember that if you were legitimately laid off (which it sounds like you were), the system is designed to eventually work in your favor. It's just painfully slow. Keep fighting for what you're entitled to!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - adjudication is one of the most stressful parts of the unemployment process, especially when you're already dealing with the anxiety of job loss and financial pressure. From reading your situation, it sounds like your employer may have disputed the reason for your separation, which is unfortunately pretty common. Since you mentioned your entire department was eliminated, you should be in a good position once ESD reviews the facts. The key is getting your documentation in front of them as quickly as possible. A few things that might help while you wait: - Keep filing those weekly claims religiously, even though it feels pointless - Document everything - save screenshots, keep notes of phone calls - Look into local food banks or assistance programs to help stretch your budget - Consider reaching out to 211 (dial 2-1-1) for resources in your area I know the waiting is absolutely brutal when rent is due, but most legitimate layoff cases do get resolved eventually. You're doing everything right by staying on top of it and seeking help. This community has been through it all and we're here to support you through this nightmare of a process!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation! Adjudication basically means ESD is reviewing conflicting information about your claim before they can approve or deny benefits. Since you were legitimately laid off when your department was eliminated, you should be fine once they sort through the details. A few things that might help speed things up: - Check your ESD account daily for any letters or requests for information - If you have any documentation about the layoffs (termination letter, company emails about restructuring, etc.), upload them ASAP - Keep filing your weekly claims no matter what - you'll get backpay for all approved weeks once this resolves The phone lines are brutal, but if you can get through, they can sometimes expedite cases when you provide clear documentation. I know the financial stress is overwhelming when you're watching your savings disappear, but most people in similar situations do eventually get their benefits approved with full backpay. Hang in there - this process is designed to be thorough but it usually works out for legitimate claims like yours. You're definitely not alone in dealing with this nightmare!

I'm going through adjudication right now too and it's absolutely nerve-wracking! I filed in late January after my consulting firm eliminated my position due to budget cuts, and I've been waiting for 3 weeks now. Like you, I had no idea what adjudication meant when it first appeared on my account - the ESD website really doesn't explain these things clearly at all. After reading through all these comments, I'm realizing I need to be way more proactive about checking my Letters section and uploading documentation. I have my termination letter and some emails about the company restructuring, so I'm going to get those uploaded today. The part about employers sometimes disputing the separation reason really concerns me - I just assumed everything would be straightforward since it was clearly a layoff. The financial stress is real though. I've been stretching my emergency fund for weeks and starting to panic about upcoming bills. It's somewhat comforting to see that most people here eventually got their benefits approved with backpay, but the waiting period is brutal when you're already dealing with job loss stress. Thanks for sharing your experience - it really helps to know others are going through the same thing. Keeping my fingers crossed that both our cases get resolved soon!