Governor's office expedited my husband's adjudication - will ESD deny for 'lack of work' separation?
So relieved but still anxious! After 6 weeks of silence on my husband's unemployment claim, we finally contacted the governor's office yesterday. They called us this morning and put in a request to expedite his claim with ESD. Already got a message from unemployment this afternoon saying someone is actively working on his case! The message mentioned there's one adjudication issue left regarding his separation from his last employer. His separation notice clearly states 'lack of work' as the reason. Is that something they could still deny him for? We desperately need these 6 weeks of back benefits to catch up on rent - we're falling behind with 5 kids to support. He's been applying everywhere but still no job offers. Has anyone dealt with a 'lack of work' adjudication? Will they approve this? The waiting and uncertainty is killing us.
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Logan Scott
'Lack of work' is actually one of the best reasons for qualifying for unemployment! It means the separation wasn't your husband's fault. Most denials happen when there's misconduct or voluntary quit without good cause. Since his former employer already documented 'lack of work' on the separation form, you should be in good shape. The adjudicator just needs to verify this information with the employer. Smart move contacting the governor's office - they can really help move things along when claims get stuck.
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Mila Walker
•Oh thank goodness! That's such a relief to hear. Do you know how long it typically takes once they're actively working on it? The ESD rep just said ASAP but that could mean anything...
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Chloe Green
We went thru the SAME EXACT THING last month!!! My wife's claim had 'lack of work' as the reason but still went to adjudication for SEVEN weeks! It's ridiculous how they make you wait even when it's clear you qualify. We were about to be evicted when it finally came through. The system is BROKEN.
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Lucas Adams
•The adjudication process is unfortunately required even for straightforward cases. ESD has to verify all information with the employer, who has 10 days to respond. If they don't respond, ESD should rule in the claimant's favor. Once your case is expedited though, it's usually resolved within 3-5 business days.
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Harper Hill
my brother waited 8 weks for his claim and it was lack of work too. they approved it eventually but we nearly lost the aprtment waiting. keep calling everyday thats what he did
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Mila Walker
•We've been trying to call every single day but can never get through! The phone system just disconnects us after saying they're experiencing high call volume. It's so frustrating.
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Caden Nguyen
Have you tried Claimyr? I was in the same boat - couldn't get through to ESD for weeks despite calling dozens of times. Claimyr got me connected to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Their website is claimyr.com. It was a lifesaver for getting my adjudication issues resolved quickly once I could actually speak to someone.
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Avery Flores
•Is this legit? Sounds too good to be true tbh...
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Caden Nguyen
@profile8 It's legitimate - it's basically a service that navigates ESD's phone system and holds your place in line. When they reach an agent, they connect you. I was skeptical too but desperate after trying for weeks on my own.
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Mila Walker
•Thanks for the suggestion! We might try that if we don't hear anything in the next couple days. Since the governor's office already put in the expedite request, I'm hoping we won't need to call, but it's good to know there's an option if we do.
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Zoe Gonzalez
I had a lack of work separation in January and still went through adjudication. Even with the employer confirming it was a layoff due to business slowdown. Unemployment system makes you verify everything even when it should be simple. For what it's worth, once the adjudicator actually looked at my case, it was approved within 48 hours and I got back pay for all 5 weeks I'd been waiting. Don't give up hope!
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Mila Walker
•That's so good to hear! 48 hours would be amazing. Did they call you or your employer during the adjudication process?
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Zoe Gonzalez
They never called me, but they did contact my employer. I just got an update in my eServices account when the decision was made, and then the payments showed up about 2 days later. The payment status changed from 'pending' to 'paid' on all the weeks at once.
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Mila Walker
•I'm checking eServices like every hour lol. It still says 'adjudication in progress' for all weeks. Hopefully we'll see that change soon since someone's actively working on it now!
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Lucas Adams
Since the governor's office put in an expedite request, you should see movement very soon. These requests are prioritized in the system. Just make sure all of your husband's weekly claims are filed correctly while waiting. Even with the expedite request, having the 'lack of work' documentation from the employer is the key factor that should lead to approval, as this is a qualifying separation reason under WAC 192-150-085.
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Mila Walker
•Yes, he's been very careful to file every week on time! Even though it felt pointless with nothing getting paid. Thank you for mentioning the specific regulation - that makes me feel more confident. I'll update when we hear something!
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Avery Flores
am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous we have to contact the governor to get basic unemployment services? the whole system is a joke. they expect people to wait months with no income while bills pile up? what are families supposed to do?
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Chloe Green
•EXACTLY!! It's completely broken. They say file your claims every week but then make you wait MONTHS for payment. How are people supposed to feed their kids and pay rent? The ESD phone system is designed to keep you from reaching anyone who can help. It's disgusting how they treat people.
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Mila Walker
UPDATE: We got APPROVED!!! All 6 weeks processed and payment is pending direct deposit! Should have the money tomorrow. The adjudicator never even called us - just verified with the employer and made the determination. Thank you everyone for your support and advice during this stressful time. And definitely reach out to the governor's office if you're stuck - it made all the difference for us.
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Logan Scott
•That's fantastic news! So happy for your family. It's always a relief when these things work out as they should. Now you can focus on catching up and moving forward.
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