How long after claim is assigned to an adjudicator until ESD payment? Adjudicator called yesterday
I've been waiting for my unemployment benefits since filing 5 weeks ago. Yesterday I finally got a call from an ESD adjudicator saying they're reviewing my claim. They asked some questions about my previous employer and said they'd make a determination soon. Has anyone experienced this? Is this a good sign or should I be worried? How much longer do I usually need to wait after a claim gets assigned to an adjudicator before I actually see any money? My rent is due next week and I'm getting really nervous about making ends meet while this drags on.
21 comments
Join the conversation
Diego Chavez
Getting assigned an adjudicator is definitely progress! When my claim went to adjudication last year, I received payment within 7-10 business days after speaking with the adjudicator. The fact they called you is a good sign - they're actively working on your case. Did they mention anything about contacting your employer or needing additional documentation from you?
0 coins
AstroAlpha
•Thanks for responding! They did say they'd be contacting my former employer to verify some details about my separation. The adjudicator didn't ask me for any additional documents but mentioned I should keep filing my weekly claims. I'm just worried because I've already gone over a month without income and don't know how much longer I can stretch my savings.
0 coins
Anastasia Smirnova
mine took 3 weeks after talking to adjudicator. then got all backpay at once! hang in there
0 coins
AstroAlpha
•That's reassuring! Did they tell you how long it would take or did you just suddenly see the money in your account?
0 coins
Anastasia Smirnova
•just showed up in my account one day. no warning or anything
0 coins
Sean O'Brien
I work with unemployment cases, and current ESD adjudication timelines are averaging 2-3 weeks after adjudicator assignment, though it can be faster if your case is straightforward. The key things that affect timing: 1. Whether your employer contests your claim 2. The complexity of your separation reason 3. Current ESD workload Make sure to continue filing weekly claims even while waiting. When approved, you'll receive all back payments for weeks properly claimed. If you need to reach ESD directly to check status, I've had clients use Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through the phone lines - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Best of luck with your claim!
0 coins
AstroAlpha
•Thank you for all this information! My separation was a standard layoff due to company downsizing, so hopefully that's straightforward enough. I've definitely been filing my weekly claims religiously. I'll check out Claimyr if I don't hear anything in the next week or so.
0 coins
Zara Shah
DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP!! I had an adjudicator call me TWICE and still ended up waiting ANOTHER 6 WEEKS before I saw a penny! The entire system is designed to make you give up. They'll probably claim they never received something from your employer and reset the whole process. I had to contact my state representative before anything happened with my claim.
0 coins
Diego Chavez
•I'm sorry you had such a difficult experience, but that's not typical. Most claims do proceed within a few weeks after adjudicator contact. There are certainly frustrating cases that take longer, but it's important not to assume the worst. Each claim is different.
0 coins
Luca Bianchi
Wait your adjudicator actually CALLED you?? I've been waiting 8 weeks and haven't heard a peep from anyone at ESD. Did you do something special to get them to call?
0 coins
AstroAlpha
•I don't think I did anything special! I've just been submitting my weekly claims and checking my ESD account every few days. The call came completely out of the blue yesterday. I did upload all my employment documents through the secure message system right when I filed my initial claim - maybe that helped?
0 coins
Sean O'Brien
•If you've been waiting 8 weeks without contact, you should definitely try to get through to an ESD agent. Call early in the morning (right when they open) or try using Claimyr to get through the phone system faster. You might have an issue with your claim that needs addressing but hasn't been flagged properly in the system.
0 coins
GalacticGuardian
My brother went thru adjudication last month. It was like 12 days from when the adjudicator talked to him til he got paid. But his case was pretty simple, just a retail job layoff. I think it depends on ur situation but a couple weeks seems pretty normal from what iv'e heard.
0 coins
AstroAlpha
•That's helpful to know, thanks. Mine is a pretty straightforward layoff too. I worked at a tech company that had to reduce headcount by 15% due to budget issues. Hoping it'll be a similar timeframe to your brother's experience.
0 coins
Nia Harris
Everyone's timeline is different unfortunately. I just went through adjudication in February, and it took exactly 15 days after speaking with my adjudicator to receive payment. One thing I recommend is checking your ESD online account daily - sometimes they'll post a determination there before you receive it in the mail or before payments process. Look under the "Decisions" tab in your account. Good luck!
0 coins
AstroAlpha
•I've been checking my account obsessively! So far nothing new has appeared in the Decisions tab, but I'll keep watching it. Thanks for the suggestion and sharing your timeline!
0 coins
Zara Shah
Pro tip: if yu don't hear anything after 1 week, start calling EVERYDAY. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with ESD. Thats the only way I ever got my claim moving forward.
0 coins
Diego Chavez
•This isn't great advice. Calling repeatedly doesn't necessarily speed up adjudication and can actually overload the phone system. It's better to wait at least 2-3 weeks before following up, unless the adjudicator gave you a specific timeframe.
0 coins
AstroAlpha
UPDATE: Just wanted to share that I received my determination letter today - exactly 8 days after speaking with the adjudicator. My claim was approved! The letter says I should see payments within 48 hours for all my back weeks. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help and advice during the wait.
0 coins
Diego Chavez
•That's great news! Thanks for coming back to update us. It's helpful for others to see real timelines like this. Glad everything worked out!
0 coins
Nia Harris
•Congrats! Make sure you keep up with your weekly claims and job search activities so there aren't any interruptions going forward.
0 coins