Identity verification hold resolved after 11 weeks in ESD adjudication - Governor's office helped

OMG thank u for sharing this!! I'm going on week 9 with nothing but 'adjudication' showing and ive been FREAKING OUT. What form did you use exactly on the governors website? i want to make sure im using the right one!!

It's under the 'Contact' section on the governor's website. Look for 'Comment, Question, Complaint, Request for Assistance' - you'll need to fill out your info and then select 'Unemployment Benefits' as the topic. Make sure to include your ESD claim ID number and how long you've been waiting. They responded to me within 24 hours!

This same EXACT thing happened to me last month! Turned out they needed identity verification but never bothered to tell me. The most frustrating part is that they have all my documents from my previous claim. Why do they need to verify my identity AGAIN when nothing has changed? The ESD system is completely broken. Glad you got through to someone finally.

Right?? I don't understand why they can't just send an alert or message when they need something. Did your claim get resolved after you submitted your documents?

The identity verification issue is unfortunately very common right now with ESD. Their system was updated in early 2025 and it's creating problems with claims that have any history of previous benefits. The good news is that once properly verified, they should release all back payments for eligible weeks. Make sure when you submit your documents for the appeal that they're clear, high-quality images and that all four corners of each document are visible. If any part is cut off or blurry, they'll reject it and you'll face more delays.

this is good advice! my friend had her docs rejected twice bc the pic quality was bad, ended up having to scan them at the library

If ur still having trouble reaching ESD even after contacting the governor's office, try Claimyr. I was in adjudication for 8 weeks and couldn't get anyone on the phone until I used them. They got me connected to an actual ESD agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for weeks. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It was way easier than I expected and the agent I spoke with was able to push my claim through.

Is that service legit? Sounds too good to be true tbh... The ESD phone lines are literally impossible to get through

Just to give you a heads up - I had a similar identity verification issue. After I submitted my documents for the appeal, it still took almost 3 weeks for everything to process, not the 10 business days they promised. The claims do get resolved eventually, but ESD is severely understaffed in the appeals department right now. My advice is to keep filing your weekly claims during this time, even though they'll stay pending. Once your identity is verified, all eligible weeks will be paid at once.\n\nAlso, make sure you meet the job search requirements (3 activities per week) while waiting for this to resolve. I've seen people get their identity issues fixed only to find out they were disqualified for not doing their job searches properly.

Thank you so much for this reality check. I'll definitely keep doing my job searches and weekly claims. Did you ever get all your back pay for the weeks you were waiting? I'm getting really stressed about bills piling up...

Hey sorry this happening to you. I had my claim stuck for MONTHS last year because apparently I made a typo on my social security number when I applied!!! They never bothered to tell me until I got through to someone. It's like they WANT us to be homeless while we wait.

The system is designed to make ppl give up i swear. did u get backpay for all those months at least??

For anyone facing identity verification issues: The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) handles appeals, but you can often resolve these faster by uploading your identity documents directly through eServices under the

Thank you for this information! I had no idea about the hardship payment option. Is there a specific form for requesting that? And I already tried uploading documents through eServices but the verification option wasn't available for some reason.

the govs office helped me to!! my problem was different (employer contested my claim) but they got ESD to call me within 2 days after 6 weeks of nothing

It's ridiculous that we have to involve the governor's office just to get basic service from a state agency. Our tax dollars pay for this broken system!

After trying Claimyr that someone mentioned, I actually got through to ESD yesterday after weeks of trying. The agent said identity verification issues are prioritized differently based on your work history and when you last filed. If you've had multiple claims or gaps in employment, you get flagged for extra verification. The frustrating part is their notification system is completely separate from eServices, and many notices are still being sent through regular mail that people aren't receiving.

That's so helpful to know! I definitely have gaps in my work history which probably explains why I got flagged. Did the ESD agent tell you any tricks for speeding up the process once documents are submitted?