Impossible to reach ESD by phone - lines always full - any success strategies?
I've been trying to call ESD every day for TWO WEEKS now! Each time I get the automated message saying "all lines are full, please call back later" then it hangs up on me. I'm getting desperate because my claim has been pending for 42 days and I'm running out of savings. I've tried calling right when they open at 8am, middle of the day, and even 30 minutes before closing. Nothing works! Has ANYONE actually gotten through recently? What time of day? Any special tricks? I'm about to lose my mind (and possibly my apartment).
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Mei Chen
same here!! been calling for 3 days straight with no luck. Press 1, press 9, then "all lines full" and CLICK! So frustrating
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Jamal Edwards
•It's insane! Are they even answering phones anymore?? I even tried calling from different phone numbers thinking maybe they were blocking me or something. No difference.
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Liam O'Sullivan
I think we're all experiencing this nightmare. Their phone system is beyond broken. I finally got through last Wednesday but only after 39 calls (yes I counted). Try calling at exactly 8:01am - that seemed to work for me. The minute they open seems to have slightly better odds. Good luck!
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Amara Okonkwo
•Really? 8:01? I was trying at 8:00 sharp thinking that would be best. Will try your method tomorrow!
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Giovanni Marino
After weeks of frustration with the same issue, I finally used Claimyr to get through to an ESD agent. Their service connects you with an agent without the endless redials. I was skeptical but watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3) and decided to try it. Got connected to an actual human at ESD within an hour who resolved my adjudication issue. Their website is claimyr.com if you're desperate like I was.
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Jamal Edwards
•Never heard of this before. Does it actually work? I'm willing to try anything at this point but afraid of scams. Has anyone else used this service?
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Fatima Al-Sayed
ESD phone systems are severely understaffed. I work as an employment counselor and here's what I tell my clients: 1. Try calling Tuesday-Thursday (Mon & Fri are worst) 2. Call between 10:30-11:30am or 2:30-3:30pm (their lunch rush and end-of-day are slightly less busy) 3. Make sure you're sending messages through your eServices account too 4. If your issue is urgent (eviction risk, utilities being shut off), mention that immediately when you get through Also, have you tried contacting your state representative? They can sometimes expedite claims that have been stuck for over 30 days.
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Jamal Edwards
•Thank you SO MUCH for these specific tips! I'll try the mid-morning window tomorrow. Never thought about contacting my state rep - that's brilliant. My claim has definitely been stuck over 30 days so maybe they can help.
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Dylan Hughes
this whole sistem is RIGGED to prevent ppl from getting benefits we EARNED!!! they deliberately make phones impossible to reach because they dont want to pay. im on day 67 of "pending" and tried calling 200+ times. its not broken - its DESIGNED this way!!!
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Liam O'Sullivan
•I understand the frustration, but I don't think it's deliberate. They're just massively understaffed and their phone system is outdated. Still completely unacceptable though - we deserve better service.
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NightOwl42
A couple years ago when I had issues with my claim, I had to call over 70 times in one day before getting through. What worked for me was using multiple phones simultaneously (my cell, husband's cell, and landline) and just constantly redialing on all of them. It's ridiculous we have to do this, but sometimes brute force is the only way. BTW - when I finally got through, the agent told me Tuesdays are slightly better than other days.
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Jamal Edwards
•The multiple phones idea is genius! I'm going to recruit my roommate to help me call tomorrow morning. And I'll definitely try Tuesday based on what you and the employment counselor mentioned. Really appreciate the tips!
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Sofia Rodriguez
I had the exact same problem last year when my standby status was about to expire. Could NOT get through no matter what. I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and it worked for me too. Got connected to an ESD rep within about 45 minutes. They handled my standby extension right away. Sometimes you have to use these workarounds when the system is this broken.
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Jamal Edwards
•That's two recommendations for Claimyr now. I'm going to try the regular ESD line one more day using all these tips, and if that doesn't work, I'll check out that service. Getting desperate at this point.
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Mei Chen
anybody know if going to a WorkSource office in person helps? can they look at ur claim there or do they just tell u to call the same impossible number?
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Fatima Al-Sayed
•WorkSource staff can't access or modify your unemployment claim - they're a separate system. They might be able to help with job search activities, but for claim issues, you still need to reach ESD directly. Some WorkSource offices do have courtesy phones that connect to ESD, but you'll still face the same wait times.
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Jamal Edwards
UPDATE: I finally got through!!! Used a combination of your suggestions - called at 10:40am on Tuesday using two phones simultaneously. Got the "all lines full" message on my cell, but my roommate's phone got placed in the queue! Waited 47 minutes but finally spoke to a real person who fixed my pending issue. For anyone else struggling, the mid-morning Tuesday call time definitely seemed to help. The rep said they're training new staff so hopefully the phone situation improves soon. THANK YOU all for your help!
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Liam O'Sullivan
•That's fantastic news! So glad you got through. Did they say when you might see your payments? Hoping it's quick after such a long wait!
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Jamal Edwards
•The agent said I should see payments within 48-72 hours! Such a relief after waiting 6+ weeks. She also apologized for the phone difficulties and admitted their system is overwhelmed. Fingers crossed it all processes smoothly now.
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