My ESD claim stuck in adjudication for 9+ weeks - is this normal?

Yes, I was in adjudication for 11 weeks from January through March this year. It's completely ridiculous but unfortunately common. The key is getting through to an actual claims specialist who can look at your file, not just the frontline phone staff. The regular phone people can only see the same status you can see online.

mine was in adjudcation for 6 weeks but then suddenly got approved last week. didnt do anything special just waited. maybe yours is more complicated?

After experiencing similar frustrations with my claim stuck in adjudication for almost 2 months, I finally got through to ESD using Claimyr (claimyr.com). Instead of calling endlessly and getting nowhere, their system held my place in line and called me back when they had an agent. The video demo shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Once I actually got to speak with a specialist, I found out there was an issue with my job separation reason that needed clarification. The agent was able to resolve it during that call, and my payments started the following week. Definitely worth trying if you're about to lose your housing!

The adjudication system is DESIGNED to make you give up!!! I was stuck for THREE MONTHS last year. ESD is overwhelmed and understaffed by design. They hope people will just go away. Make sure you're still filing your weekly claims even while in adjudication - if you miss weeks, you'll lose those benefits even if you're eventually approved!!! ALSO: call your state representative's office!! This is what actually fixed mine. Their constituent services can reach out to ESD directly and often get faster responses than we can as individuals.

My brother just went through this. His claim was stuck for about 7 weeks and then he found out it was because his employer contested the claim saying he quit instead of being laid off. Do you know if your employer might be disputing anything? You should be able to see if there are any "issues" listed in your eServices account.

It's unfortunately quite normal for adjudication to take 8+ weeks in Washington state. I'm an employment attorney, and I can tell you the best approach is to be systematic: 1. Continue filing weekly claims without fail 2. Document every call attempt (date, time, what was said) 3. Request a formal status update through your eServices message center 4. Contact your state legislative representative (as someone mentioned) 5. If you're facing eviction, explain your situation to the adjudicator and request expedited processing due to hardship The hardship request is key - they can prioritize cases with imminent housing loss, but you need to specifically request this and provide documentation of your housing situation.

just wondering...have u been doing ur job search activities while waiting? my friend didnt do her 3 activities per week thinking she didnt need to cuz she wasnt getting paid yet and then they denied her whole claim!!!

One thing I've learned through multiple unemployment claims is that adjudication moves faster when you can provide more documentation upfront. If your issue relates to your employer verification, try to get a letter from your former employer confirming your lay-off date, reason for separation, and hours worked. Upload it to your eServices account with a clear subject line referencing your adjudication. And if you're really about to get evicted, there's also rental assistance programs you can apply for while waiting for your UI to come through. Call 211 for referrals to emergency assistance programs in your area.

my situation got fixed when i finally got thru to someone who actually knew what they were doing lol. took like 20 calls tho

Don't forget that you CAN appeal if they end up denying your claim! I had to appeal my adjudication decision and won at the hearing. The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is separate from ESD and actually gives you a fair shot.

Update from my previous comment: I checked with a colleague who works directly with ESD, and there's currently a backlog in construction industry claims specifically. There were several large layoffs in the sector this quarter, and they're reviewing employer tax compliance more carefully for construction companies. This likely explains your extended wait time compared to claims from other industries.