Need direct line to Governor's office regarding 9-week ESD adjudication delay

The Governor's Office constituent services number is 360-902-4111. You can also use their online contact form at https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message. Make sure you have your claim ID number and explain exactly how long you've been waiting and what steps you've already taken with ESD. The more specific your documentation of the delays, the better.

Before you call the Governor, have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an actual ESD agent? I was in a similar situation (stuck in adjudication for 7 weeks) and couldn't get through the regular phone lines. I used Claimyr.com and they got me connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. The agent I spoke with was able to escalate my claim and I got paid the following week. Might be worth trying before going all the way to the Governor's office.

Governor's office DOESNT CARE!!!! I called them 3 times last year when my claim was stuck for 11 weeks and all they do is "forward your concern" back to the SAME ESD people who are ignoring you!!! complete waste of time. the whole system is broken and nobody in govt gives a crap about us.

I was in adjudication for 6 weeks earlier this year. What finally worked for me was contacting my state representative. Each district has 2 representatives and 1 senator, and they all have staff dedicated to helping constituents with state agencies. Go to app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder to find your representatives, then email or call their office explaining your situation. My rep's office contacted ESD on my behalf and my claim was resolved within 10 days. They really can cut through the red tape faster than we can as individuals.

Employment Security Department specialist here. While contacting the Governor's office or your state representative can sometimes help, there are a few steps you should try first: 1. Request an escalation to a supervisor next time you speak with an ESD agent 2. Check your ESD Secure Message Center to ensure you haven't missed any requests for information 3. Verify your identity documents are current in the system 4. Check if your claim is flagged for a specific issue (separation, availability, job search compliance) Long adjudication times typically happen when there's a specific issue that needs resolution but hasn't been assigned to an adjudicator yet. If you're able to identify the specific issue (it should be visible in your online account), you can address it directly in your communications.

my cousin works at esd and she says they are like 4000 claims behind right now because of layoffs in aerospace and tech!!!!! so everyone is waiting forever. its not just you. they just dont have enough workers to handle all the claims. good luck but i think governor cant do much about that

Just to follow up on the Claimyr question - it's a legitimate service that basically keeps dialing ESD for you until it gets through, then calls you when an agent is on the line. I was skeptical too but it worked for me. They don't access your claim or anything, they just help you bypass the phone queue. The key is that once you actually talk to a live agent, you can request escalation and get more specific help than just checking the website.

One more thing - if your claim shows a separation issue, it means they're investigating why you're no longer with your employer. This often happens when the information you provided doesn't match what your employer reported. Did you quit or were you laid off? If there's any discrepancy between your story and your employer's, that could be causing the delay. Might be worth clarifying this specifically when you do reach someone.

Did you ever apply for unemployment before 2025? I'm on my third claim (seasonal worker) and I've noticed the spring/summer claims always take FOREVER to process compared to winter ones. Something about their workload being higher certain times of year. Just another possibility why yours is taking so long.

Just to give you an update on the process - if you do contact the Governor's office, they'll likely ask you to complete a privacy release form so they can legally inquire about your specific claim. Have your claim ID, contact information, and a brief timeline of your efforts ready. They typically respond within 3-5 business days with either a direct response or confirmation they've forwarded it to ESD with priority status.