Reopened ESD claim taking 3+ weeks - normal wait time compared to new claims?

Reopened claims SHOULD be faster, but with ESD nothing ever works the way it's supposed to. In my experience (reopened in February 2025), it took about 2.5 weeks for my reopened claim to be processed. The thing is, they're supposed to already have your work history and just need to verify your continued eligibility, but sometimes they put reopened claims through almost the same review as new ones. Have you checked if your claim is in adjudication? That would explain the delay.

same thing happened to my brother his claim was stuck for like 5 weeks!!! esd is the worst

When a claim goes into adjudication, it means there's an issue they need to resolve before they can process your payments. This happens frequently with reopened claims because they're checking if anything has changed in your work history or eligibility since your original claim. The most common reasons for adjudication are: 1. You reported earnings during your waiting period 2. There's a question about your availability for work 3. They need to verify your job separation reason again 4. There's a potential overlap between benefits Standard adjudication is taking 3-4 weeks right now based on what I've seen from other claimants. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims during this time, as they'll pay retroactively once approved.

wait what's FPL? i thought there was only regular UI and then PEUC extensions? am i missing something??

I had to reopen my claim last December after being on standby for 3 months when my employer temporarily closed for renovations. It's RIDICULOUS how long ESD takes!! My reopened claim was stuck in limbo for almost 6 WEEKS before I finally got paid. The worst part is you can never reach anyone when you call - I tried 47 times in one day (yes, I counted) and never got through. I finally had success using Claimyr to reach an actual human at ESD. It connected me to an agent within about 20 minutes rather than the usual busy signal/disconnection. The agent explained that my claim had a simple flag that needed to be removed, which they did while I was on the phone. Got paid 2 days later. Here's their site if you want to try it: claimyr.com - they also have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 They basically call ESD for you and connect you when they get through. Saved me weeks of waiting.

ESD IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!! I swear they INTENTIONALLY make it impossible to reach anyone and delay claims to save money!!! My reopened claim sat for TWO MONTHS with zero communication before they finally paid me. No explanation, no apology, nothing! Then they had the nerve to tell me I didn't do enough job searches during the waiting period even though their own website said I was exempt while in adjudication!!! MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!!!

I just went through this exact process in January! Reopened my claim after exhausting EB, and it took exactly 23 days to get approved. The trick is to keep filing your weekly claims during the waiting period. They'll back-pay you for all the weeks once approved. Also make sure you're doing your 3 job search activities each week and documenting them correctly. That's often what holds things up.

i heard if u message them EVERY DAY through the esd message center they eventually flag ur account for faster review lol worth a try

If your claim has been in adjudication for more than 3 weeks, you might want to contact your state representative's office. Many have staff dedicated to helping constituents with ESD issues, and they can often get information or escalate your claim when you can't get through directly. Just google "[your county] state representative" and most have a constituent services form on their website.

Any update? Were you able to get through to ESD?