Stuck in ESD adjudication for 8 weeks - can't reach anyone by phone or email
I'm seriously at my wit's end with the Washington ESD unemployment system. I applied for benefits 8 weeks ago after getting laid off from my construction job, and my claim has been sitting in 'adjudication in progress' this ENTIRE TIME. I have two pending issues showing on my UI claim (something about my employment verification and availability for work). I uploaded all the requested documents literally the same day I filed the initial claim. My savings are almost gone, rent is coming due again, and I CANNOT get through to an actual person at ESD! I've called probably 30+ times, left multiple messages, sent emails through the portal, and nothing. Complete radio silence. Is this normal? Do I just need to wait longer or is there some secret trick to getting someone to actually look at my claim? I've never applied for unemployment before so I have no idea if this is just how it works or if something's gone wrong with my specific claim.
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Mei Wong
Unfortunately, what ur experiencing is pretty common with ESD right now. I waited 9 weeks in adjudication last month before my claim was finally processed. The system is SUPER backlogged. Keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting!! Thats the most important thing. If u stop filing weekly u might have to start all over.
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GalaxyGlider
•Thanks for responding. Ugh, 9 weeks?! That's insane. I am still doing my weekly claims but it's getting harder to justify the time when nothing seems to be happening. Do they at least backpay for all the weeks you were stuck waiting?
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Liam Sullivan
call at exactly 7:59am!! thats when i finally got through. dont bother calling midday, they just disconnect you automatically when the queue is full which is like always lol
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GalaxyGlider
•I'll try the 7:59 trick tomorrow morning. At this point I'm willing to try anything!
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Amara Okafor
What helped me move my claim through adjudication was documenting each contact attempt with ESD. Keep a log with dates, times, and reference numbers for each call or message. If you haven't already, make sure to check your ESD inbox for any requests for additional information - sometimes they send questions that need responses before they can proceed, but don't notify you by email or text. Also, double-check what the specific pending issues are about. If it's regarding employment verification, make sure you've uploaded clear copies of your W-2 or pay stubs. For availability issues, they might be questioning if you're truly available for work - were there any weeks you were sick, traveling, or unable to work for any reason?
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GalaxyGlider
•Thank you for the detailed suggestions. I'll start documenting everything. The pending issues just say "employment verification" and "able and available" but I've already uploaded my last 3 pay stubs, W-2, and separation letter from my employer. I check my ESD inbox daily and there's nothing in there asking for more info. I'm fully available for work and have been doing my job search activities religiously every week. I'm just stuck in this black hole.
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Giovanni Colombo
this is why i gave up on unemployment and just took the first job i could find even tho it pays way less than my old one... ESD is a JOKE
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•That's not helpful. Some of us don't have the option to just take any job, especially if you have specialized skills or family care responsibilities. The system is frustrating but it exists for a reason, and we're all just trying to navigate it.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
I was in adjudication for almost 7 weeks earlier this year and what finally worked for me was using Claimyr to get through to an ESD agent. I spent weeks trying on my own with no luck, then my neighbor told me about it. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website is claimyr.com. Basically they help you bypass the phone queue and get a callback from an actual ESD agent. Once I finally spoke to someone, they were able to look at my claim right then and resolve the pending issues. My payments started coming through about 3 days later, including all my back weeks.
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GalaxyGlider
•I've never heard of Claimyr before. Did it actually work? I'm a bit skeptical of third-party services but at this point I'm desperate enough to try anything.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•Yes, it worked for me. I was skeptical too but after weeks of trying to get through, I was willing to try anything. The ESD agent I spoke with was able to see exactly what was holding up my claim and resolved it while I was on the phone. They also told me they're seeing tons of claims stuck in adjudication right now because of staffing shortages in that department.
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StarStrider
Make sure your job search activities meet the EXACT requirements! I had my claim stuck because I was doing the right number of activities (3 per week) but wasn't including all the required information for each contact. The system is super picky about that. Also, don't forget that standby status is harder to get approved now than it was during COVID - they're being really strict about job search requirements now.
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GalaxyGlider
•I've been super careful with my job search log - including contact names, application methods, job titles, everything. And I'm not on standby, just regular unemployment. It's frustrating because I can't tell if I've done something wrong or if they're just swamped with claims.
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Dylan Campbell
i waited 12 weeks last yr... got ALL my backpay tho so just hang in there
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GalaxyGlider
•12 weeks!? That's a quarter of a year without income. The backpay is good but doesn't help much when you're about to be evicted because you can't pay rent NOW.
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Amara Okafor
One more thing to check - make sure your previous employer isn't contesting your claim. If they've responded to ESD saying you quit instead of being laid off or were fired for misconduct, that will automatically trigger adjudication. You can call your previous employer's HR department to confirm they've responded to ESD's request for information and that they're not contesting your eligibility. Also, if you truly can't wait any longer for financial reasons, you can request a hardship expedition. Call the main ESD number, select the hardship option, and explain your financial situation (risk of eviction, utilities being shut off, etc.). This sometimes helps get your claim prioritized.
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GalaxyGlider
•I'm on good terms with my previous employer and they told me they confirmed my layoff was due to lack of work. I'll try the hardship expedition route - that's really helpful info I hadn't heard before. At this point I am genuinely facing eviction if something doesn't change soon.
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Mei Wong
YES they do pay all the back weeks! I got a big lump sum payment for all 9 weeks at once when mine finally processed. Just make sure ur doing all the required job search activities each week (3 per week) and documenting them correctly. The system is annoyingly strict about that.
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GalaxyGlider
•That's at least somewhat reassuring. I've been meticulously documenting my job search activities. I just hope I can hold out financially until they finally process my claim.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
After you get through to someone, ask them to flag your account for expedited processing due to financial hardship. I did this and mentioned I was facing possible eviction (which was true). The agent added notes to my claim and it was resolved within 48 hours after weeks of waiting. They don't advertise this option but it exists for emergency situations.
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GalaxyGlider
•Thanks for this tip! When I finally manage to speak with someone, I'll definitely ask about expedited processing. I am genuinely in a hardship situation now.
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