Weekly ESD claim by phone not working - can't select current week after working briefly

The weekly claim phone line is 800-318-6022. You gotta call that number and then press 1 for unemployment claims, then 1 again for weekly claims. It's a total pain and you might get disconnected a few times. For the issue where he can't select the current week, it's probably because there's a "break in claim" since he worked. He might need to reopen his claim before he can file weekly again. There should be an option for that in eServices under the unemployment claim section.

Your husband is experiencing what's called a "break in claim" situation. When a claimant works for a week and then needs to resume filing, they must go through the "reopen claim" process before being able to file weekly claims again. This is standard procedure with ESD, even though the claim shows as active. To file by phone, call 800-318-6022. Best times to call are right when they open at 8:00 AM or after 3:30 PM. The automated system will guide him through either reopening his claim or filing weekly, depending on what the system has flagged as needed. For the weekly claims by phone, he'll need his SSN, PIN, and to answer questions about job search activities (3 per week) and any earnings during the week in question.

I just went through this exact situation last month! Yes, your husband needs to reopen his claim first, then he can file weekly claims again. The easiest way is actually to do this online if possible: 1. Log into eServices 2. Go to "Unemployment Claims" 3. There should be a button that says "Restart your claim" or "Reopen claim" 4. After completing that form (takes about 10 minutes), you'll be able to file weekly claims again If the website keeps giving errors, then yes, you'll need to call. But be prepared to wait. The phone system has been absolutely swamped lately with the construction slowdown.

Have you guys tried using Claimyr? I was in the same boat and couldn't get through on the ESD phones for days. Claimyr got me connected to an actual ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. The agent was able to fix my husband's "break in claim" issue right over the phone. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It was totally worth it for us since we kept getting disconnected trying to call on our own.

The weekly claim phone number is definitely 800-318-6022, but good luck getting through! When you do, make SURE your husband has his Social Security number, PIN, AND his work search log with at least 3 job search activities for the week ready to go. They'll ask about any earnings too. But your main problem is the break in claim. It's super dumb, but even working ONE DAY can trigger a break in claim status. The system assumes he's employed full-time now (eye roll). He absolutely must reopen/restart his claim before he can file weekly claims again. This happens CONSTANTLY with construction workers who work intermittently. The ESD system was not designed for people with irregular work patterns, even though that's like half the people on unemployment!

Once he reopens the claim, he should be able to file weekly claims immediately. There shouldn't be another waiting week since the claim was already established. But just a heads up - sometimes reopening a claim can trigger adjudication if the system flags anything unusual (like returning to the same employer). That can cause delays.

To directly answer your original question about filing by phone: 1. Call 800-318-6022 2. Press 1 for English (or 2 for Spanish) 3. Press 1 for unemployment insurance claims 4. Press 1 again for weekly claims 5. Enter Social Security Number using the keypad 6. Enter PIN 7. Follow the automated prompts But as others have mentioned, he'll need to complete the "reopen claim" process first before the system will allow weekly claims. This can be done either online or by phone, but you'll need to select different options when calling (there should be a prompt for reopening an existing claim). The reopening process typically takes 5-10 minutes to complete. Once processed, he can immediately file weekly claims for any eligible weeks.

Just wanted to follow up and say I hope you got through! If you're still struggling with the phone system, seriously consider Claimyr. My friend in construction uses it every time he has a break in claim (which is frustratingly often). The peace of mind from actually talking to a real person who can fix things on the spot is worth it.

Great news! Glad you got it resolved. For future reference (since construction work can be sporadic), remember this rule: anytime your husband works and then needs to claim again, he'll need to reopen the claim first. It's a hassle but at least now you know the process. And make sure he keeps doing his 3 job search activities every week, even during weeks he's expecting to return to work, unless he has official standby status (which is hard to get approved these days).