When do ESD intake appointments happen? Waiting 6+ weeks with no meeting scheduled

Hi there - the ESD intake appointment scheduling is completely different now than it was in 2021. There's no fixed timeline anymore. Some claimants get scheduled within 3-4 weeks, others (like me) waited close to 10 weeks! As long as you're completing your weekly claims correctly and meeting the job search requirements, you're doing everything right. The system will eventually generate an appointment notification, which will show up both in your ESD account messages and via email. Make sure your contact information is updated in your ESD portal so you don't miss the notification when it comes.

idk if its different for everyone but i never actually had a formal "intake appointment" at all this time around... been on UI since january 2025 and they just approved me after the waiting week. they did call me once about 2 months in for "fact finding" but it was super brief, maybe 5 mins? so maybe they don't even do those standard intake meetings anymore?? the whole system is constantly changing

Same boat buddy!! Been waiting 8 weeks and NOTHING. My rent is due next week and my landlord is NOT happy. The ESD website is so confusing and doesn't tell you anything useful. I've been trying to call them EVERY DAY and either get disconnected or the recording says "call volume too high" and hangs up on me. So incredibly frustrating. Does ANYONE know how to actually speak to a real person there??

LOL at thinking there's any rhyme or reason to when ESD does ANYTHING. I waited 12 weeks for my "intake appointment" that lasted all of 3 minutes. Then they put me in adjudication for another 8 weeks afterward! The whole system is designed to make you give up. Just keep filing your weekly claims and documenting EVERYTHING.

To answer your follow-up question - no, I didn't do anything special to prompt my appointment scheduling. It just happened. But I did notice that right before I got the notification, my claim status briefly changed to "pending issue" for about 24 hours, then back to active, and then I got the appointment notice. So keep an eye on your claim status for any changes. Also, I've found that even though there might not be a formal "intake" appointment anymore (as others have mentioned), they do conduct various types of eligibility reviews. These can include fact-finding interviews, adjudication interviews, or eligibility reviews. The type of interview depends on your specific claim details.

Here's the current process as of May 2025 (I previously worked with a workforce development program that partners with ESD): 1. Initial claims go through automated verification 2. Claims with clear employment history and standard separation reasons often proceed without an interview 3. Claims with potential issues get flagged for different types of reviews: - Fact-finding: Brief clarification calls (5-15 minutes) - Adjudication: More complex issue investigation (can take 30-45 minutes) - Eligibility review: Periodic checks on continued eligibility Most interviews are conducted by phone. In-person interviews at WorkSource offices are rare now and only scheduled for complex cases or when identity verification is required. The best approach is to continue filing weekly claims, meeting job search requirements, and checking your ESD account messages regularly. If you're concerned about potential issues with your claim, you can try contacting ESD directly.

i waited about 7 weeks for my "interview" which turned out to be just a quick 10 minute phone call. the lady mostly just verified my identity and asked why i was no longer at my last job. must depend on your claim i guess. i did notice that my online status changed from "pending" to "processing" about 2 days before they called me. maybe check if yours has any status changes?

someone told me they changed the rules so they dont have to do interviews anymore if they can verify your info some other way. i think thats why some ppl are getting them and some arent? i never got one and my benefits started after 3 weeks with no interview at all

If you're really concerned about your claim status, I'd recommend taking action rather than waiting. When I couldn't get answers about my claim, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an ESD agent. Once I got through, the agent was able to see that my claim had a small issue that was preventing it from moving forward - something that wouldn't have been resolved without me calling. They fixed it on the spot, and I got my first payment the following week. Sometimes being proactive is the only way to get movement with ESD.

To answer your question about phone numbers - ESD typically calls from their main number (800-318-6022), but they sometimes use regional office numbers as well. The call might show as "Washington State" or just the number. Since they usually only try to call once or twice before putting your claim on hold, it's a good practice to answer calls from any Washington State numbers during business hours when you're waiting for ESD contact. Regarding your claim status - "processing" for 6+ weeks is longer than usual, even with current timelines. It might be worth checking if there are any unresolved issues or requested information in your online account that needs addressing.