The ESD system is COMPLETELY BROKEN when it comes to business closures! They expect verification from companies that don't exist anymore!! I waited SEVEN WEEKS in adjudication after my employer went bankrupt. The only thing that finally worked was getting my state representative involved - I contacted their constituent services office and they reached out to ESD on my behalf. Had my claim approved within 48 hours after that. They have some kind of special ESD liaison who can actually get things done. Don't waste your time with the regular phone lines!

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what finally worked! I used Claimyr to get through to ESD yesterday (thanks for that suggestion!), and explained the business closure situation. The agent could see all my documentation but said the claim was stuck because there was a verification flag that needed manual override. She processed it right there on the phone and said I should see payments for all my backed-up weeks within 48 hours! I'm so relieved - this has been incredibly stressful. The agent also mentioned that business closure claims often need special handling and recommended that others in this situation specifically mention "business closure verification" when they call in.

Sorry your dealing with this! When I called the governors office back in February, they took about 8 days to contact me. But then things moved SUPER fast after that - my claim was fixed within 48 hours! Make sure you tell them if you have pets too because I mentioned I couldn't afford my dogs food and medicine and I think that made them move faster honestly. Good luck!!

Thanks for the encouragement! I actually do have a cat who needs medication, so I'll definitely make sure to mention that if I need to follow up. It's good to hear things moved quickly once they contacted you.

Here's a tip that might save you time: sometimes these educational employee denials can be reversed more quickly by speaking directly with an adjudicator rather than going through the full appeal process. When you call ESD (which is admittedly difficult), specifically ask for your claim to be reviewed by an adjudicator regarding the educational employee provision. Emphasize that you were a temporary employee without reasonable assurance. Some adjudicators can overturn these decisions on the spot when they see it was clearly misapplied to a temp worker.

Just wanted to share that I had a similar issue last year as a part-time admin at a university. The key to getting it resolved was documenting everything about the temporary nature of my position. I collected emails from my supervisor confirming my assignment end date, my original job offer showing the temporary status, and the fact that there was no guarantee of future employment. My appeal was approved in about 4 weeks. In the meantime, I struggled financially, but I kept filing my weekly claims as required. When I finally won, I received all my back payments in one lump sum. For those struggling to reach ESD by phone, I eventually used Claimyr.com after wasting days trying to get through. Their service put me in line and called me back when an agent was available. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent I spoke with was actually really helpful and flagged my case for expedited review once I explained my situation. Sometimes reaching a human makes all the difference!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I'm going to try calling tomorrow to see if I can get the overpayment percentage reduced before they start taking it out. Hopefully my claim processes quickly without any issues. I'll update here when I find out more for anyone who might be in the same boat.

Has ANYONE ever successfully gotten through to ESD on the first try?? I swear their phone system is DESIGNED to be impossible! Last time I needed to talk to someone it took me TWO WEEKS of calling multiple times a day!

Just wanted to add some context on why these waivers are taking so long currently. ESD implemented a new case management system in late 2025 that created a backlog of waiver reviews. They've also been dealing with a surge of new overpayment cases due to the automated cross-matching with employer wage reports. The current staff handling waivers is about half what it was two years ago. This isn't to excuse the delays, but to help you understand you're not being singled out - it's a systemic issue affecting thousands of claimants right now. One thing I do recommend is checking that your contact information is up-to-date in the system. Sometimes they've tried to reach people for additional information but had outdated phone numbers or email addresses.

UPDATE: I tried calling the collections option this morning right at 8am and actually got through to someone after about 45 minutes! The agent confirmed my waiver is still pending review but added notes to my account about my financial hardship and put a temporary hold on collections for 30 days. She said that should give enough time for the waiver team to review my case. She couldn't guarantee approval but at least I know they haven't lost my paperwork and collections won't start immediately. Thank you all for your helpful advice! I'll update again once I hear the final decision.