Waiting 5 weeks on my first unemployment payment - first time posting

I applied for unemployment in Fresno 5 weeks ago and the status page still says pending. There are 15 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. The page shows my claim as open but no payment date. What would you check first?

Keep certifying every week even while you wait. If they find you eligible, the weeks you certified are the ones that count.

When I finally got through, the agent said my employer had responded late. Once that cleared, back pay came in one payment.