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I'm in a somewhat similar boat - just accepted a position that starts in 6 weeks but my UI benefits expired last month. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen mentioned yet - should we notify ESD immediately when we actually start the job, or just report it on our next weekly claim? I want to make sure I don't accidentally create any overpayment issues by continuing to claim after I've technically started working. Also, has anyone had experience with how ESD handles the transition week when you might work only a few days? Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this thread is a goldmine of practical advice!
Great question about the transition! From what I've experienced, you should report your start date and any earnings on your regular weekly claim rather than trying to notify ESD separately. The weekly claim system is designed to handle these transitions. For your first week of work, just report the actual days/hours you worked and your gross earnings - ESD will calculate if you're still eligible for partial benefits based on their earnings threshold. The key is being accurate about your work schedule and pay. If you work full-time from day one, that weekly claim will likely be your last one. Just make sure to file that claim on time even if you think you won't qualify - it helps close out your claim properly and avoids any potential overpayment issues later.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you might want to screenshot or save a copy of your job offer email/letter with the start date clearly visible. I had a situation where ESD requested documentation during my claim review, and having that readily available made the process much smoother. Also, if your employer has given you any formal communication about the training requirements or timeline, keep that handy too. Sometimes ESD wants to verify that the delay is employer-initiated rather than something you're choosing to postpone. It sounds like you're being really thoughtful about doing everything correctly, which is exactly the right approach. The whole process can feel overwhelming, but everyone here has given you solid advice about transparency and documentation. You've got this!
That's excellent advice about screenshotting the job offer! I definitely want to have all my documentation organized before I file. Since you mentioned ESD sometimes wants to verify that delays are employer-initiated, I'm wondering - my training is self-paced online modules that I technically could rush through, but my employer specifically told me to take 2-3 months to complete them thoroughly before starting. Would an email from HR about the recommended timeline be helpful to keep as backup documentation? I really appreciate how supportive everyone has been in this thread - it's making what seemed like an impossible situation feel totally manageable!
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I'm a benefits counselor who works with displaced workers, and I see this confusion all the time. Let me give you some clarity on your situation. Based on what you've described - a one-time $8,500 withdrawal from your 401k for emergency medical bills after being laid off from construction - this should NOT be considered reportable income for unemployment purposes in Washington state. Here's why: 1. It's a one-time withdrawal, not regular pension payments 2. It's from YOUR own contributions (construction jobs rarely have significant employer matching) 3. It's not "new income" - it's your own previously-earned money accessed early due to emergency The 6 weeks you've already claimed without reporting it shouldn't be a problem since you weren't intentionally hiding anything - you were just confused by unclear guidance (which happens to almost everyone). I strongly recommend calling ESD to get official confirmation. Use this exact phrasing: "This is a one-time early withdrawal of my own 401k contributions due to emergency medical expenses - not regular pension payments." Ask for a supervisor if the first agent seems uncertain, as they have better training on these distinctions. Don't second-guess the medical emergency withdrawal - that's exactly what these funds are for when facing urgent situations with no other viable options. Focus on getting the ESD question resolved so you can have peace of mind moving forward. You're going to be fine - this is a common situation with a clear resolution once you get the right ESD representative on the phone.
Madison, this is incredibly helpful professional guidance - thank you so much! As someone who works with displaced workers regularly, your expertise really helps clarify what's been a very confusing situation. I especially appreciate you breaking down the three key factors that make this NOT reportable income - the one-time nature, my own contributions, and the fact that it's not new income. Your point about construction jobs rarely having significant employer matching is spot on and something I hadn't fully considered. I'm definitely going to use that exact phrasing when I call ESD: "This is a one-time early withdrawal of my own 401k contributions due to emergency medical expenses - not regular pension payments." It's such a relief to hear from someone who deals with these situations professionally that the 6 weeks I've already claimed without reporting shouldn't be a problem since I wasn't trying to hide anything. Thank you for the reassurance about the withdrawal decision too - you're absolutely right that I need to focus on resolving the ESD question rather than second-guessing what was really my only option for handling the medical emergency. Your professional perspective has given me the confidence I need to make that call and get this properly documented!
I just wanted to follow up and say THANK YOU to everyone who shared their experiences and advice in this thread! As a newcomer to this whole unemployment process, I was really overwhelmed and scared about potentially messing up my benefits over something I didn't understand. After reading through all your responses, I finally worked up the courage to call ESD this morning. I used the exact phrasing several of you recommended: "This is a one-time early withdrawal of my own 401k contributions due to emergency medical expenses - not regular pension payments." The first agent I spoke with seemed uncertain, so I politely asked to speak with a supervisor (thanks for that tip!). The supervisor was incredibly knowledgeable and confirmed that my $8,500 withdrawal should NOT be reported as income for unemployment purposes since it was my own contributions from previous paychecks, not new income. She also assured me that the 6 weeks I'd already claimed without reporting it was completely fine since I wasn't trying to hide anything - just genuinely confused by the rules (which she said happens all the time). I documented everything - got her name, ID number, date and time of the call - so I have it all on record now. This community is amazing! The fact that so many people took time to share their personal experiences and professional expertise really made all the difference. I went from panicking about potential fraud accusations to having complete peace of mind. You all are lifesavers! 🙏
Mei-Ling, this is such wonderful news! I'm so glad you were able to get through to ESD and get everything resolved properly. It's really encouraging to hear that the supervisor confirmed exactly what everyone in this thread was saying - that your one-time withdrawal of your own 401k contributions doesn't count as reportable income for unemployment purposes. Your experience calling ESD is also really valuable for others who might be facing the same situation - using that specific phrasing and asking for a supervisor when needed seems to be the key to getting accurate information. I'm also relieved to hear that the supervisor assured you the 6 weeks you'd already claimed were fine since you weren't trying to hide anything. This whole thread has been incredibly educational for me as someone new to unemployment benefits too. It's amazing how this community comes together to help each other navigate these confusing bureaucratic situations. Thanks for taking the time to follow up and let everyone know how it worked out - that kind of closure really helps validate all the advice that was shared here! 🙏
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I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with this! As someone who's been on unemployment for a few months now, I was also considering doing some gig work but was worried about the reporting requirements. It's clear from all the responses that honesty is the best policy with Washington ESD. I'm going to start doing some Instacart deliveries and make sure to keep detailed records of all my earnings. Better to lose a small portion of my benefits than risk getting in trouble for not reporting. Thanks for all the helpful advice - this community has been invaluable during this tough time!
That spreadsheet idea is brilliant! I was wondering how to keep track of everything efficiently. One question though - do you report the earnings for the week you actually worked or the week you got paid? I know someone mentioned this earlier but want to make sure I understand correctly since gig apps sometimes have delays in payment processing.
You report the earnings for the week you actually performed the work, not when you received payment. So if you did Instacart deliveries from Monday to Sunday, you report those earnings on your claim for that same week, even if the payment doesn't hit your account until the following Tuesday. Washington ESD is very clear about this - it's based on when the work was performed, not when payment is processed. This is especially important for gig work since there can be delays between completing deliveries and getting paid. Keep track of your daily earnings as you work rather than waiting for the payment to arrive!
I just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been doing multiple gig apps while on Washington ESD benefits for the past 4 months. I do DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub, and I report ALL earnings from each platform every week. What I've learned is that you can actually do quite well with the partial benefit system - even after Washington ESD reduces my benefits by 75% of my gig earnings over $5, I'm still bringing in more total money than just unemployment alone. The key is being strategic about how much you work each week to maximize your total income (benefits + gig work). I keep a detailed log in Google Sheets with separate columns for each app, and I report the combined total as self-employment income on my weekly claim. Never had any issues with Washington ESD as long as everything is reported accurately and on time. For anyone hesitant about starting gig work while on unemployment - just do it, but do it right!
The Google Sheets system actually makes it super easy! I have columns for Date, Platform, Hours Worked, Gross Earnings, and then a weekly total that I use for my ESD claim. The hardest part was just getting into the habit of logging everything immediately after each shift. As for the different apps - DoorDash and Uber Eats pay pretty quickly (usually next day), while Grubhub can take 2-3 days. But since you report based on when you worked (not when paid), the payment timing doesn't really matter for ESD reporting. All three send 1099s at tax time if you earn over $600. One tip: start with just one app to get comfortable with the reporting process, then add others once you have a good system down. The income potential definitely increases when you can cherry-pick the best orders across multiple platforms!
This is exactly the kind of comprehensive advice I was hoping to find! Your experience doing multiple gig apps really shows how the system can work in your favor when done correctly. I'm definitely going to start with DoorDash like you suggested and get comfortable with the reporting process first. One follow-up question - when you're working multiple platforms in the same week, do you need to break down the earnings by platform on your ESD claim, or can you just report the combined total as one lump sum of self-employment income? I want to make sure I'm not overcomplicating things but also want to be thorough with my reporting.
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I'm experiencing this exact same issue! Started happening to me yesterday and it's driving me crazy. I can log into SAW perfectly fine, but the moment I try to access E-Services it just keeps refreshing the login page with no error message whatsoever. Based on all the helpful suggestions here, I'm going to try the incognito browser mode first since that seems to work for most people. If that doesn't work, I'll try Carmen's method of going through the main esd.wa.gov site instead of directly to E-Services. It's absolutely ridiculous that ESD pushed out these security updates in January without proper testing or user communication. We shouldn't have to hunt down workarounds on community forums just to access our benefits! Thank you everyone for sharing your solutions - this thread is a lifesaver when ESD's phone support is completely unreachable.
I just dealt with this same refresh loop issue a few days ago and it was so frustrating! The incognito mode trick worked perfectly for me too. One thing I'd add is to make sure you completely close all your regular browser windows before opening incognito - I found that helped avoid any session conflicts. Also, once you get logged in successfully through incognito, you might want to clear your regular browser's cache completely and try logging in normally again. Sometimes that fixes the underlying issue. It's honestly embarrassing that a government system has these kinds of basic problems, especially when people are depending on timely access to benefits. Hope one of these solutions works for you quickly!
I'm running into this same refresh loop issue right now! Been trying to log in for the past two hours and it's incredibly frustrating. I can access SAW just fine but E-Services keeps refreshing without any error message. Reading through all these solutions, it looks like incognito/private browsing mode is the most successful workaround, so I'm going to try that first. If that doesn't work, I'll try going through the main esd.wa.gov site like several people suggested. This is honestly unacceptable - a government system shouldn't require community forums and workarounds just to access basic services. The fact that ESD rolled out security changes in January without proper testing or user notification is really disappointing. We're all just trying to file our claims on time and access benefits we need. Thank you to everyone who shared their solutions! This thread is incredibly helpful when ESD's phone support is impossible to reach. I'll update with what works for me.
Nathaniel Mikhaylov
I'm in a really similar boat and this conversation is giving me hope that there might be a path forward. I've been at my current job for about 6 months and the anxiety I feel every Sunday night before the work week starts is getting unbearable. My manager constantly criticizes my work in front of other team members and assigns impossible deadlines that set me up to fail. I've started having panic attacks in the bathroom at work, which never happened before this job. Reading about everyone's experiences with documentation makes me realize I need to start being more systematic about tracking these incidents. Has anyone here successfully used text messages or emails as evidence? I have some messages from my supervisor that are pretty harsh and unprofessional. Also wondering if anyone knows whether Washington ESD considers the size of the company when evaluating accommodation requests - my workplace only has 12 employees so there's no real HR department to go through.
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Yuki Kobayashi
•Yes, text messages and emails absolutely count as evidence! Those harsh messages from your supervisor could be really valuable documentation. Screenshot everything and back it up somewhere safe. For small companies without HR, that actually might work in your favor - it shows you had no formal process to request accommodations through, which strengthens the argument that you had limited options. The panic attacks are a serious red flag that your workplace is damaging your mental health. Document those too - when they happen, what triggered them, how long they last. If you're seeing a doctor or therapist about the anxiety, make sure they know it's specifically related to your work environment. The fact that this never happened before this job is important evidence that it's situational, not just a pre-existing condition.
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Giovanni Martello
I've been through this exact process and want to share what I learned the hard way. First, don't underestimate how thorough Washington ESD's investigation will be - they contacted my former employer, reviewed all my medical records, and asked incredibly detailed questions during the phone interview. The key thing that helped my case was having a comprehensive treatment plan that showed I was actively working on my mental health while also demonstrating that my specific workplace was the primary trigger. Make sure your therapist understands they may need to speak with ESD directly - mine had to do a brief phone interview to verify the medical necessity of my resignation. Also, be prepared for your employer to potentially contest your claim. They'll likely argue that you never formally requested accommodations or that your performance issues were unrelated to your mental health. Having that paper trail everyone mentioned is crucial. One thing I wish I'd known earlier is that you can request your personnel file from your employer after you quit - sometimes there are documented performance discussions or complaints that actually support your case by showing the hostile work environment. The whole process took about 10 weeks for me, but I was eventually approved and received full backpay. Hang in there and document everything you can.
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Emma Olsen
•Thank you so much for sharing your detailed experience - this is exactly the kind of insight I needed to hear. The 10-week timeline is daunting but knowing you got approved and received backpay gives me hope. I had no idea about requesting my personnel file after quitting - that's such a smart tip! I'm definitely going to start building that paper trail now. One question about the phone interview with ESD - how personal did they get about your mental health symptoms? I'm already anxious about having to explain my depression to a stranger over the phone, especially when I'm still struggling to articulate it clearly to my therapist sometimes.
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