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Quick update for anyone reading this later - the Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator tool that can give you an estimate of what you should be getting based on your wages. Might be worth checking out before you call them.
Just want to mention again that if you do need to call Washington ESD about this, seriously consider using Claimyr. I wasted so much time trying to get through on my own before I found that service. Made the whole process way less stressful.
Military service members have different rules too. There are specific provisions for veterans and active duty personnel that can affect eligibility and benefit amounts.
The bottom line is Washington ESD has a lot of rules and they're not always clear about them upfront. I'd recommend reading through their handbook thoroughly and keeping detailed records of everything you do related to your claim.
This has been really helpful everyone! I feel like I have a much better understanding of what to watch out for now. Thanks for all the detailed responses.
For your research, I'd recommend looking at the labor force participation rate alongside employment and unemployment numbers. That's what ties it all together and explains these seemingly contradictory movements.
just remember that washington esd data gets revised too. preliminary numbers might show patterns that get smoothed out in later revisions as more complete data comes in
Just make sure you file your claim as soon as your hours get reduced. Benefits are effective from the week you file, not from when you actually lost income, so don't wait.
QuantumLeap
For anyone still on the fence about timing - I delayed filing by one week because I thought I might get called back. That one week delay ended up costing me a week of benefits because my employer never did call me back.
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QuantumLeap
•I tried but they said waiting in hopes of recall isn't sufficient reason for backdating. Lesson learned - file immediately and cancel later if you get called back.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•This is exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr helps - when you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD about specific circumstances. Their service got me through to an agent who could explain my options properly.
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Isabella Santos
The bottom line is there's no downside to filing immediately and several potential downsides to waiting. File now, deal with complications later if they arise.
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Giovanni Marino
•This thread convinced me - I filed my claim this morning. Thanks everyone for the advice!
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Isabella Santos
•Good choice! Hope your claim processes smoothly and quickly.
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