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Just wanted to add another perspective - I work in HR and deal with these situations regularly. Your employer giving you PFML paperwork doesn't necessarily mean they're trying to manipulate their UI tax rates, but it's worth understanding that they're required to inform employees about PFML eligibility when they take unpaid medical leave. However, given your situation (already on partial UI for reduced hours + only 4 days of medical absence), you're making the smart choice by sticking with UI and marking those days as not able/available. The administrative burden of managing both programs simultaneously isn't worth it for such a short absence. One tip: keep documentation of your medical absence (doctor's note, etc.) just in case ESD ever asks about those days you marked as not able/available. It shows you were being honest about your availability for work. Good luck with everything, and I hope you're feeling better!
This is really helpful context from an HR perspective! I was starting to wonder if my employer had ulterior motives, but it sounds like they were just following protocol by letting me know about PFML. I do have a doctor's note from my visit, so I'll definitely keep that handy in case ESD needs documentation later. Thanks for the reassurance that I'm making the right choice by keeping things simple with just the UI claim!
I went through something very similar when I had to take time off for a minor procedure while already on partial UI! The confusion between these programs is real. Just to reinforce what others have said - you're absolutely making the right call by sticking with UI only. I made the mistake of trying to juggle both programs once and it created a nightmare of paperwork and delays. ESD had to investigate the overlap, my UI payments were suspended for weeks, and in the end I had to pay back some benefits due to incorrect reporting. For just 4 days, the PFML juice definitely isn't worth the squeeze, especially with that waiting period. Mark those days as not able/available on your UI claim, keep your documentation, and don't stress about the PFML deadline. Your mental health is worth more than navigating two bureaucratic systems at once! Hope you're feeling better and that your reduced hours situation improves soon.
Thank you for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who actually went through the juggling act and can confirm it's not worth the hassle. The fact that your UI payments got suspended for weeks sounds like exactly the kind of mess I want to avoid, especially when I'm already dealing with reduced income from fewer work hours. I'm definitely feeling more confident about my decision to skip the PFML and just handle this through my existing UI claim. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to help me figure this out!
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I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! Applied for PFML 10 days ago to care for my newborn and I'm getting anxious about the wait time. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - sounds like employer verification delays are super common. I'm going to check with my HR department tomorrow to make sure they've completed their part. Thanks for sharing your experience and the update that you got it resolved!
Congratulations on your new baby! Definitely check with HR - that seems to be the most common holdup based on everyone's experiences here. For bonding leave with a newborn, make sure you also have all the required documentation like the birth certificate uploaded. The waiting is so stressful when you're already dealing with a new baby, but it sounds like most people do get approved eventually. Good luck!
Just went through this exact same process a few months ago for my mom's hip replacement! The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you're already stressed about your family member's health. From my experience and what I've learned from others, here are a few key things to check: 1. Log into your PFML account and go to the "Documents" section - make sure nothing shows as "Under Review" or has a red status indicator 2. Check your Secure Message Center daily (not just email) - they communicate mostly through there 3. Verify with HR that they've completed their employment verification 4. Make sure your dad's doctor filled out the medical certification completely with their license number The employer verification delay seems to be super common based on everyone's comments here. My claim was held up for almost 2 weeks because HR didn't realize they had received something from ESD that needed to be completed. Once they did their part, I was approved within 3 days. Hang in there - the stress is real but it sounds like you're still well within normal processing times!
This is such a comprehensive checklist - thank you! I'm saving this for reference. The point about checking the Documents section for red status indicators is really helpful. I've been mostly just looking at the main application status page. It's reassuring to hear that so many people have gone through similar delays and gotten approved. The employer verification issue seems to catch everyone off guard! I'm definitely going to use this as my action plan while I wait for my claim to process.
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I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now - week 2 of having my WBA displayed but all claims showing $0 pending. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both a relief and extremely concerning. It's crazy how widespread this problem seems to be! I had no idea this was "normal" for the ESD system. I've been panicking thinking I did something wrong with my application, but it sounds like this is just how broken their processing system is right now. I'm definitely going to try some of the suggestions here - checking my spam folder more carefully, looking at the Notices tab separately from the inbox, and probably using Claimyr if this drags on much longer. The financial stress of not knowing when (or if) payments will come through is really getting to me. Thank you all for sharing your stories and advice - it's so helpful to know I'm not alone in this frustrating situation!
You're definitely not alone in this! I just joined this community because I'm going through the exact same thing - week 2 of having my WBA showing but everything stuck at $0 pending. Reading through all these experiences has been eye-opening. It's both reassuring to know this is unfortunately "normal" right now, but also really concerning how broken the system seems to be. I had the same panic thinking I must have messed something up, but it's clearly a widespread ESD processing issue. The financial stress while waiting with zero communication from them is the worst part. I'm going to follow the advice here about checking spam folders and trying Claimyr if this goes on much longer. Hang in there - based on everyone's stories, it seems like most people eventually get through and receive all their back payments once the system finally processes their claim!
I'm currently experiencing this exact same issue - going on week 3 now with my WBA showing but every weekly claim stuck at $0 pending. Finding this thread has been such a relief because I was starting to think I had done something fundamentally wrong with my application! The lack of communication from ESD is honestly the most stressful part - you'd think they could at least send some kind of status update or estimated timeline. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to check my spam folder more thoroughly and look at the Notices tab separately. If this drags on another week or two, I'll definitely try Claimyr since so many people have had success getting through to an actual human that way. It's frustrating that we have to pay a third-party service just to get basic information about our own claims, but it sounds like it's worth it to avoid months of uncertainty. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know this is unfortunately "normal" right now even though the system is clearly broken!
You're absolutely right about the lack of communication being the worst part! I'm in week 4 of the same exact situation - WBA showing since the beginning but every claim stuck at $0 pending with no explanation. I was also convinced I had messed something up until I found this thread. It's both comforting and infuriating to see how many of us are dealing with this. I've been checking my spam folder and the Notices tab religiously now based on everyone's advice here. Definitely planning to try Claimyr next week if nothing changes - seems like that's the only reliable way to actually talk to someone who can see what's causing these delays. The financial stress of not knowing if or when payments will come is really taking a toll. At least we know from others' experiences that most people do eventually get approved and receive all the back payments, but this waiting game with zero communication is brutal!
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Final update: Got my determination letter today and I'm approved! Thanks everyone for the explanations and support. The whole process took exactly 3 weeks from filing to approval.
Yay! Now you can breathe easier knowing your benefits are coming.
Congrats! This gives me hope for my own determination that's still pending.
For those still waiting on their determination, I found it helpful to check my account online regularly through the Washington ESD website. Sometimes the status updates there before you get the letter in the mail. Also, make sure you respond quickly if they request any additional documents - that can speed up the process significantly.
This is really helpful advice! I didn't know the online status could update before the letter arrives. I've been checking my mail obsessively but should probably be looking at the website more often. How quickly did they usually want additional documents when you went through this process?
Yuki Kobayashi
As someone who just started working in Washington too, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I had the same confusion about seeing unemployment tax deducted from my paycheck. Coming from another state where employees don't contribute, it was definitely a surprise. Reading through all the responses, I feel much more confident about understanding how the system works here. The key takeaways for me are: the $70,200 wage base limit for 2025, the 0.4292% employee rate, and that most types of wages count (regular pay, overtime, bonuses). I'm also going to start keeping better track of my pay stubs like others have suggested - seems like having your own records is really important if any issues come up later with benefit calculations or wage reporting. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences!
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Connor O'Neill
•You've really captured all the essential points perfectly! It's great to see how this discussion has helped so many newcomers to Washington understand the unemployment system. One additional tip since you mentioned keeping pay stub records - I'd also recommend taking a screenshot or photo of your online pay portal periodically, not just keeping the physical stubs. Some companies only keep digital records accessible for a limited time, and having your own backup copies can be really valuable if you ever need to reference older pay periods. Welcome to Washington - sounds like you're already on the right track with staying informed about these important details!
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Ravi Malhotra
As someone who just moved to Washington from out of state, this thread has been incredibly valuable! I had no idea that employees actually contribute to unemployment insurance here - that was definitely a surprise on my first paycheck. The detailed breakdown everyone provided about the $70,200 wage base limit and 0.4292% rate really helps me understand what I'm seeing on my pay stub. I'm particularly grateful for the clarification that most types of wages count (regular pay, overtime, bonuses) since I do get occasional overtime. It's also reassuring to know that the system automatically stops deducting once you hit the annual limit. I'm definitely going to start keeping detailed records of my pay stubs after reading about the various issues people have encountered with wage reporting errors. Better to be prepared than deal with complications later if I ever need to file for benefits. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences - this community is such a great resource for navigating Washington's employment systems!
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Omar Hassan
•Welcome to Washington, Ravi! Your summary really captures all the key points perfectly. As another newcomer who went through the same confusion, I can definitely relate to that surprise of seeing unemployment deductions on your first paycheck! One thing I'd add that I learned from reading through this thread - if you're coming from another state where you worked earlier this year, those out-of-state wages don't count toward Washington's $70,200 limit, so you essentially start fresh here. Also, since you mentioned getting occasional overtime, just know that overtime is treated the same as regular wages for unemployment tax purposes, so it all counts toward that annual limit. The record-keeping advice is spot on - I wish I'd started doing that from day one instead of trying to piece things together later. This community really has been amazing for helping navigate all these Washington-specific employment details!
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