I've been dealing with ESD requirements for over a year and recruiter calls absolutely count as valid job search activities! Your 36-minute call is definitely substantial - anything over 15-20 minutes shows it was a real discussion about opportunities. I always log these as "Job Interview" activities and have never had issues. The fact that they contacted you first actually strengthens your case because it demonstrates you're an active, marketable candidate. Make sure to document: recruiter's name, company, contact info, date/duration, position discussed, and any next steps. I'd also recommend sending a thank you email to create a paper trail - it shows professionalism and gives you documentation if needed later. Keep detailed notes in a separate document since ESD's character limits are restrictive. I use something like: "Phone interview with [Name] from [Company] regarding [Position]. Discussed qualifications, company culture, next steps. 36 minutes." Just balance these with direct applications and other activity types. ESD likes seeing variety in your job search approach. Your situation sounds completely legitimate - don't overthink it!

I just went through this exact same situation a few weeks ago! Had a 40-minute call with a tech recruiter who reached out through LinkedIn about a software engineering role. I was nervous about logging it too, but I went ahead and put it down as "Job Interview" activity. Here's what I documented: - Recruiter's full name and company - Their phone number and LinkedIn profile - Date and exact duration (I started a timer when the call began) - The client company they were recruiting for - Specific role title and key requirements we discussed - Next steps they mentioned (they said they'd submit my resume to the hiring manager) I also sent a follow-up email thanking them for the call and reiterating my interest. This created a nice paper trail that I could reference if needed. No issues at all when I filed my weekly claim - it went through without any questions. The key is really just having solid documentation. Since your call was substantial (36 minutes is plenty) and they contacted you first, you should be totally fine. ESD recognizes that recruiting is a normal part of the modern job search process, especially in certain industries. Don't overthink it - just document everything well and you'll be good to go!

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I successfully submitted my Oregon claim and it looks like it went through. Still might contact Washington ESD later to double-check if I had any other options, but at least I have something in the system now.

Congratulations on getting your claim filed! Just wanted to add that you made the right choice filing in Oregon first. I work in HR and deal with these interstate situations regularly - the general rule is always file where you earned the wages, but there can be exceptions for military spouses, federal employees, or people who worked in multiple states during their base period. Since you had steady employment in Oregon for two years, that's definitely your liable state. Keep all your documentation from the Oregon filing in case you need it later, and don't worry too much about exploring Washington options unless Oregon runs into issues processing your claim.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm actually in a similar situation - had my baby in October 2023 and my partner is just now considering taking some PFML time. Reading through all these responses, I feel much more confident that we're still within the window. The confusion about the 30-day rule vs the 12-month rule seems really common. One thing I wanted to add for anyone else reading this - I found the Washington State PFML calculator on the ESD website really useful for figuring out how much the benefit would actually be. It helps you estimate your weekly benefit amount based on your income, which was crucial for us in planning our budget during leave. Just search "PFML benefit calculator" on the ESD site. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this kind of real-world advice is so much more helpful than trying to decode the official government pages!

I'm actually going through something similar right now! Had my baby in November 2023 and my husband is finally ready to take some PFML time. This thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was also totally confused by the 30-day rule and thought we'd missed our chance completely. One thing that might help you - I called the ESD PFML line yesterday morning around 7:45am (following the advice about calling early) and actually got through in about 20 minutes! The representative confirmed everything that's been shared here - you have 12 months from birth to start the leave, then 30 days from the first day of leave to file the claim. She also mentioned that they're seeing a lot of families taking leave later in that first year, especially dads who initially weren't planning to take time off. The rep also told me that if your husband's employer participates in the voluntary plan (some larger companies do), the process might be slightly different, so definitely check with HR about that too. Good luck with everything - sounds like you're definitely still in good shape timing-wise!

I'm going through something similar right now - been in adjudication for 5 weeks and getting really anxious about finances. One thing that helped me was calling the ESD customer service line early in the morning (around 8:15am) and asking specifically about my case status. The agent was able to tell me that my former employer hadn't responded to their inquiry yet, which at least gave me some clarity on why it was taking so long. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're checking your ESD messages every single day. Sometimes they'll request additional info and if you miss it, that can add weeks to the process. I almost missed a request for my separation paperwork because it got buried in my account. Hang in there - I know the financial stress is overwhelming but you're doing everything right by continuing to file weekly and job search. Have you looked into food banks in your area? That helped me stretch my budget while waiting.

I'm in week 6 of adjudication myself and totally understand the panic you're feeling right now. The financial stress is absolutely brutal when you don't know when (or if) the money will come through. From what I've learned lurking in this community and talking to people at WorkSource, the 8-week timeline is definitely from when adjudication starts, not from your initial filing date. But honestly, it seems like it's more of a rough estimate than a hard deadline - I've seen people get resolved faster and others wait much longer. A few things that have helped me cope while waiting: I started doing gig work (DoorDash, Instacart) just to bring in SOMETHING, even though it's not much. You still report the earnings on your weekly claims but at least it's gas money and grocery money. Also seconding the 211 suggestion - they connected me with a local program that helped cover my electric bill last month. The waiting is the absolute worst part because you feel so helpless. But you're doing everything right by filing weekly and job searching. Keep documenting everything and don't give up on calling - eventually you'll get through to someone who can give you actual answers about your specific case.

Quick question - if I exhaust my 26 weeks and then work for a few months at a new job but get laid off again, can I file a new claim?

This has been really helpful everyone. Sounds like the bottom line is: 26 weeks maximum, no current extensions available, use them wisely, and start job searching immediately. I feel much more prepared now to make the most of my claim period.