Just remember that getting a nonmon determination doesn't automatically mean bad news. It's just ESD doing their due diligence to verify eligibility. Stay positive and respond appropriately.

I went through a similar nonmon determination situation last year and it was really stressful at first. Mine ended up being about whether I was actively searching for work during a specific week. The key thing is to read the letter very carefully - it should specify exactly what type of determination it is and what they need from you. Don't panic! Most of these get resolved quickly once you provide the requested information. Make sure you respond before the deadline and keep copies of everything you submit. If you need to talk to someone at ESD about it, that Claimyr service people mentioned might be worth trying since the regular phone lines are nearly impossible to get through on.

anybody else notice that esd's website always says their gonna make a decision in like 2-3 weeks but it ALWAYS takes longer lol

Just wanted to update everyone - I'm now at week 3 and still waiting! My claim status finally changed from "pending" to "under review" yesterday, so maybe that's progress? I tried the Claimyr service that Diego mentioned and actually got through to an ESD agent today. She confirmed that my employer never responded to their request, but said there's now an "adjudication backlog" that could add another 1-2 weeks. At least I know what's happening now instead of just wondering. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice - I'll keep filing my weekly claims and hopefully this gets resolved soon!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got laid off in June and expecting a severance/bonus combo payment next month. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One question I haven't seen addressed yet: does the timing of when you actually RECEIVE the payment matter for reporting purposes? Like if the payment is dated for a Friday but doesn't hit my bank account until the following Monday, which week should I report it on? I want to make sure I'm reporting it on the correct weekly claim to avoid any issues. Also, has anyone had experience with ESD asking for bank statements to verify when you actually received the funds vs when they were issued?

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! The key thing to remember is that ESD will likely put your claim on hold temporarily to review the lump sum payment, so don't panic when that happens. When I reported my severance + bonus combo (mine was about $9k total), they sent me a questionnaire asking me to break down exactly what each payment was for. I had to provide my final paystub and a letter from HR detailing the severance terms vs the bonus calculation. The whole review process took about 3 weeks, but once they sorted it out, my benefits resumed normally. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even during the review period - don't stop filing just because your benefits are on hold or reduced to zero. That was the mistake I almost made!

Thanks everyone for all the input! This has been really helpful. I think I'm going to take the severance package and file for unemployment right after my last day. I'll make sure to document everything and be completely honest about the circumstances on my application. Fingers crossed Washington ESD sees it as involuntary separation!

I went through this exact situation in Washington about 6 months ago. The key thing that helped my case was getting a letter from HR stating that the severance was offered as part of a "workforce reduction program" rather than just calling it voluntary separation. Even though I chose to take the package, Washington ESD approved my claim because they recognized it was essentially a layoff with the option to take severance or wait to be terminated. I'd suggest asking your HR department for documentation that clearly states this is related to company downsizing/layoffs, not just a voluntary departure program. That documentation made all the difference for me.

Update us when you figure out what caused the adjudication. One other thing worth knowing: adjudication time frames have increased lately. ESD's current estimate is 3-6 weeks for resolution, though it can be shorter if your issue is simple. While waiting, make sure you continue to file weekly claims by the deadlines - if you're eventually approved, you'll receive back payments for all eligible weeks you claimed.

That's great news that you finally got some answers! It's amazing how much stress gets lifted when you at least know what's causing the delay. The employer not providing a return date initially makes total sense - that's probably one of the most common causes of adjudication for standby claims. 7-10 business days is way better than the horror stories some people have shared here. Definitely keep filing those weekly claims like the agent said. Once this gets resolved, you should get all that back pay at once. Thanks for sharing the Claimyr recommendation too - sounds like it really works for getting through to ESD when you're stuck.