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Just wanted to add my experience to help anyone still dealing with this! I was stuck in the login loop for almost 3 days and tried everything - different browsers, clearing cache, password resets, you name it. What finally worked was a tip I haven't seen mentioned yet: completely restart your computer before trying to log in. I know it sounds too simple, but after doing a full restart, logging out of all other accounts, using incognito mode, and trying at around 6:30 AM, I got right in on the first attempt. I think there might have been some cached authentication tokens or something that only a full restart cleared out. Also want to echo what others have said about ESD's terrible communication - a simple status page showing known issues would save everyone so much stress. This community has been amazing for sharing real solutions when ESD fails us!
That's a brilliant suggestion about the full computer restart! I never would have thought of that, but it makes total sense that there could be cached authentication tokens causing conflicts. I'm currently dealing with this same login loop nightmare and have tried most of the other solutions in this thread without success. Going to try your method tomorrow morning - restart computer, log out of everything, incognito mode, and hit the site around 6:30 AM. It's incredible how this community has crowdsourced more practical solutions than ESD has provided through their official channels. Thank you for sharing this additional troubleshooting step!
I'm currently going through this exact same login loop issue and this thread has been such a lifesaver! I've been stuck since yesterday and was starting to panic about missing my claim deadline. Reading through everyone's experiences has been so reassuring - knowing it's a widespread ESD system problem and not something wrong with my individual account. I'm planning to try the comprehensive approach that several people have mentioned: full computer restart, log out of all accounts, incognito mode, direct navigation to secure.esd.wa.gov, manual typing (no autofill), and attempting it early morning around 6:30 AM. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become IT troubleshooting experts just to access our unemployment benefits, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing real solutions when ESD's official communication is practically nonexistent. Will update if I have success with this method!
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Based on everything you've shared, here's what I recommend: 1. For simplicity, stick with your UI claim for reduced hours 2. When filing your weekly claim, report the 4 days you missed as "not able and available" (you won't get UI for those days) 3. Don't submit the PFML paperwork if it's just for those 4 days - the waiting period means you likely wouldn't receive benefits anyway 4. If you have more medical absences planned in the future, then PFML might be worth considering Just remember to always be truthful on your UI claims about days you weren't able to work due to medical issues. It's better to not receive benefits for a few days than to risk an overpayment determination later.
Thank you so much for breaking it down like this! I'm definitely going to follow your advice and stick with UI, marking those days as not able/available. It seems much simpler than trying to navigate two different benefit systems at once, especially since the PFML probably wouldn't pay out for such a short absence anyway. Really appreciate everyone's help!
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!
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Bottom line - budget around 2.7% of your first $71k per employee for Washington unemployment tax as a new business. It'll likely go down after a few years if you manage your workforce well and avoid frequent layoffs.
Perfect summary. This gives me exactly what I need for my business planning. Thanks everyone!
Good luck with your business growth! Managing payroll taxes gets easier once you get into a routine.
Just wanted to add that Washington ESD also offers online workshops for new employers that cover unemployment tax basics. I attended one last year when I was starting my business and it was really helpful for understanding the reporting requirements and deadlines. They usually have them monthly and they're free. You can find the schedule on their website under employer resources.
They did cover irregular payments! The instructor explained that for quarterly reporting, you include all wages paid during that quarter regardless of when they were earned. So if you pay a bonus in Q1 for Q4 performance, it gets reported in Q1. For irregular pay periods like bi-weekly that don't align perfectly with quarters, you just report whatever was actually paid out during those three months. They also mentioned that overtime, commissions, and bonuses all count toward the taxable wage base up to that $71,000 limit per employee. The key thing they emphasized was consistency - pick a method for handling these situations and stick with it across all your reports.
These workshops sound amazing! As someone who's completely new to running a business with employees, I really appreciate you sharing this resource. I've been trying to piece together information from various websites and forums, but having structured training from the actual agency would be so much more reliable. Do you remember if they provided any kind of checklist or timeline for new employers? Like when exactly you need to register, when your first reports are due, that sort of thing? I'm worried about missing important deadlines since everything seems to have different timing requirements.
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Thanks everyone for all this information! This thread has been super helpful. I feel much more confident about my situation now and know what documentation I need to gather. Time to start organizing everything before I make any decisions about my current job.
Good luck! Remember to document everything and try to resolve issues with your employer first if you're thinking about quitting for good cause.
And if you need to talk to ESD about your specific situation, don't waste weeks trying to call. Use claimyr.com to get through - it saved me so much time and stress.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is constructive dismissal - when working conditions become so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel forced to quit. This can include things like severe harassment that HR won't address, being given impossible tasks designed to make you fail, or significant retaliation after reporting safety issues. It's harder to prove than regular good cause, but Washington ESD will consider it if you have solid documentation showing the employer essentially forced you out.
This is really important info! I've been dealing with what feels like retaliation after I reported some safety concerns. My supervisor has been giving me impossible deadlines and excluding me from team meetings. How much documentation do you typically need to prove constructive dismissal?
Malik Jackson
I'm currently on week 9 of adjudication (filed December 20th) and honestly reading this thread makes me feel less alone but also more worried. My situation is a bit different - I was laid off from a tech startup that went under, but ESD is questioning whether I was actually an employee or a contractor because my final few months I was working reduced hours with some freelance-style projects mixed in. The most frustrating part is that I have ALL the documentation they could possibly need - W2s, pay stubs, employment contract, even emails from HR confirming my employee status. But apparently getting someone to actually LOOK at these documents is the impossible part. I've been surviving on credit cards and help from family, which I hate. Already had to defer my student loan payments and I'm behind on car insurance. @Brianna Schmidt - do you know if "employment classification" issues typically take longer or shorter than the separation issues? And has anyone had success uploading additional documentation through the online portal, or does it just disappear into the void? Really hoping we all see some movement soon. This system is beyond broken.
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Elijah Brown
•@Malik Jackson - Week 9 is brutal, I m'so sorry you re'dealing with this. Employment classification issues can actually take LONGER than separation issues unfortunately, because they often require review by specialized staff who determine worker classification. I ve'seen these cases take 10-14 weeks in some instances. For documentation - definitely keep uploading through the portal even if it feels like a void. The agents can see uploaded docs when they finally review your case, and having everything there can prevent additional delays. I d'also recommend sending copies via their secure message system with a clear subject line like URGENT: "Employment Classification Documentation - Claim #[your number] ."The fact that you have W2s and employment contracts should work strongly in your favor once someone actually reviews your file. These classification cases usually get resolved in the claimant s'favor when there s'clear documentation like yours. Hang in there - I know it s'easy to say but you re'closer to the end than the beginning at week 9.
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Elijah Jackson
I'm in week 4 of adjudication (filed January 21st) and this thread is both reassuring and terrifying. My situation is a "voluntary quit" that I'm disputing - I left due to unsafe working conditions and harassment that HR refused to address, but my employer is claiming it was just a standard resignation. The hardest part for me has been the financial anxiety. I saved up what I thought was enough for a few weeks of job searching, never imagining it could take 2-3 months to even get a decision. I've started picking up freelance writing gigs but I'm paranoid about reporting the income wrong and messing up my claim. @Brianna Schmidt - your breakdown of timelines by issue type is incredibly helpful. Do you know if "good cause" quit cases fall into the separation issue category with the 6-10 week timeline? And is there any advantage to having documentation of the harassment/unsafe conditions uploaded ahead of time? Really grateful for everyone sharing their experiences here. Makes me feel less like I'm going crazy dealing with this system alone.
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Kyle Wallace
•@Elijah Jackson - Good "cause quit" cases definitely fall into the separation issue category, so unfortunately you re'looking at that 6-10 week timeline. These cases can actually be on the longer end since ESD has to thoroughly investigate both your reasons for quitting and your employer s'version of events. Having your documentation uploaded ahead of time is absolutely an advantage! Upload everything you have - emails showing you reported the issues, any HR correspondence, photos of unsafe conditions, witness statements if you have them, medical records if the conditions affected your health, etc. The more documentation you have supporting your good "cause claim," the stronger your case will be. For the freelance income - just report exactly what you earned each week when you file your weekly claim. As long as you re'honest about the amounts, you should be fine. They ll'deduct a portion from your weekly benefit once it s'approved, but it won t'hurt your overall claim. Week 4 feels endless but you re'still early in the process. The harassment/unsafe conditions angle actually gives you a solid legal foundation if you have good documentation. Hang in there!
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