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The key is filing your weekly claim early on Sunday. Don't wait until Sunday night because sometimes the system is slow or down for maintenance.
Bottom line - file by Sunday, expect payment Wednesday. Pretty much guaranteed unless there's a holiday or technical issue. Washington ESD is actually pretty reliable with the payment timing even if everything else about the system is frustrating.
Does anyone know if there's a way to get a breakdown of exactly how they calculated your benefit? My monetary determination just shows the final amount but not the math behind it.
Good luck with that. I mentioned earlier I've been trying for weeks. That Claimyr service someone mentioned might be worth checking out if you get frustrated with the phone lines.
One last tip - keep all your pay stubs and tax documents from the base period in case there are any discrepancies. I had to provide proof of wages when Washington ESD couldn't verify some of my employment history. Having the documentation ready made the whole process much smoother.
Bottom line: pregnancy itself doesn't disqualify you from unemployment benefits in Washington. File your claim, be honest about your situation, actively look for work, and follow all the regular requirements. Good luck with both the job search and the baby!
One last tip - if you do need to call Washington ESD for any reason and can't get through, I also had success with that Claimyr service. They really do help you skip the long wait times and connect with an actual person who can answer your specific questions about pregnancy and unemployment eligibility.
One thing nobody mentioned - if your furlough is due to seasonal slowdown or something predictable, that might be treated differently than an unexpected furlough due to business conditions. Not sure of the exact rules but might be worth asking about.
The Washington ESD website has gotten better but it's still confusing AF. When I was furloughed I spent hours trying to figure out if I was doing everything right. Definitely file though - worst case they say no, but you'll probably be approved.
The Boss
I'm curious what the actual fraud detection rate is. Like how many investigations result in actual fraud findings versus false alarms. Anyone know those statistics? Seems like most cases I hear about end up being misunderstandings or computer errors.
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Evan Kalinowski
•I don't have exact numbers but anecdotally, it seems like the majority of investigations don't result in fraud findings.
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Victoria Charity
•The system is designed to flag anything suspicious, so there are probably way more false positives than actual fraud cases.
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Jasmine Quinn
Final advice from someone who's been through this - document everything! Save copies of the fraud letter, any correspondence, your weekly claim confirmations, work records, everything. If you do need to appeal or dispute their findings later, having a paper trail is crucial. Also, if you do manage to talk to someone at Washington ESD (through Claimyr or otherwise), get their name and write down what they told you.
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Aria Park
•Great advice about documentation. I'll start a file with everything related to this investigation. Hopefully I won't need it but better safe than sorry.
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Jasmine Quinn
•Exactly. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Good luck with everything!
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