One last tip - keep good records of your unemployment payments throughout the year. Don't wait until tax time to figure out how much you received. Makes filing much easier.

This is such helpful information! I'm in a similar situation - just started collecting benefits and was completely confused about the tax implications. I had no idea unemployment was fully taxable income. Based on all the advice here, I'm definitely going to elect the 10% federal withholding right away. Better to have less in my weekly payments than get surprised with a huge tax bill next year. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's really eye-opening to hear how much some people ended up owing when they didn't withhold taxes.

Just checking back - were you able to resolve this? If you're still having trouble, one other thing to try is to visit your local WorkSource office in person. They sometimes can help connect you directly with ESD or at least give you more specific guidance based on your situation.

That's awesome that you got it resolved so quickly with Claimyr! I'm dealing with a similar issue right now - been trying to get through to ESD for days with no luck. Going to give Claimyr a try based on your recommendation. It's so frustrating how these technical glitches on their end can hold up people's benefits when they need them most. Glad you didn't have to wait weeks for a response to your email!

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice! I took several of your suggestions - kept detailed records of all my call attempts, continued filing weekly claims, and finally used Claimyr to connect with an ESD agent yesterday. The agent confirmed my employer hadn't responded within the timeframe, and they're moving my claim forward! The status has already changed from 'pending employer response' to 'processing' this morning. Such a relief! I'll update again when/if the payments actually come through.

I'm going through something similar right now - my claim has been pending for 2 weeks waiting for employer response. Reading through all these comments is both reassuring and frustrating at the same time! It's crazy that so many people have dealt with this exact issue. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service that @Zane Hernandez mentioned since calling ESD directly seems impossible. Also really appreciate the tip about documenting everything - I hadn't thought to keep a log of my call attempts but I'll start doing that now. Thanks for sharing your experience Aurora, and glad to hear your claim is finally moving forward!

I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare! My claim has been pending since early February and I've called probably 200+ times at this point. The system is absolutely broken. What's really frustrating is that I know people who need help are just giving up because it's so impossible to reach anyone. I tried the Claimyr service someone mentioned and it did help me get through once, but the agent said there was a "system glitch" with my claim and they couldn't fix it over the phone - told me I'd get a callback within 48 hours. That was 10 days ago. I'm going to try the WorkSource suggestion and also reach out to my state representative like Ella mentioned. We shouldn't have to jump through this many hoops just to get the unemployment benefits we're entitled to!

I'm in the exact same boat - been trying to reach ESD for over a month now with zero success. My claim has been stuck since mid-January and I'm getting really worried about my finances. I've tried all the usual advice (calling right at 8am, different times of day, etc.) but nothing works. Reading through these comments gives me some hope though! I'm definitely going to try Brianna's method with the 3-1-2-4 menu sequence and entering SSN slowly - that sounds like it might actually work. Also going to look into the WorkSource option since I have one nearby. It's so frustrating that we have to become detective-level experts just to access our own benefits, but I appreciate everyone sharing what's worked for them. We really need to stick together and help each other navigate this broken system!

I'm going through this exact situation right now! My PFMLA ends in 5 days and my employer just informed me that my position was eliminated due to "business restructuring" while I was on leave. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like the consensus is that I can transition directly from PFMLA to unemployment without a waiting period, which is a huge relief. I'm already gathering my documentation (medical clearance letter and the elimination notice from HR) and plan to submit my UI application the day after my PFMLA benefits end. One question for those who have been through this - should I mention in my application that I was on PFMLA, or just focus on the fact that my job was eliminated? I want to be transparent but also don't want to create any unnecessary complications if the systems don't communicate well with each other.

I went through this exact transition about 6 months ago and wanted to share what worked for me. You absolutely CAN go directly from PFMLA to unemployment - there's no waiting period required. The most important thing is to have your medical clearance documentation ready before you apply. I made the mistake of applying before getting my doctor's official "return to work" letter and my claim got flagged for review, which delayed everything by about 3 weeks. When you fill out the application, be very specific about your job separation reason - select "laid off due to lack of work" or similar, and in the comments section clearly explain that your position was eliminated while you were on approved medical leave. I also attached a copy of the notification from my employer about the position elimination. One more tip: start documenting your job search activities immediately, even while your claim is still being processed. ESD requires 3 job search contacts per week, and they can ask for documentation going back to your claim start date. I used a simple spreadsheet to track company names, positions applied for, dates, and contact methods. The whole process took about 10 days from application to first payment for me. Good luck - you've got this!