If you need immediate financial assistance while waiting, you might qualify for a hardship payment if you explain it's related to military relocation. Call the ESD specialist line (different from the regular number) and specifically ask about hardship provisions for military families. Not everyone knows about this option, but it exists. And definitely follow up on your appeal status - sometimes they can expedite if you explain the financial strain.

The military specialist line is 800-318-6022, but honestly it's just as hard to get through on that line as the main one. That's why I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with them. Once I got an actual person on the phone and explained my military hardship situation, they were able to flag my case. Just be prepared with all your documentation - they'll want your spouse's orders, your resignation letter, and your case ID number.

My hearing is next month for something similar. Anyone know if these hearings are still being done by phone because of COVID or are they in-person now? The notice wasn't clear.

Update: I finally managed to get through to someone at ESD! Turns out my employer also submitted some email exchanges showing they had verbally warned me about inventory issues before the written warning. This makes my case harder, but at least now I can prepare better for the hearing. Thanks for all the advice everyone.

make sure he dosent forget to file on time when he starts again! if he misses the week after getting laid off again he might have to call them to reactivate and thats a huge pain

By the way, I'm pretty sure he'll need to report which union hall he's registered with. I think there's a specific part in the weekly claim for that. It's been a few months since I had to do this but I remember you have to put your local number somewhere.

I experienced this frustration with ESD last year. If you're certain your husband won't need to claim additional benefits, you can ignore the notice. However, if there's any chance he might need unemployment again soon, it's better to submit the application even if it's late. The most important thing is getting clarity directly from ESD about your specific situation. I struggled for weeks trying to reach someone until I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get through to an ESD representative in under 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Definitely worth it to get an official answer about your specific situation.

For clarity on the technical aspects of your question: 1. If your husband has exhausted his benefits (used all available funds) AND is not seeking additional unemployment compensation, there is no requirement to respond to the reapplication notice. 2. The notice you received is about the end of the benefit year (the 52-week period from when he first applied), not about the exhaustion of funds. 3. If he's now employed, there's even less reason to respond to the notice. 4. If he might need unemployment again within the next few months, filing a new application now might actually complicate things, as he would need to report his new employment income. 5. The only possible consequence of not responding would be if he was still attempting to claim weekly benefits while having an exhausted claim. Since that's not your situation, you should be fine.

One more important thing - when your daughter has her appeal hearing (which will likely be by phone), she should: 1. Be very organized with dates and facts 2. Speak clearly and calmly 3. Answer only what is asked, don't volunteer extra information 4. If she doesn't know something, just say "I don't know" rather than guessing 5. Explain simply that it was a mistake clicking the wrong box, not an attempt to claim benefits inappropriately The Administrative Law Judges generally understand honest mistakes happen, especially with the confusing weekly claim questions.

The whole system is ridiculous. ESD makes their questions intentionally confusing so people make mistakes, then punishes them for honest errors. I've seen so many cases where people check the wrong box accidentally and then get hit with "fraud" accusations. Why don't they have a simple verification process before jumping straight to denial and overpayment?! It's not like retirement income is a secret - they could easily verify this information with other government agencies! The entire UI system is designed to deny benefits rather than help people who actually need assistance.

do u still get the same amount of money with training benefits as regular unemployment?? and do they pay for the school too or just the weekly benefits??

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! I've scheduled an appointment with a WorkSource career counselor for next week to discuss my options. I'm going to research vet tech and animal shelter management programs in my area before the meeting. I had no idea there were so many considerations with Training Benefits, so I'm really glad I asked here first before making any decisions. I'll update once I learn more about which programs are approved and if I qualify!

To answer your follow-up question: Yes, job search requirements begin immediately with your first weekly claim. You need to complete and document at least 3 job search activities each week. Regarding getting your benefits quickly after approval: If your case is straightforward (position elimination clearly documented), you could see benefits within 2-3 weeks of filing. However, if your claim goes to adjudication for any reason, it could take 6-8 weeks or longer. One more tip: Make sure your employer uses the correct separation code when reporting to ESD. For position elimination due to business sale, it should be coded as a lack of work/layoff situation, not a voluntary quit or termination. This single detail can make the difference between a smooth claim and months of fighting the system.

btw when u file online it asks for a whole bunch of past employers and pay stubs and stuff so get that ready b4 u start the application. took me like 2 hours to finish everything

Just to update you - I checked the most current ESD guidelines, and for 2025, family employment exclusions only apply to certain business structures:\n\n1. Sole proprietorships: Employment of spouses, parents, or children under 18 may be excluded\n2. Partnerships: Employment of partners or their spouses, parents, or children under 18 may be excluded\n3. LLCs and Corporations: Family relationships generally don't matter - employees are employees\n\nSo if your brother's construction company is an LLC or corporation, you should be fine. If it's a sole proprietorship or partnership, there could be issues. You can find this in the ESD Employer Handbook on their website.

That's really helpful! His business is an LLC, so sounds like I should be eligible. I'm going to go ahead and apply today. Thanks everyone for all the advice!

just to share my experience - my claim was denied because I quit "voluntarily" even though it was for childcare. ESD said I should have "explored all other options" first. The appeal took FOREVER and I still got denied! The system is totally rigged against parents who need to care for sick kids!!!! Ugh so frustrating.

Update: I tried the Claimyr service mentioned above and actually got through to ESD! The agent said I should formally request accommodation from my employer in writing first (asking for a temporary leave or shift change) and keep their response. She said I should continue working part-time while the first adjudication resolves if possible. If I absolutely need to quit, I should get detailed medical documentation showing why my daughter needs care during my current work hours specifically. She also suggested applying for Standby status with a specific return-to-work date when my daughter's treatment schedule changes. Thanks everyone for your help!

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know I was able to file my weekly claim online through my eServices account with no problems! The site is working fine even though the phone system is still glitchy. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

this reminds me of when my claim got stuck for 3 weeks last year because of some computer error on their end... had to drive all the way to the worksource office just to get someone to help me because the phone system kept saying my social security number was invalid even though i'd been claiming for months with no problems before that.... anyway hope you got it fixed