This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just got laid off from my tech job and received 10 weeks of severance. Based on everything I've read here, it sounds like I should file my unemployment claim immediately and just report the severance accurately each week. One thing I'm wondering about though - does the amount of severance affect how much my weekly unemployment benefit would be once the severance runs out? Or is that calculated solely based on my previous wages?

Just wanted to add my experience - I was in almost the exact same situation last year with a marketing layoff and severance. Filed my claim right away like everyone suggested, and it was the right move. One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed spreadsheet of my severance payments and which weeks they covered. Made the weekly claims much easier to fill out accurately. Also, don't stress too much about the job search requirements during severance - I used that time to really polish my resume and LinkedIn profile, which actually helped me land interviews faster once I was actively receiving benefits. The whole process is much smoother than it seems at first!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my claim about 2.5 weeks ago, shows "active" status, but haven't received any payments yet. Like everyone else here, my weekly claims all show "submitted" instead of "processed" - I had no idea that distinction even existed until reading this thread! The lack of transparency in the ESD system is honestly maddening when you're already stressed about money. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both reassuring (knowing I'm not alone) and frustrating (realizing how common this problem is). I'm definitely going to try the secure messaging approach through eServices that @Mateo Gonzalez mentioned - I've been banging my head against the wall trying to call with zero success. Also planning to contact my former employer tomorrow to see if they're sitting on some verification request from ESD. @Keisha Jackson - thank you so much for starting this thread! The collective wisdom here has been more helpful than anything on ESD's official website. It's incredible how we all have to figure this out together when the system should just work properly in the first place. I'll definitely report back on what I discover. Fingers crossed we all get our claims moving soon - the financial stress is real but at least now I have actual steps to take instead of just waiting helplessly! 🙏

I'm going through the exact same situation! Filed my claim about 2 weeks ago, shows "active" status but zero payments yet. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the "submitted" vs "processed" distinction for weekly claims until this thread. Just checked mine and they're all stuck on "submitted" too! The complete lack of transparency is what makes this so stressful. When you're already worried about finances, not knowing what's happening behind the scenes with your claim adds a whole extra layer of anxiety. But seeing how many people here have eventually gotten their issues resolved gives me hope. I'm definitely going to try both approaches that have worked for others - sending a secure message through eServices asking specifically about the processing delay, and calling my former employer to check if they received any verification requests from ESD they haven't responded to yet. Thanks @Keisha Jackson for starting this thread and to everyone who's shared their experiences and solutions! This community knowledge has been way more helpful than ESD's official resources. I'll report back on what I find out - hopefully we can all get our claims unstuck soon! 🤞

I'm scheduled for my WorkSource appointment next month and this whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea these appointments could actually be so valuable - I was honestly dreading it and figured it would just be some generic "here's how to write a resume" lecture. Reading about everyone's experiences, especially the success stories with actual job connections and industry-specific resources, has completely changed my perspective. I'm in the HVAC trade and have been out of work for about 6 weeks now. Based on what I'm seeing here, I should definitely: 1. Get my resume updated beforehand (even if it's not perfect) 2. Bring my certifications and licenses 3. Research what commercial and residential projects are happening locally 4. Ask specifically about their connections with HVAC contractors and mechanical companies 5. Treat it like a networking meeting rather than a chore The tip about asking for a counselor who specializes in construction/trades if the first one isn't knowledgeable is gold. And I had no idea about federal contracting opportunities - that could be huge since I have security clearance from my military days. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. This community has been such a lifeline during unemployment. Definitely bookmarking this thread to reference before my appointment!

I'm currently going through WorkSource appointments myself (just had my second follow-up last week) and wanted to share some insights that might help your husband prepare for Thursday. One thing that's made a huge difference in my experience is being specific about salary expectations and location preferences upfront. For construction management with 15+ years of experience, he should have clear numbers in mind - both his minimum acceptable salary and his ideal target. The counselors appreciate when you're realistic but also know your worth. Also, I'd suggest asking about their "hidden job market" - positions that employers share with WorkSource before posting publicly or jobs that are filled entirely through their referral system. In my field, about 30% of the opportunities my counselor has shown me never made it to regular job boards. One practical tip: if he has any gaps in his recent work history or concerns about age discrimination (not sure if that applies, but it's common in construction), the counselor can help strategize how to address those issues in applications and interviews. They deal with this stuff all the time and have good insights. The quality really does vary by location and individual counselor, but going in prepared with specific questions and a professional attitude makes a big difference. With his experience level, he's exactly the type of candidate they love to work with because they can actually make meaningful connections rather than just providing basic job search advice. Good luck on Thursday! I think you'll both be pleasantly surprised by how useful it can be.

This is such a common and stressful situation! I went through something similar a few months ago where my payment was delayed by almost a week. What helped me was creating a little checklist to work through systematically: 1) Check eServices payment history for any status changes, 2) Call your bank to see if they're holding the deposit, 3) Verify all your profile info (address, bank details) is current in the system, and 4) Check Washington ESD's website for any system maintenance announcements. In my case it ended up being a combination of a system update on their end plus my bank being extra cautious about a larger-than-usual deposit. The waiting is awful when you're counting on that money, but in most cases the payment does eventually come through. Hang in there!

I've been dealing with Washington ESD payment delays on and off for over a year now, and what I've learned is that persistence is key. When this happens, I always start by checking three things in this order: first, log into eServices and look at your payment history - not just the main dashboard but actually click into the payment details to see if there are any status codes or notes you might have missed. Second, if it shows as "paid" on their end, call your bank immediately - don't wait. Banks can hold ACH deposits for all sorts of reasons (address changes, new account activity, fraud prevention, etc.) and they can usually tell you right away if that's what's happening. Third, if your bank says they haven't received anything, then you know it's definitely a Washington ESD processing issue and you'll need to contact them directly. The Claimyr service mentioned earlier in this thread actually does work - I've used it twice when I absolutely needed to get through to an agent quickly. Yes it costs money, but when you're facing rent deadlines, sometimes it's worth it to avoid hours of busy signals. The key thing to remember is that these delays are usually temporary processing issues, not permanent problems with your claim. Stay calm and work through the steps systematically!

lot of people think theres something wrong with there claim BUT its nromal part of the process. ESD always says waiting for info when they checking with employer. just be patient and dont miss any weekly claims

UPDATE: My claim just got approved today! It took exactly 11 business days from when I first applied. Looks like my employer responded right at the end of their 10-day window. Thanks everyone for the advice and support!