Just finished my training program last month and got hired as a medical assistant. The whole process was worth it even though dealing with Washington ESD was frustrating at times. Stick with it!

I went through the training benefits process about 2 years ago for a nursing program and wanted to share some tips that might help. First, when you call Washington ESD, ask specifically for the "Training Benefits Unit" - don't let them transfer you around to general customer service. Second, have your school acceptance letter and program details ready before you apply. They'll want to know exact start dates, program length, and total costs upfront. Also, if you're considering healthcare, look into programs that have clinical rotations - Washington ESD views these as more likely to lead to employment. The whole process took about 8 weeks for me from application to approval, but it was absolutely worth it. I'm now making $28/hour as an RN compared to the $12/hour I was making in retail before. Don't get discouraged by the bureaucracy - it really can change your life!

Update for anyone still following - I finally got through to Washington ESD and confirmed that I have been paying voluntary contributions through my business. Going to start the application process this week.

Just wanted to add that if you're self-employed and considering applying, make sure you understand the base period requirements. Washington ESD looks at your earnings from 5 quarters ago, not your most recent income. So even if your business just failed recently, they'll be calculating benefits based on what you earned over a year ago. This caught me off guard when I applied - I thought they'd use my recent high-earning quarters, but the system doesn't work that way. It's worth checking what your base period earnings look like before you invest time in the application process.

Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm currently in week 3 of a "pending" status after my employer contested my layoff claim (they're saying I was fired for misconduct when I was actually part of a reduction in force). I filed my appeal 10 days ago with HR emails showing the RIF announcement and my termination letter clearly stating "layoff due to business needs." Seeing @Toot-n-Mighty's success story and all the helpful advice from @DeShawn Washington and @Aiden O'Connor about checking correspondence daily has really helped me understand what to expect. I've been religiously checking my eServices account and just found a questionnaire that was posted yesterday asking for more details about my job duties and the circumstances of my separation. The timeline variations are definitely nerve-wracking - from @Mei-Ling Chen's 3 weeks to @Sofía Rodríguez's 4+ months - but it seems like having solid documentation really makes a difference. Thanks to this community for sharing so much valuable information. It's made navigating this confusing system so much more manageable!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been going through a very similar situation - my employer is claiming I resigned when I was actually laid off as part of company-wide cost cutting measures. My status has been "disqualified" for the past 6 weeks, but after reading everyone's experiences here, I'm feeling more hopeful about filing an appeal. @Toot-n-Mighty, congratulations on getting your appeal approved! Your success story is exactly what I needed to hear. I have emails from management about the layoffs and my termination paperwork clearly states "position eliminated due to budget constraints," so hopefully that documentation will help my case like it did for others here. The advice about checking the correspondence tab daily and continuing to file weekly claims is so valuable. I had no idea about some of these nuances of the system. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community has already been incredibly helpful in understanding what to expect from this process!

I work in career services and see this issue frequently. Another point to emphasize is that your class is actually enhancing your employability, not restricting it. Many judges recognize that responsible claimants use periods of unemployment to improve their skills. Make that connection clear without making it sound like the class is your priority.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just had my hearing last week for a similar denial - I was taking one online business class while job hunting. What really helped me was being super clear that I view the class as professional development, not a barrier to work. I brought a letter I wrote stating I would immediately withdraw from the class if any job conflicted with it, plus my entire job search log showing I'd applied to 47 jobs in 6 weeks. The judge asked me point blank "If you got a job offer tomorrow that required you to start during your class time, what would you do?" I said without hesitation "I would accept the job and drop the class immediately - I need income and employment is my absolute priority." Still waiting for the written decision but the judge seemed satisfied with my answers. The whole hearing took about 25 minutes. Stay confident and make it crystal clear that school comes second to any work opportunity. You've got this!

I'm a former Washington ESD employee and I can tell you that the investigation process is thorough but fair. If you made honest mistakes, especially if you self-report them, they'll work with you. But if they find evidence of intentional deception, they throw the book at you. The fraud detection algorithms are pretty sophisticated now and catch most unreported income within 6-12 months.

Update us on how it goes! I'm sure other people are in similar situations and would benefit from hearing about your experience with the voluntary disclosure process.