I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim in mid-February after being let go from my restaurant job (they said it was due to "restructuring") and every single weekly claim has been showing "disqualified" for the past 6 weeks. Just like everyone else here, I got my monetary determination letter within days but then absolutely nothing else from ESD. What's really scary after reading all these responses is realizing there could be some issue they need me to address - maybe my former employer is contesting it, maybe there's a questionnaire I never received, maybe the system randomly flagged something - and I'd have zero way of knowing because their notification system is clearly completely broken. I've been religiously checking my eServices account and there's literally nothing there indicating any problems. No pending issues, no messages, no documents needed - just weeks and weeks of "disqualified" status with no explanation whatsoever. I'm definitely going to try the 8 AM calling strategy everyone's mentioned here. It sounds like that's literally our only option to get real answers about what's happening with our claims. The fact that we have to fight this hard just to get basic information about our own unemployment benefits is absolutely insane, but at least it's reassuring to know from everyone's experiences that once you actually reach a human being, these mysterious issues usually get resolved pretty quickly and the back pay does come through. Thanks for posting this - it really helps to know so many of us are stuck in the same frustrating limbo!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim in late February after being laid off from my manufacturing job and every single weekly claim has shown "disqualified" for over 5 weeks now. Just like you, I received my monetary determination letter quickly but then complete silence from ESD. Reading through all these responses has been eye-opening - it's both reassuring to know this is a widespread issue and absolutely terrifying to realize there could be hidden problems (employer contests, missing questionnaires, system flags) that we'd never know about because their notification system is clearly broken. I've been checking eServices constantly and there's literally nothing there - no pending issues, no messages, no alerts. Just week after week of "disqualified" with zero explanation. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm definitely going to try the 8 AM calling strategy tomorrow. It sounds like that's really our only shot at getting real answers. The fact that we have to fight this hard just to find out basic information about our own claims is ridiculous, but at least it's encouraging to hear that once people actually reach an agent, these issues usually get resolved and the back pay comes through. Thanks for posting this - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this impossible system!

Bottom line - file now, be honest about the severance, keep up with weekly claims, and don't stress too much about it. The system handles this situation all the time.

Thanks for sharing your situation - it's really helpful to see all the detailed responses from people who've been through this exact process. I'm actually in a similar boat with my severance ending in about 6 weeks, so this thread is perfectly timed for me. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone dealt with Washington ESD asking for additional documentation after filing? I want to make sure I have everything ready upfront rather than scrambling later when my severance runs out.

One last tip - if you're also receiving any other types of benefits or income while on unemployment, make sure you understand the tax implications of those too. Things like part-time work, freelance income, or other government benefits might affect your overall tax situation.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr mention earlier - I actually used them last month when I needed to change my tax withholding election and couldn't get through to Washington ESD. Worked exactly like they show in their demo video. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get things sorted out.

Just to wrap this up with the key points: 1) Reduced hours due to lack of work = likely eligible, 2) Report all earnings honestly on weekly claims, 3) Keep doing job searches, 4) File every week even if you think you won't get paid, 5) Keep good records. The system is designed to help people in exactly your situation, so don't hesitate to use it.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also check if your employer offers any work-sharing programs before filing for partial unemployment. Some companies in Washington participate in SharedWork programs where they can reduce everyone's hours instead of laying people off, and the state supplements your reduced wages. It might be worth asking your manager about this option - it could benefit both you and your coworkers who are also dealing with reduced hours. If that's not available, then definitely go ahead with the partial unemployment claim as everyone else has suggested!

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble with the online application or need to check your claim status, Washington ESD also has a mobile app that can be easier to use than the website sometimes. Also, make sure you keep copies of everything you submit - I learned that lesson when they asked me to resubmit documents I thought they already had. Good luck with your claim!

One more thing to keep in mind - if you receive any severance pay, that might affect when your benefits start. Washington ESD considers severance as wages, so depending on how it's structured, you might have a delay before benefits kick in. I had a friend who got 4 weeks severance and couldn't collect unemployment until after that period ended. Just something to check on if you're getting any kind of separation package from your tech company.