anyone else notice that ESD seems to process claims faster when you contact the governor? its like they only do their job when someone important is watching lololol

UPDATE: You guys were right! Just got my determination letter this morning - APPROVED!! The letter says payment will be processed within 48 hours. So that's 3 business days from interview to determination. Thank you all for helping me keep my sanity during this wait!

wait do we HAVE to do those worksource workshops??? i haven't done any and ive been on unemployment for 2 months! nobody told me this was required! am i gonna lose my benefits now??

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - even though this is a common scenario, it's still important to be proactive. Continue filing your weekly claims, and consider contacting ESD for status updates. If this drags on longer than 2 weeks, you might want to reach out to your state representative's office as they sometimes can help expedite unemployment issues. And remember that having documentation of your rescheduled appointment and completion is crucial. Most WorkSource appointments that are properly rescheduled and completed shouldn't cause benefit denials.

I think you should give it at least a week before following up again. From what I've seen, once your claim actually gets sent to adjudication and is in the queue, calling repeatedly doesn't speed things up and might just annoy the staff (which never helps). But definitely keep filing your weekly claims! And check your online account daily for any notices or requests for information. Once it gets assigned to an actual adjudicator, things usually move pretty quickly.

Quick update request - it's been about a week since your governor's office escalation. Has there been any movement on your claim? Sometimes these escalations create a ripple effect where things suddenly start moving quickly.

when you got the OAH attorney did you have to pay them anything upfront? or do they take a percentage of your benefits? trying to figure out if i can afford to appeal

Just want to add some context that might help others: The success rate for appeals with legal representation is significantly higher than those without. According to OAH statistics from 2024, claimants with representation won approximately 67% of their appeals, compared to only 41% for those representing themselves. If you're denied representation through OAH for some reason, there are also nonprofit legal aid organizations like the Unemployment Law Project that can help. They specialize in unemployment cases and work on a sliding scale basis. Also worth noting that the appeal needs to be filed within 30 days of the date on your determination letter (not the date you received it). If you're close to that deadline, you can file a basic appeal immediately just stating you disagree with the determination, then submit additional documentation later.

have u tried hitting different numbers when the recording starts? sometimes if u press like 2 or 4 it takes u to different menus. also i found that calling around 10:30 sometimes works better than first thing in morning when everyone is calling

Just as an update for everyone - I checked the ESD website this morning and they've posted a service alert about unusually high call volumes due to a new claim system update. They're recommending people use the eServices portal for most issues right now. For adjudication cases that are over 4 weeks old like yours, they've added a special form in the eServices portal under "More Services" then "Submit Documents" where you can request an expedited review. That might be faster than continuing to call.

my brother had something similar happen last year and what worked for him was gathering all his job search proof and writing a super detailed letter explaining exactly why he missed the deadline and proof he did everything right. the judge ended up being really understanding when they saw all the documentation. don't just say "i did the job searches" - PROVE it with screenshots, emails, names, everything you can find.

Just a heads up - even if you start an appeal process, they might still send the overpayment to collections if you don't set up a repayment plan in the meantime. They did that to me without warning and it damaged my credit score. The whole system is rigged against us!

Just thought of something else - if you do get laid off from this LLC job, make sure they don't report it as a "quit" to ESD. I've seen employers do this to avoid their unemployment insurance rates going up. If they incorrectly report your separation as voluntary when you're actually being laid off, you'll end up in adjudication hell for weeks or months. Get EVERYTHING in writing. Email confirmation about the layoff, specific wording about work shortage or whatever the reason is. Trust me on this one! 😫

One additional note based on your situation: Since you mentioned the LLC might call you back in a few months, you might qualify for "standby" status when you reopen your claim. Standby means you can receive benefits without having to do the usual job search activities because you're expected to return to your employer. For standby, you generally need: 1. A definite return-to-work date (within 8 weeks, though there are exceptions) 2. Written verification from your employer 3. A history of working for this employer (which you now have) Standby status is much easier than regular unemployment since you don't have to do and document the 3 job searches per week. Worth asking about when you speak with ESD.

Is your husband on regular UI or on some special program? Sometimes the requirements are different. Also make sure he's answering all the job search questions correctly - I think you need to report 3 job search activities each week now. If he missed answering one of those questions on the phone, it might be why the system is acting weird.

Just following up - did the website update for you? Sometimes it takes until the next business day for everything to sync properly in their system.

what happens with ur fmla? is it paid or unpaid? cuz if unpaid maybe u shud keep unemployment?? jus curious

Update: I called ESD this morning and they confirmed what most of you said. I don't need to formally cancel anything, just don't file weekly claims. The representative did make a note in my file about the FMLA situation, which she said would help if I need to reactivate my claim later. Thanks everyone for your help!

same thing happened to me last month! "failure to report earnings" but i had zero income during pandemic! turns out they had me confused with someone with similar name who was working at amazon. took 3 appeals but finally got it fixed. check your quarterly wage reports in your eServices account - might show incorrect employer info if thats whats happening. def appeal this!

To address your tax refund question specifically: Yes, both federal and state tax refunds can be intercepted for ESD overpayments. For federal refunds, it goes through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP). For state refunds, it's handled directly by Washington Department of Revenue. However, if you file an appeal or waiver request, they may place a temporary hold on collection activities including tax intercepts. Make sure you request this specifically when you file your appeal.