I'm also dealing with a similar international unemployment situation right now! Got laid off from my Seattle-based remote job while visiting family in the UK (I have British citizenship through my parents). Filed my claim about 4 weeks ago and it's been in adjudication ever since. What's been most helpful for me is staying super organized with documentation. I created a folder with my British passport, a detailed letter explaining my work authorization and availability for US employment, screenshots of job applications to both US and UK companies, and even flight search results showing I could return to the US within 48 hours if needed for an in-person interview. The financial stress during this waiting period is brutal, but I keep reminding myself that the 2023 rule change was specifically designed to help people in situations like ours. I've been focusing heavily on US remote job applications since that seems to be what ESD wants to see for "availability" purposes. One thing I learned from calling the general ESD line (after many attempts) is that they can see when you upload documents to your account, and it does get flagged for the adjudicator. So definitely keep adding anything that supports your case! Hang in there - sounds like you're doing everything right and the rule should be on your side. This process is just painfully slow unfortunately.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Got laid off from my remote job at a Vancouver, WA company while visiting my girlfriend's family in Japan (I have a Japanese work visa). Filed my claim about 2 weeks ago and it went straight into adjudication when they detected my overseas IP address. The uncertainty is really getting to me, especially reading about 6-8 week wait times. I've been religiously documenting my job search activities and uploaded my work visa documentation, but the financial stress while waiting is intense. What's interesting is that I've actually had more interview opportunities applying to US-based remote positions than I did when I was physically in Washington. Makes me feel more confident about proving my "availability" for US work, even from abroad. I've been following this thread closely and really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences. It's comforting to know I'm not alone in this situation, even though the waiting game is brutal. The 2023 rule change gives me hope, but man, the processing times are rough when you're already dealing with job loss stress. Keep us posted on how your case progresses - I think we're all rooting for each other here!

Don't give up hope! I was in your exact situation about 8 months ago. Here's what saved me: I immediately enrolled in a medical coding certification program through my local community college that was approved for Worker Retraining benefits. Not only did I get to continue receiving unemployment payments while training, but the program was completely free except for textbooks (about $200 total). The certification took 6 months and I found a remote job within 2 weeks of completing it. The key is acting fast - you need to get enrolled and get your Training Benefits approved BEFORE your regular UI runs out. Contact both WorkSource and your community college's financial aid office this week. They can walk you through which programs qualify and help you apply for everything at once. Even if you're not sure what field you want to train in, they have career counselors who can help match your skills to in-demand jobs in your area. Also, while you're getting that sorted out, definitely apply for SNAP benefits now. The application process can take a few weeks and you'll want that safety net in place. You've got this!

I just went through this exact situation 6 months ago! Here's what worked for me: First, definitely keep filing your weekly claims even after exhaustion - this is crucial. Second, contact WorkSource immediately about Training Benefits. I got approved for a cybersecurity bootcamp that was fully funded through Worker Retraining, and it extended my unemployment for the entire 9-month program. The trick is to start the application process NOW, not after your benefits run out. I visited my local WorkSource office in person (way more effective than calling) and they helped me apply for both the training program and Training Benefits on the same day. Within 3 weeks I was enrolled and my unemployment continued seamlessly. Also check if Extended Benefits are currently triggered in WA - the state unemployment rate has to hit certain thresholds, so availability changes. But even if EB isn't available, the training route can be a game-changer. Don't wait - get to WorkSource this week!

As someone who just went through this exact situation last month, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - each interview absolutely counts as a separate activity! I had 4 rounds with Microsoft (phone screen, technical interview, team interview, and final interview with the hiring manager) and counted all 4 separately on my weekly claims. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track everything. I included columns for date, company, position, contact person, type of activity, and outcome. This made it super easy to fill out my weekly job search log and gave me solid documentation in case ESD ever questioned anything. Also, don't forget that if you do any prep work that involves contacting the company (like calling to confirm interview details or asking questions about the role), those phone calls can sometimes count as additional job search contacts too. Just make sure you're documenting who you spoke with and when. Sounds like you're doing everything right though - good luck with the rest of your interview process with TechBridge Corp!

Hey Louisa! I went through something similar a few months ago and can confirm what everyone's saying - each interview definitely counts as a separate activity. I had a 3-round interview process with a local marketing firm and counted each one separately without any issues. One tip I'd add is to make sure you're noting the TYPE of interview in your documentation (phone screening, video interview, in-person, etc.) since ESD sometimes asks for that level of detail. Also, if they gave you any specific instructions or materials to review between interviews, documenting that preparation work can sometimes count as additional job search activity too. Sounds like you're being really thorough with your record-keeping which is awesome! Hope the rest of your interviews with TechBridge Corp go well - multiple rounds usually means they're seriously considering you. Good luck!

Wow, I didn't know the course could potentially count as a job search activity! That's really helpful. I'll definitely keep detailed documentation of everything. Thanks for the tip!

I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively! From what I've learned, you should be totally fine taking that medical billing course as long as it's part-time and flexible like you described. The 10-15 hours per week sounds perfect. A few things that might help: - When you answer the weekly claim question about school/training, be honest and say yes, but you can usually add notes explaining it's part-time and doesn't interfere with work availability - Keep records of your course schedule and how it doesn't conflict with potential work hours - Medical billing is definitely a growing field, so this could really help your job prospects! I'm actually considering a similar online certification myself. Have you looked into whether completing the course might open up remote work opportunities? That could expand your job search even more. Good luck with both the course and your job search!

In our case, WorkShare paid about 62% of our lost wages (we had a 25% hour reduction). So if someone normally made $1000/week and was reduced to $750, the $250 loss would get about $155 from WorkShare. Not perfect but WAY better than nothing, and we kept our health insurance. The exact percentage depends on your regular wages since there are minimum and maximum benefit amounts.

Just went through this exact situation 6 months ago! My employer reduced hours by 30% and put us on WorkShare. I had 4 weeks of vacation saved up and was worried I'd lose it all. Good news - you absolutely do NOT need to burn through your vacation time first with WorkShare. That's only a requirement for regular unemployment benefits. One tip though: when you do use vacation time later, make sure your payroll department understands how to report it properly to ESD. My company initially reported my vacation pay wrong during a week I took off in July, which caused a temporary hold on my benefits. Had to get HR and ESD on a three-way call to sort it out. But once they understood the process, everything went smoothly. The WorkShare program is honestly pretty great compared to regular UI - you keep your job, benefits, and can plan your time off normally. Just document everything and keep good records of your hours worked vs. paid vacation days.