I've been lurking here for weeks dealing with my own ESD nightmare and finally decided to create an account after reading through this thread. Your situation sounds almost identical to mine - I'm a seasonal landscaper and got stuck in adjudication for what they're calling a "job separation issue" even though my employer laid off the entire crew when the season ended in December. I'm now at week 8 and completely broke. Reading everyone's advice here has been a lifesaver though! I had no idea about the 833-572-8400 adjudication line or that state representatives could actually help with ESD issues. I'm definitely going to try the combination approach that Sean mentioned - contacting my rep AND using Claimyr to get through to an actual agent. The tip about using specific language like "seasonal layoff due to project completion" is gold - I've been saying "end of season layoff" but that probably doesn't trigger the right keywords in their system. And Sasha's point about mentioning "facing eviction" for emergency protocols is crucial since I'm literally 2 weeks away from that reality. It's absolutely insane that we need a whole strategy guide just to get our legitimate unemployment benefits, but I'm grateful this community exists to help each other navigate this broken system. Going to start making calls tomorrow morning and will report back if I make any progress!

I just wanted to add one more resource that helped me when I was stuck in adjudication for 6 weeks last year - the Washington State Ombudsman's office. They have a specific process for helping people with ESD issues when the normal channels aren't working. You can file a complaint at ombuds.wa.gov and they'll actually investigate your case and contact ESD directly on your behalf. It took about 2 weeks from when I filed the complaint to when my adjudication was suddenly approved. I'm not sure if it was coincidence or if their intervention helped, but it's worth trying since you're at 7 weeks now. The ombudsman is supposed to be a neutral third party that helps when government agencies aren't responsive to citizens. Also, I second everyone's advice about the 833-572-8400 line and contacting your state rep. The system is absolutely broken but there are ways to work around it. Your seasonal construction situation should be straightforward once an actual human reviews it instead of just the automated flags. Hang in there - the backpay will make up for some of this stress once it finally comes through!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. I'm going to file for unemployment tomorrow and just be completely honest about my situation. Fingers crossed it works out!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who successfully navigated this exact situation last year. I was receiving partial disability through L&I after a back injury and my employer cut my hours from 40 to about 12 per week. The key things that helped me get approved for both benefits were: 1) Having clear medical documentation that I could work with restrictions (not that I couldn't work at all), 2) Being very specific in my UI application about my work limitations but emphasizing my availability within those limits, and 3) reporting my L&I payments accurately on every weekly claim. Yes, they did reduce my UI benefits dollar-for-dollar, but I still ended up with more total income than just the disability alone. The adjudication process took about 6 weeks, which was stressful, but it was worth it in the end. Make sure you register with WorkSource right away and keep up with your job search requirements - that's something they really scrutinize. Happy to answer any specific questions if it would help!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread! Really helped clarify the work rules for unemployment benefits in Washington state.

Just wanted to add that if you're working multiple part-time jobs while on unemployment, you need to report ALL of them when filing your weekly claim. I learned this the hard way when I was juggling two different gig jobs. Washington ESD requires you to report every source of income, no matter how small. The good news is that as long as your total earnings stay under that weekly benefit amount plus $5 threshold, you'll still get your full unemployment benefits. It's actually pretty encouraging that the system supports people who are trying to piece together income while job hunting!

Another thing to keep in mind is that Washington ESD considers your field of expertise when determining suitable work. Since you were a warehouse supervisor with management responsibilities, they understand that's a specialized skill set that commands higher wages. A regular warehouse worker position isn't just a pay cut - it's also a significant step down in responsibility level. You're absolutely within your rights to decline this offer and continue searching for supervisory roles that match your experience and previous salary range. Just make sure to keep detailed records of your job search efforts and any offers you receive or decline.

My husband has been outta work since last week of July, with one phone interview and one in person. We’re about to go to 13 weeks of benefits. He might have to take a job that pays 60% less than what he was earning, as nothing in tech industry employment is panning out - 29 yrs software development. We’re concerned if he doesn’t take this and nothing in the next 13 weeks…we’re homeless! So we figure better to be able to pay mortgage and food on table, and to declare bankruptcy coz we cant pay our bills!

One last tip - if she runs into any issues with her claim or needs to speak with someone at Washington ESD, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much time and frustration trying to get through their phone system.

This is really valuable information! I work part-time at a local grocery store and had no idea that teens could be eligible for unemployment benefits. It's good to know that Washington state treats young workers the same as adults when it comes to UI eligibility. I'll definitely keep this in mind and share with my coworkers - a lot of us are teenagers working our first jobs and this kind of safety net knowledge is really important. Thanks for asking this question and to everyone who shared their experiences!