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Hope this thread helps other employers too. The Washington unemployment tax system definitely has a learning curve but it gets easier once you understand the process.
Agreed! This whole discussion should be bookmarked for future reference.
I just went through this same nightmare last month! The key thing that finally worked for me was calling the Department of Revenue directly at 360-705-6741 instead of the ESD number. They were able to walk me through the My DOR registration process and link my unemployment tax account on the same call. Took about 45 minutes total but saved me days of frustration with the online system. Once you're set up, the quarterly payments are actually pretty straightforward - just make sure you're logged into My DOR, not the ESD portal. Also, if you're really pressed for time, you can pay by phone with a debit card through their automated system at 360-705-6742. There's no fee for debit cards, only credit cards.
@Amara Nnamani This is exactly what I needed to hear! I ve'been banging my head against the wall trying to get through to ESD. The Department of Revenue direct line sounds like a much better approach. Just to confirm - when you say link "your unemployment tax account -" do they do that during the same call while you re'registering for My DOR, or is that a separate step? I want to make sure I have everything ready when I call them tomorrow.
@Amara Nnamani Thank you so much for sharing this! I ve'been struggling with the same issue and getting nowhere with the ESD phone lines. Quick question about the Department of Revenue number - when you called 360-705-6741, did you need to have your quarterly tax notice with you, or just basic business information? I want to make sure I have everything ready before calling. Also, do you know if they can help with questions about wage calculations or is that something I d'still need to contact ESD directly for?
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Must be nice. Still waiting here after 3+ months with ZERO movement despite uploading MULTIPLE hardship statements. System still completely broken for most of us.
Congratulations Javier! Your success story gives me hope as someone who's currently at week 5 of adjudication. I'm definitely going to upload a hardship statement today after reading about your experience. For others still waiting - it sounds like the weekend processing is real but limited, so don't give up hope. The fact that they're prioritizing 8+ week claims and hardship cases means there is some method to the madness, even if it doesn't feel like it when you're stuck waiting. Thanks for sharing your outcome and keeping the rest of us informed!
Thank you for the encouragement! I was really starting to lose hope after weeks of no updates, but this community has been incredibly helpful. The hardship statement definitely seems worth trying - even if it's just coincidence that mine got processed right after, it can't hurt to document your situation. I'd also recommend keeping detailed records of when you check your account and any patterns you notice in updates. Good luck with your claim, and I hope you see movement soon! The waiting is absolutely brutal but there does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel.
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I went through a similar situation last year when my employer appealed my unemployment claim after a restructuring layoff. It turned out they were automatically appealing all claims as part of their cost-cutting strategy, even though they knew the layoffs were legitimate. The most important thing is to gather all your documentation - layoff notices, emails about the restructuring, anything that shows it wasn't your fault. I also reached out to former coworkers who were laid off at the same time to see if they'd be willing to be witnesses if needed. The hearing itself was pretty straightforward - the judge asked questions about the circumstances and I just told the truth. I won and got my benefits reinstated with back pay for the weeks I missed during the appeal. Don't let them intimidate you - if you were truly laid off due to budget cuts, you have a strong case.
That's really helpful advice about reaching out to former coworkers as potential witnesses. I hadn't thought of that but it makes perfect sense - if multiple people were laid off at the same time for the same reason, that would definitely strengthen my case. Did you end up needing your coworkers to testify at the actual hearing, or was the documentation enough?
I actually didn't need the coworkers to testify in my case because I had solid documentation - emails from HR about the layoffs, the official notice they gave us, and my termination letter clearly stating it was due to restructuring. But having their contact information ready gave me confidence going into the hearing. My advice would be to line up those witnesses just in case, but if you have good paperwork showing it was a legitimate layoff, that's usually enough. The judges see these cases all the time and can spot the difference between a real layoff and an employer trying to avoid paying benefits.
I'm dealing with a similar appeal situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful. My employer also appealed after what was clearly a layoff due to company downsizing. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like many companies do this automatically to try to reduce their unemployment tax burden, even when they know the layoff was legitimate. I've been stressed about the hearing but seeing all these success stories where people won with proper documentation gives me hope. I've saved all my emails about the layoff announcement and my termination letter, so I think I should be in good shape. It's frustrating that we have to go through this extra step when we're already dealing with being unemployed, but at least the process seems fair if you have your facts straight.
You're absolutely right that it's frustrating to deal with this extra stress when you're already unemployed. The good news is that from everything I've read in this thread, the hearing process seems pretty straightforward if you have legitimate documentation of your layoff. It sounds like you're well-prepared with your emails and termination letter. One thing I noticed from the other comments is that it might be worth trying to contact Washington ESD directly if you have any questions about the hearing process - someone mentioned using claimyr.com to actually get through to a real person instead of getting busy signals all day. Hang in there, and hopefully your hearing goes smoothly!
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One last tip - if you do run into issues with Washington ESD and need to talk to someone, I had success with that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Really helped me get through when I was having problems with my claim status.
I'm definitely bookmarking that in case I need it. The idea of spending hours on hold is not appealing.
Yeah it's worth having as a backup option. Hope you don't need it but good to know it exists.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! As someone who's been doing seasonal work for years without knowing about UI benefits, this thread has been eye-opening. I work at a summer camp from May through August and always struggled financially during the off months. Going to file a claim this fall and finally get the support I've been paying into. It's amazing how many seasonal workers are probably missing out on benefits they're entitled to just because they don't know it's an option.
Adrian, you're so right about how many seasonal workers don't know about this! I work at a marina seasonally and only found out about UI benefits by accident when a coworker mentioned it. The whole system seems designed to help people in our exact situation - we work hard during peak seasons and deserve support during the gaps. Definitely encourage other camp workers to look into this too. Summer camps employ so many seasonal staff who could probably benefit from filing claims during the school year months.
Monique Byrd
Final thought - bookmark the Washington ESD website and your SecureAccess Washington login page. You'll be checking them frequently over the coming weeks and it saves time to have quick access.
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Daniel White
•Already done! Thanks for all the advice everyone. This community is amazing.
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Ellie Perry
•Good luck with your claim! The first few weeks are always the most uncertain but it gets easier once you establish the routine.
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Sean O'Connor
Another important thing to keep in mind - if you moved or changed jobs recently, double-check that Washington ESD has all your correct wage information from the past 18 months. Sometimes wages from other states or recent employers don't show up automatically in their system, which can affect your benefit calculation. You can request a wage review if something looks missing from your base period. Better to catch this early than have it delay your payments later!
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Nia Wilson
•This is really good advice! I worked in Oregon for part of last year before moving to Washington, so I should definitely check if those wages are included. How do I request a wage review if something is missing?
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