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Glad to hear everyone's payments are coming through! For future reference, when ESD does system maintenance, it's usually mentioned in advance on their Twitter account (@ESDwaWorks) and sometimes on their Facebook page too. Those tend to be more up-to-date than the website banners. Might be worth following them if you want to stay in the loop about potential delays.
EVERYONE LISTEN UP!!! The real problem is ESD is deliberatly delaying claims to save money!!! My adjudicator ADMITTED this to me when they finally called!!! They make the system complicated on purpose so people give up!!!!
I understand your frustration, but as someone who works in the employment field, I can assure you this isn't accurate. ESD doesn't save money by delaying claims - the funding for benefits comes from employer-paid insurance, not from ESD's operational budget. The delays are typically caused by staffing shortages, complex eligibility rules that require manual review, and the high volume of claims. The system definitely needs improvement, but there's no conspiracy to deny valid claims.
Have you looked into the Employment Recovery Dislocated Worker program? Since you mentioned your entire department was downsized, you might qualify for additional training and support services beyond regular unemployment. The program targets workers in declining industries or affected by mass layoffs. I went through it when my manufacturing plant closed in 2023 and got approved for a coding bootcamp with extended benefits! Definitely worth checking out at your local WorkSource office. For the weekly job search activities, if you get approved for training, your training hours count toward the requirement during that period. Also, even informational interviews and networking events count as valid activities - document everything carefully though!
One more thing! When doing your weekly claims while job searching, be extra careful answering the "able and available" question. If you're taking classes or training without ESD approval, and those classes make you unavailable for work during normal business hours, you could be disqualified. You must remain able and available for suitable work unless specifically approved for a training program. This tripped up several people I know.
Absolutely right! This is a common mistake. The system is pretty strict about availability. When I did commissioner approved training, I had a special code on my claim that exempted me from the availability requirement during class hours. Without that, any indication you're not fully available for work can trigger a disqualification and potential overpayment notice. ALWAYS call and check before doing anything that might limit your availability.
Thank you! I'll definitely try the 7:59am trick tomorrow. It's so frustrating that they need documentation but don't tell us what they need. Did they send you any notices in your eServices inbox about the missing documents?
quick question - do we have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits? this is my first time filing with unemployment income...
Yes, unemployment benefits are taxable income at the federal level. Washington state doesn't have income tax, so you don't pay state tax on it. The 1099-G will show the total benefits you received and any federal taxes that were withheld (if you chose to have taxes withheld when you filed your weekly claims). Make sure you include this information when you file your federal tax return.
UPDATE: Just checked my eServices again and my 1099-G is finally there! Looks like they're uploading them in batches. If you're still waiting, keep checking your account. Thanks everyone for the help and info!
To clarify for everyone in this thread, here's what's happening: 1. ESD's system has a bug where determination notices about PAST weeks sometimes display FUTURE dates 2. The determination is real and needs to be addressed (it's not just going to fix itself) 3. You need to file an appeal within 30 days of the determination date (which is in the past), not the incorrectly displayed future date 4. You can identify which week is actually being questioned by checking your payment history for recently denied weeks 5. While waiting for your appeal, continue filing your weekly claims as normal ESD is aware of this issue but hasn't been able to fully resolve it yet in their notification system. If you call them, you'll likely get it sorted out quickly once you reach someone.
UPDATE: I finally got this resolved! After trying to call for days with no luck, I took the advice here and used Claimyr to get through to an ESD agent. Turns out the system was showing September 7th, 2025 but they were actually referring to August 10th, 2025 (a past week). The agent said they're getting tons of calls about this same date glitch. Apparently I answered one of the weekly claim questions incorrectly for that week - I must have accidentally clicked "no" on the available for work question when I meant to click "yes". The agent was able to correct it right away since it was clearly just a mistake (my work search log showed I was actively looking that week). Thanks everyone for your help! And special thanks for the Claimyr recommendation - saved me so much time and frustration.
To directly answer your question about legal advantages: The judge missing their own stated timeline for issuing a decision does not create any legal advantage for your case. OAH judges are given up to 30 days by statute to issue their decisions, regardless of what timeline they mention during the hearing. If you don't receive a decision by day 30 after your hearing, THEN you might have grounds to request administrative review based on procedural delay. But at less than 10 days out, it's completely normal and won't impact the substance of your case in any way. Regarding job search activities - if you win your appeal for a period when you missed job search activities, you'll likely need to request a good cause waiver for the missed activities. Document why you were focused on the hearing (stress, preparation, etc.).
my freind had this happen an the judge forgott to mail the decsion at all!! she had to call OAH after 3 weeks and they were like 'oops' and emailed it to her that same day. mabye try calling them???
One more important point for commission workers: when you start filing weekly claims, you'll need to meet job search requirements (currently 3 activities per week). If you're looking to stay in real estate or commission-based sales, make sure your job search activities reflect that industry. Document all networking events, applications, and interviews carefully. ESD occasionally conducts job search reviews, and having detailed records will prevent potential issues with your claim.
Thank you all for the helpful information! I feel much more confident about filing now. I'll gather all my W-2s, commission statements, and other documentation before I start the application. It sounds like I should expect the process to take longer than usual since I had commission income, but at least I know I'm potentially eligible. I'll update this thread after I file in case it helps others in a similar situation.
Update us after your next payment is supposed to come through! I'm curious if yours processes normally or if you hit the same problems I did.
Mei Wong
when i had surgery in January i applied for pfml online didnt have to call weekly just had to do the initial application and upload my medical documents from my doctor then it pays automatically every week once approved good luck with your recovery
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AstroAce
•Thanks! Glad to hear it worked out well for you. I'm looking at the PFML site now and it seems much more straightforward than I expected.
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Yuki Kobayashi
To summarize for you and anyone else who might be searching for this info in the future: 1. FMLA = Unpaid job protection (federal), no weekly claims needed 2. PFML = Paid Family & Medical Leave (WA state), apply once at paidleave.wa.gov or call 833-717-2273 3. UI = Regular unemployment (job loss), weekly claims at 800-318-6022 For your situation (surgery recovery), PFML is almost certainly what you need. The benefit can be up to 90% of your weekly wage depending on your income. Hope your recovery goes smoothly!
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AstroAce
•This is such a clear explanation! I really appreciate everyone's help. I've started my PFML application online and it's making much more sense now. Thank you all!
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