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One more thing - if your employer calls you back to full-time hours, make sure you report that on your weekly claim right away. Don't wait until the next week or you might get an overpayment notice.
Just to summarize for the OP - file the same way as regular unemployment, report your wages and hours on weekly claims, do your job searches, and keep good records. The system is confusing but the benefits can really help when you're dealing with reduced hours.
Just want to add that if you disagree with your benefit amount calculation, you can appeal it. I successfully appealed mine last year when Washington ESD missed some of my wages from a previous employer.
Bottom line for retail workers: expect somewhere between $200-400 per week depending on your hours and wage rate over the past year. File immediately when you become unemployed, and don't stress too much about the exact amount until you get your determination letter.
For what it's worth, I've been on both sides of this as a former HR person. Most companies will contest unemployment claims automatically, but Washington ESD is pretty fair about investigating the actual facts. If you weren't willfully violating policies or being deliberately insubordinate, you'll likely be approved for benefits.
Bottom line - don't let them intimidate you. If you get fired and you weren't committing misconduct, apply for unemployment benefits. Worst case scenario, they deny your claim and you appeal. Best case, you get approved and have some income while you look for a new job. Either way, you're not worse off for trying.
Bottom line - document everything, try to resolve issues with employer first, give proper notice, and be prepared for the adjudication process to take time.
Good luck! Remember you can always contact Washington ESD with questions about your specific situation before making any final decisions.
And if you can't get through on the phone, definitely check out that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. Makes the whole process much less frustrating.
Anastasia Romanov
Also make sure you understand the job search requirements once your claim is approved. You'll need to log your job search activities and be available for work. Washington ESD is pretty strict about this stuff.
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Anastasia Romanov
•You should start right away. They can ask for your job search log going back to when you first filed.
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StellarSurfer
•The job search requirement is 3 job contacts per week minimum in Washington state.
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Sean Kelly
One more tip - keep copies of everything you submit and take screenshots of confirmation pages. If there are any issues later, you'll want proof that you filed correctly and on time.
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Connor Byrne
•Great advice! I learned that lesson the hard way with other government stuff.
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Zara Malik
•This is so important. I had to appeal a decision once and having those screenshots saved me.
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