Ugh this whole system is so unnecessarily complicated. Just deposit the money when you say you will, how hard is that??

I've been filing on Sundays too and noticed the same inconsistency! What I've learned is that it also depends on if there are any flags on your account that need manual review. Even something small like a slight discrepancy in your work search log can push your payment back a day or two while they verify everything. I always check my ESD account the day after filing to make sure there aren't any pending issues that could delay the deposit.

I went through a similar audit situation about 6 months ago and understand the anxiety you're feeling. The most important thing is to respond promptly and be completely honest about what happened. In my case, I had gaps in my job search documentation too, but I was able to reconstruct some of it using browser history, email confirmations, and even screenshots from job sites showing when I applied. The auditor appreciated that I made a genuine effort to provide what I could rather than just saying "I don't have records." They ended up finding a minor overpayment for just 2 weeks where my documentation was really lacking, but because I was cooperative and showed good faith effort, they waived the penalty. Don't give up hope - many people get through these audits without major consequences if they handle it properly.

I'm currently going through my first unemployment audit with Washington ESD and this thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding what to expect. Like many others here, I wasn't as thorough with my record-keeping as I should have been, but reading about people successfully reconstructing documentation from browser history and email confirmations gives me hope. The stress of potentially owing money back is really getting to me, especially since I was genuinely looking for work but just didn't understand how detailed the documentation needed to be. Has anyone found that Washington ESD auditors are generally reasonable when you can show you were making legitimate efforts to find employment, even if your paperwork isn't perfect? I'm trying to gather as much information as I can before I submit my response to make sure I handle this the right way.

I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation right now. Just got terminated yesterday for what my manager called "insubordination" after I questioned why we were implementing a new scheduling system that seemed to create more problems than it solved. I brought up my concerns during our weekly team meeting - wasn't confrontational or disrespectful, just asked if we had considered the potential issues I was seeing. Apparently that was enough to get me written up and then fired the next day. Reading through all these responses is giving me hope that Washington ESD might see this for what it really is - a manager who doesn't like being questioned rather than actual misconduct. I'm planning to file my claim today and document everything I can remember about what happened. It's reassuring to see so many people who've been through similar situations and eventually got their benefits approved. Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone - it really helps to know I'm not alone in dealing with this kind of workplace BS.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! Got fired last month for "insubordination" after I questioned a new workflow procedure during a staff meeting. I asked why we were switching to a more complicated system when the old one was working fine, and my supervisor took it as "challenging authority." Never raised my voice, wasn't rude, just genuinely wanted to understand the reasoning behind the change. Two weeks later I was terminated for "undermining management decisions." I filed my Washington ESD claim immediately and I'm currently in the adjudication phase. Reading everyone's experiences here gives me so much hope - it really does seem like ESD can tell the difference between legitimate workplace concerns and actual misconduct. The waiting is killing me financially but I'm trying to stay positive. It's such a relief to find this community and realize I'm not the only one dealing with managers who use "insubordination" as a way to silence any questions or feedback from employees.

Bottom line for new employers: budget around 2.7% of your first $68,500 per employee for unemployment taxes, plus a small amount for social costs. Your actual rate will be determined after you have some experience in the system.

One thing that might help is to get your UBI number registered as early as possible - there can be delays in processing and you'll need it before your first employee starts. I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute and had to scramble to get everything sorted out. Also, consider signing up for Washington ESD's online employer portal right away so you can file quarterly reports electronically and track your account status.

Yes, absolutely mention that! When filing your new claim, there should be a section asking about the reason for separation. Select

I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what worked for me last year. When I filed my new claim on the Sunday after my benefit year ended, I made sure to have ALL my paperwork ready - W2s, pay stubs from the last quarter, and a detailed list of all my employers with exact dates. The key thing that helped me avoid delays was being super specific about my separation reason (seasonal layoff) and including a brief note about the cyclical nature of my industry. One thing I learned the hard way: even though you CAN file on Sunday, I'd recommend doing it early in the day before the system gets overloaded with weekly claims. The portal tends to be slower and more glitchy on Sunday evenings. Good luck with your transition - sounds like you're being really proactive about planning for it!