I'm going through something similar right now - been stuck in adjudication for 7 weeks after being laid off from my marketing job. What's helped me so far is keeping a detailed log of every contact attempt with ESD (date, time, what happened) and all the steps I've taken. One thing I discovered is that you can also contact your local legislators through the "Request Assistance" forms on their websites rather than just calling. I filled out the form for both my state rep and senator last week explaining my situation in detail. The senator's office responded within 2 days and said they'd contact ESD on my behalf. Also, if you have any coworkers who were also laid off in the same restructuring, having them as potential witnesses to back up your story could strengthen your case. Document everything and don't give up - the system is broken but people do eventually get through it.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year - 4 months in adjudication hell with a former employer who was clearly stalling. What finally broke things loose for me was a combination approach: 1. Filed a complaint with the Attorney General's office about my employer's bad faith handling of unemployment claims (they have a worker protection unit) 2. Contacted my state senator's office using their online constituent services form - way more effective than calling 3. Sent a certified letter to ESD's main office in Olympia with copies of all my documentation The key thing that seemed to make the difference was when the senator's office got involved - they have a direct liaison with ESD leadership. My claim was approved within 2 weeks of their intervention. Also, start documenting the financial hardship this delay is causing you (late fees, potential eviction notices, etc.). Sometimes showing the real-world impact helps prioritize your case. Hang in there - I know how desperate and helpless this feels, but you will get through it!

Final thought - document your job search activities really well while you're looking for a loan. Lenders like to see that unemployment is truly temporary and you're actively working toward reemployment. Keep records of applications, interviews, networking activities, etc.

I was in a similar situation last year and ended up getting approved through SoFi for a personal loan while on unemployment. They were one of the few that actually considered my UI benefits as income. The application process was pretty straightforward online and they gave me a decision quickly. Just make sure you have all your Washington ESD documentation ready - they'll want to see proof of your weekly benefit amount and payment history. Also worth noting that having a good credit score really helps with these alternative lenders even when traditional banks won't work with you.

This is actually happening to more people than you'd think! I work in IT and what's likely happening is that your claim submission hit a database transaction timeout - basically the system accepted your data but failed to commit it to the permanent records due to high server load or a network hiccup. The confirmation page you saw was probably generated before the final database write, which is why it seemed like everything went through normally. The good news is that ESD usually has logs of these failed transactions and can recover your submission data. When you call them (definitely do this ASAP), ask specifically if they can check their "incomplete transaction logs" for your SSN on Sunday's date. I've seen this exact issue with other government systems and they almost always have your data somewhere in their system, just not in the right place. Don't wait hoping it'll appear - these orphaned transactions rarely resolve themselves automatically.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! I just went through the exact same thing two weeks ago and it was incredibly stressful. Like others have mentioned, this seems to be a known issue with the ESD system. What helped me was calling at exactly 8:00 AM on a Tuesday (avoid Mondays if possible - they're swamped). When I got through, the representative was able to find my "lost" claim in their system within minutes and manually processed it. She explained that these technical glitches are more frequent than they'd like to admit, especially on Sunday evenings when server traffic is high. The key is to call as soon as possible because each day you wait can delay your payment. Also, when you call, have your work search log ready just in case they ask about it during the manual filing process. You should be able to get this resolved quickly once you reach someone!

Bottom line - 26 weeks maximum, no extensions currently available, keep job searching and filing weekly claims. Plan accordingly and don't count on benefits lasting longer than that.

Just wanted to add that it's worth checking your remaining benefit balance regularly through your SecureAccess Washington account. I made the mistake of not keeping close track and was surprised when I hit week 24. The online portal shows exactly how many weeks and dollars you have left, which really helps with planning your job search timeline and budget. Also, if you do find temporary or part-time work during your claim period, remember that you still need to report all earnings - even small amounts can affect your weekly benefit calculation.

Just an additional piece of information that might be helpful - when your husband does apply, make sure he has the birth certificate ready to upload, and also be prepared that they might ask for additional documentation to verify the birth date since it's been several months. I've seen ESD be more thorough with verification when applications come in later within the 12-month window.

I'm so glad you found this helpful information! Just wanted to add one more thing - when your husband does start his leave and applies, make sure he applies for the full amount of time he wants to take right away. You can't extend PFML claims later if you decide you want more time off. The maximum for bonding leave is 12 weeks, and it has to be taken within that first year after birth. Also, if his employer offers any kind of supplemental paid leave that works with PFML, definitely look into that too since PFML only covers a percentage of his wages. Good luck with everything!