I'm going through adjudication right now too and it's absolutely nerve-wracking! I filed in late January after my consulting firm eliminated my position due to budget cuts, and I've been waiting for 3 weeks now. Like you, I had no idea what adjudication meant when it first appeared on my account - the ESD website really doesn't explain these things clearly at all. After reading through all these comments, I'm realizing I need to be way more proactive about checking my Letters section and uploading documentation. I have my termination letter and some emails about the company restructuring, so I'm going to get those uploaded today. The part about employers sometimes disputing the separation reason really concerns me - I just assumed everything would be straightforward since it was clearly a layoff. The financial stress is real though. I've been stretching my emergency fund for weeks and starting to panic about upcoming bills. It's somewhat comforting to see that most people here eventually got their benefits approved with backpay, but the waiting period is brutal when you're already dealing with job loss stress. Thanks for sharing your experience - it really helps to know others are going through the same thing. Keeping my fingers crossed that both our cases get resolved soon!

I'm dealing with adjudication too and wanted to share something that might help! I was stuck for almost 6 weeks earlier this year after my tech company did mass layoffs. The thing that finally got my case moving was when I realized I needed to upload EVERYTHING that proved it was a legitimate layoff - not just the termination letter. I ended up uploading: the original layoff notice, emails about company restructuring, news articles about the layoffs (if there were any), and even LinkedIn posts from coworkers who were also let go. Basically anything that showed this was a business decision affecting multiple people, not just me. The other thing that helped was calling ESD and specifically asking them to put a note on my file about the urgency due to financial hardship. I explained that I was about to miss rent and they flagged my case for expedited review. Got approved within 5 days after that call. I know it's frustrating when you can't get through on the phone, but keep trying different times. Early morning (8-9 AM) on weekdays seemed to work better than afternoons. You've got this - legitimate layoffs almost always get approved, it just takes way longer than it should unfortunately.

Just to follow up on the earlier comments - based on what you've said, I would recommend submitting: 1. Your COBRA notice (this is excellent verification) 2. The emails about returning equipment 3. A personal statement explaining the layoff situation Upload all three together and title the documents clearly like "Separation Verification - COBRA Notice" etc. If you haven't already, make sure you're regularly completing your weekly claims while waiting for the verification to be processed.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're having trouble getting documentation from your employer, you can also check if your state's Department of Labor has any record of mass layoffs or WARN notices for your company. Sometimes this can serve as additional supporting evidence that there were legitimate layoffs happening. Also, when you do submit your documents, I'd recommend calling the ESD customer service line the same day to confirm they received everything. Even if you can't get through immediately, keep trying - sometimes they can flag your account to prioritize processing once they see you have the right documentation uploaded. Good luck with your claim!

I'm actually in the middle of this exact situation right now! My wife just got a job offer in Bellingham and we're planning to move from Vancouver in about 6 weeks. I've been following all the advice in this thread and wanted to share what I've learned so far from actually starting the process. I contacted my HR department last week to get official documentation about remote work not being available, and they were actually really helpful - they provided a formal letter stating that my position requires on-site presence and cannot be performed remotely. I've also started applying for jobs in Bellingham already and I'm keeping a detailed spreadsheet of every application. One thing I discovered that might help others - some employers in your target city are actually more responsive when you mention in your cover letter that you're relocating for your spouse's job and have a specific move date. It shows you're serious and committed to the area. I'll definitely update this thread once I go through the actual filing process with Washington ESD, but so far the preparation phase has been much more manageable thanks to everyone's detailed advice here!

I'm currently in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly valuable! My spouse just got offered a position in Wenatchee and we'll be relocating from Bellevue next month. After reading through everyone's experiences, I feel much more prepared for the Washington ESD process. I've already started gathering the documentation everyone mentioned - job offer letter, HR emails about remote work not being feasible, and I'm beginning my job search in Wenatchee right away. One question I have that I haven't seen addressed - has anyone dealt with a situation where your spouse's new employer is willing to provide additional documentation about the necessity of the relocation? My spouse's new company offered to write a letter confirming that the position requires physical presence in Wenatchee and couldn't be done remotely from our current location. I'm thinking this might be helpful additional evidence for Washington ESD, but wanted to see if anyone else has used employer letters from the spouse's NEW job as part of their documentation package?

Dmitry, that's such a relief that you finally got some concrete information! Employer contests are unfortunately more common than people realize - sometimes it's automatic on their end when someone files for unemployment, even for legitimate layoffs. The fact that HR confirmed it was a reduction in force should definitely work in your favor. One thing to keep in mind - since there was a contest, make sure you have any documentation from your layoff saved (layoff notice, final payday stub, etc.) in case the adjudicator needs additional verification. And definitely continue filing your weekly claims even if they show as disqualified until this resolves. Really hoping you get good news within the week! The "in progress" status combined with the employer contest being resolved sounds very promising.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation - my claim has been in regular adjudication for about 2 weeks now after being laid off from my retail job. Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel less alone in this process. @Dmitry Smirnov I'm so glad you finally got some real answers! It's insane that your employer contested a legitimate layoff, but at least now you know what was causing the delay. I'm definitely going to check out that Claimyr service if I can't get through to ESD soon. Also really appreciate everyone mentioning the job search requirements during adjudication - I had no idea about that and have been slacking on documenting my applications. Going to get on top of that immediately! Keeping my fingers crossed for you that the adjudicator approves everything quickly now that the employer contest is resolved. Please update us when you hear back!

And remember to keep records of everything - when you filed, confirmation numbers, any correspondence with ESD. It all helps if there are any issues later.

Just wanted to add my experience - I filed the day after my last day of work and had no issues. The key is having all your employment information ready beforehand. Make sure you know your employer's exact business name (not just what everyone calls it), their address, your dates of employment, and your gross wages for the past 18 months. I also recommend filing during off-peak hours - I did mine on a Tuesday evening and the website was much faster than when I tried during lunch on Monday. The whole process took about 30 minutes once I had everything organized. Don't overthink it, just file as soon as possible after your separation date.