One last thing - keep copies or screenshots of your filed weekly claims. If there's ever a dispute about what you reported, having your own records can really help resolve things quickly.

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble with the SecureAccess Washington login, make sure you're using the right website - it's secure.esd.wa.gov, not the general ESD site. I made that mistake my first week and couldn't figure out why I couldn't find the weekly claim option! Also, the system does maintenance on Sunday mornings sometimes, so if you can't get in right away on Sunday, try again in a few hours.

the unemployment system is designed to be confusing and frustrating so people give up. dont let them win!!

This is actually really encouraging to hear! I'm currently 3 weeks into adjudication and seeing all these stories gives me hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel. The fact that you got a response the same day after calling the governor's office is amazing - I had no idea that was even an option. One thing that might help while you wait is to document everything - screenshots of your pending issues, dates of any calls or contacts, etc. I've been keeping a detailed log just in case I need to escalate further. Also, have you tried reaching out to your local state representative? I've heard they can sometimes put additional pressure on ESD to move things along. Hang in there - it sounds like your claim is finally getting the attention it deserves!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're still having trouble after trying the online reset, make sure you're not mixing up your old PIN with a temporary one. Sometimes when you reset it, the system gives you a temporary PIN that you have to change to a permanent one on first login. I got confused by this and kept trying to use the temporary one after I had already changed it. Check your email for any confirmation messages from ESD that might have additional instructions.

One more tip that saved me recently - if you've moved since you first filed your unemployment claim, make sure you're using the address that was on file when you originally applied, not your current address. I kept getting locked out during the PIN reset process because I was entering my new ZIP code, but the system was still expecting my old one from when I first set up the account. Once I used the original address info, the reset went through smoothly. Also, if you've changed your phone number, you might need to update that with ESD before the security questions will work properly.

Just following up - were you able to resolve this issue? For anyone else experiencing the "Paid $0" problem, there's also another possibility I didn't mention: if you have child support obligations, sometimes 100% of your benefit can be withheld for that purpose, resulting in a $0 payment that still shows as "Paid" since the system processed it correctly.

Glad you got it resolved! This is exactly why ESD's system is so frustrating - they can put holds on accounts without any visible notification to the claimant. It's ridiculous that you had to spend days worrying and trying to get through to them just to find out about a "verification hold" that wasn't displayed anywhere in your portal. For future reference, anytime your payment shows as "Paid $0" it's almost always some kind of behind-the-scenes hold or review, even when there's no indication of it online. Hopefully they'll improve their transparency in the future!

Bottom line - keep detailed records, be honest about your job search activities, and don't try to game the system. The audits are real and the penalties for not having documentation are severe.

I've been on unemployment for about 3 months and this thread is making me realize I need to step up my documentation game. I've been keeping basic records but nothing as detailed as what you all are describing. Does anyone have a template or specific format they use for tracking their work search activities? I want to make sure I'm capturing all the right information in case I get selected for an audit.