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I just wanted to thank everyone for sharing their experiences here. I was really anxious about transitioning from workers comp to unemployment, but reading all these responses has given me so much clarity. It sounds like Washington ESD is pretty reasonable about these situations as long as you're honest and have your paperwork ready. I'm planning to file my claim this week - my L&I case closed two weeks ago and I've been cleared for light duty work, but my old employer can't accommodate my lifting restrictions. Feeling much more confident about the process now thanks to all of you!
This thread has been incredibly helpful for me too! I'm in a similar boat - just finished up a 4-month workers comp claim for a shoulder injury and my employer says they can't offer me anything within my 20-pound lifting restriction. I was so worried about whether I'd qualify for unemployment benefits, but seeing everyone's experiences here has really put my mind at ease. The fact that Washington ESD adjusts job search requirements to match your restrictions makes so much sense - I was stressed about having to apply for jobs I physically can't perform. Planning to file my claim next week once I get my final paperwork from L&I. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories, especially about the timeline and documentation needed. This community is amazing!
You're in great company here! A shoulder injury with a 20-pound lifting restriction is definitely something Washington ESD sees regularly - they understand that many jobs just aren't feasible with those limitations. It sounds like you're being smart about waiting for all your L&I paperwork before filing, but don't stress if you're missing a document or two. From what others have shared, you can always provide additional documentation during the review process. The key thing is getting your claim started once your workers comp case officially closes. Your employer's inability to accommodate a 20-pound restriction is clearly not voluntary unemployment on your part - that's just the reality of workplace limitations. Make sure to document that conversation with your employer about the lack of suitable positions if you haven't already. Good luck with your application next week!
I went through this exact transition about 8 months ago after a knee injury, and I wanted to share some specific tips that might help. First, when you file your claim, make sure to mention in the initial application that you're transitioning from workers comp - there's actually a specific question about this that helps route your claim to adjudicators who are familiar with these cases. Second, if your employer provided you with any written documentation about why they can't accommodate your restrictions (even just an email), save that and upload it with your application. Washington ESD really values having that employer communication documented. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me, and my benefits were retroactive to when I filed, not when I was approved. One thing that surprised me was that the ESD adjudicator actually called my former employer directly to verify that no suitable positions were available - so your employer should be prepared for that call. Overall the process was much smoother than I expected, especially compared to dealing with L&I initially. Good luck with your application!
This is incredibly helpful information! I hadn't thought about the fact that they actually call the employer to verify - that's good to know so I can give my former employer a heads up that Washington ESD might be reaching out. The tip about mentioning the workers comp transition right in the initial application is gold - I definitely want to make sure my claim gets routed to someone who understands these situations. I'm also glad you mentioned that benefits are retroactive to when you file rather than when approved - that makes the timing even more important. Three weeks seems very reasonable for the whole process. Did you have any issues with the job search requirements during those first few weeks while your claim was being reviewed, or do they typically wait until after approval to start expecting job search documentation?
Great question about the job search requirements! In my experience, Washington ESD typically doesn't start requiring job search documentation until after your claim is approved and you begin receiving benefits. During the 3-week adjudication period, they're focused on verifying your eligibility rather than tracking job search activities. However, I'd still recommend keeping track of any job searching you do during that time, just in case - it shows good faith effort if they ask about it later. Once I was approved, I had to start submitting weekly job search logs showing that I was only applying for positions within my restrictions. The nice thing is that this actually made my job search more focused and less overwhelming than trying to apply for everything. One more tip - if you do give your employer a heads up about the potential call from ESD, just let them know they might be contacted to verify employment details and the accommodation situation. Most employers are pretty straightforward about these calls since it's just factual information.
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I've been following this discussion and wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been on unemployment for several months now. The consensus here is absolutely correct - report ALL hours you were paid for, including holiday pay. I learned this the hard way early on when I under-reported and had to deal with weeks of back-and-forth with ESD to correct it. One thing I'd add that might help others: when you're reporting these hours, make sure your earnings match up too. So if you got paid for 24 hours total (16 worked + 8 holiday), your gross earnings should reflect the pay for all 24 hours. The ESD system cross-references hours and earnings, so they need to be consistent. Also, keep really good records of your pay stubs showing the breakdown of regular hours vs. holiday/vacation/sick pay. If ESD ever questions anything, having that documentation makes resolving issues much faster. Trust me, it's worth the extra effort to be thorough from the start rather than dealing with overpayment notices later!
This is such great advice about keeping detailed records! I'm just starting my unemployment journey and hadn't thought about the importance of documentation beyond just reporting correctly. The tip about making sure hours and earnings match up is really helpful too - I can see how the ESD system would flag inconsistencies there. It sounds like being overly thorough and organized from day one is definitely the way to go. Thanks for sharing your experience over several months of claims - it's reassuring to hear from someone who's navigated this successfully long-term!
As someone who just went through their first holiday week claim last month, I can confirm everything everyone is saying here - definitely report ALL 24 hours (your 16 worked + 8 holiday pay). I was terrified of making a mistake too, but the rule is simple: any hour your employer paid you for gets reported, period. One small tip that helped me - I actually called my HR department to confirm exactly how the holiday pay would show up on my paystub before I filed my claim. That way I knew exactly what numbers to report and had documentation if needed. The whole process was way less scary once I understood that ESD just wants to see everything you were paid for, nothing more, nothing less. You're being smart to ask questions upfront rather than guessing! Good luck with your claim.
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Miguel, I totally understand the anxiety about the status change - I went through the same thing when I filed my claim after getting laid off from my warehouse job a few months ago. The pending status is definitely normal and just means they're reviewing your claim details. One thing that helped me was calling the ESD automated phone line (1-800-318-6022) which gives you basic status updates without having to wait on hold for hours. Also, make sure you're signed up for text alerts in your eServices account - they'll notify you immediately if there are any changes or if they need additional info from you. The waiting period is tough when bills are piling up, but most straightforward layoff claims like yours get approved within 2-3 weeks. Keep filing those weekly claims and documenting your job search activities. You're doing everything right!
Freya, that's such helpful advice about the automated phone line! I didn't even know that existed - I've been relying solely on checking the website. Having a phone option that doesn't require waiting on hold forever sounds like a lifesaver. I'm definitely going to set up those text alerts too. It's amazing how much easier this whole process feels when you have people who've actually been through it sharing their tips. Thank you for mentioning the 2-3 week timeframe for layoff claims specifically - that gives me a much better expectation to work with than just wondering indefinitely. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
Hey Miguel! I just went through this exact same situation about 6 weeks ago when I got laid off from my manufacturing job. The status change from processing to pending freaked me out too, but it's totally normal - just means they're doing their review. Mine took about 2 weeks to go from pending to approved. The biggest thing I learned (the hard way) is to keep filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - I almost missed my first week because I thought I had to wait for approval first! Also, if you haven't already, make sure to set up direct deposit in your eServices account so when it does get approved, you'll get paid faster. The waiting is definitely stressful when you're worried about bills, but construction layoffs are usually pretty straightforward for them to process. Hang in there!
Giovanni, thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone in a similar field who went through the same thing. I'm definitely going to set up direct deposit right away - that's a great tip I hadn't thought about yet. And yes, I've been making sure to file my weekly claims after reading all the advice here about not missing those even while pending. Two weeks sounds very manageable, especially knowing that construction layoffs are typically straightforward. Really appreciate you taking the time to help ease my worries about this whole process!
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Good luck with the corrections! Remember, minor mistakes on initial claims are super common. Washington ESD sees this stuff all the time.
Thank you! I feel so much better after reading everyone's responses. Time to make those corrections instead of worrying about them.
I went through something similar when I first filed my claim! The anxiety about making mistakes is totally understandable, but everyone here is giving you solid advice. I had to correct my employment dates and add a missing employer about 3 weeks after filing. The Washington ESD agent I spoke with said corrections are really routine for them - they'd much rather have accurate information than let errors slide through. Don't stress too much about it, just focus on getting those corrections made as soon as you can reach them.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who actually went through the correction process successfully. I was definitely overthinking this whole situation. Did you have any trouble getting through to an agent when you needed to make your corrections?
I had some trouble initially with the phone lines being busy, but I ended up using that Claimyr service that Gabriel mentioned earlier in this thread. It really made the difference in actually getting connected to an agent. The whole correction process was pretty straightforward once I got through - they updated my employment dates and added the missing employer right there on the call. The agent even mentioned that employment history corrections are one of the most common things they handle, so don't worry about it being unusual or problematic.
Jade Santiago
Bottom line - if you're hiring people, register with Washington ESD. The penalties for not doing it are way worse than just following the rules from the start.
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Caleb Stone
•Agreed. Better safe than sorry with government requirements.
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Zoe Papadopoulos
As someone who just went through this process last month, I can confirm you definitely need to register if you're hiring employees. One thing that helped me was calling the Washington ESD Business Services line directly - they have a separate number for new business inquiries that's usually less busy than the general unemployment line. The registration itself is pretty straightforward once you have your federal EIN. Just don't put it off because those penalties add up fast if you're late.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•That's really helpful! Do you happen to know what that separate Business Services number is? I've been trying the main line and it's always busy.
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