Thanks for the tip! I definitely mentioned potential eviction when I called yesterday, so hopefully that helps. I'll keep an eye out for separate deposits too - good to know they might not come all at once.

I went through this exact situation last year - expedited after 6 weeks in adjudication for a job separation issue. In my case, it took 9 business days from expedite to payment, but I had to call on day 8 because they needed clarification on my termination circumstances. The good news is once it was resolved, I got ALL my back weeks in one lump sum payment, which was honestly life-saving since I was also behind on rent. One thing that helped me was calling early in the morning (right at 8am) - seemed like the wait times were shorter then. Keep filing those weekly claims and stay positive - you're in the home stretch now!

Thanks everyone for all the help! Got my first payment deposited today. The process was intimidating at first but this thread really helped me understand what to expect.

Congratulations on getting your first payment! That's such a relief when you're dealing with job loss. Just want to echo what others have said about staying consistent with your weekly filings - it becomes routine after a few weeks. Also, don't forget to keep detailed records of your job search activities since Washington requires those 3 contacts per week. The job market can be tough but having that unemployment safety net definitely helps take some pressure off while you're looking. Best of luck with your job search!

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I'm definitely going to fill out the form and send it in before the deadline. I'll also make a copy for my records just in case. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge - this was stressing me out!

Just wanted to add my experience - I received this same letter a few weeks ago and called ESD directly to ask about it. The representative confirmed that these are being sent to everyone who received pandemic-era benefits as a precautionary measure. She explained that the federal government is requiring states to do a comprehensive review of all PUA, PEUC, and FPUC payments from 2020-2021, and rather than wait for potential overpayments to be identified, they're giving people the chance to request waivers upfront. Even if you think everything was correct with your claim, it's worth submitting the form because the review process might identify issues that weren't caught initially (like documentation requirements that changed during the pandemic). The agent stressed that having a waiver request on file protects you if they do find something later. Takes maybe 15 minutes to fill out and could save you thousands if they determine there was an overpayment.

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who went through this exact same terrifying experience about 8 months ago! When I saw "Disqualified" on my first week, I literally thought I was going to lose my house because I was convinced they'd denied my entire claim. Spent the whole weekend in a panic before my coworker explained it was just the waiting week. It's absolutely insane that ESD continues to use this terminology when it clearly traumatizes people who are already dealing with the stress of unemployment. The waiting week is mandated by state law and applies to everyone - you haven't done anything wrong! Just keep filing your weekly claims and make sure you're doing your 3 job search activities each week. You should start getting paid from week 2 onward assuming everything else checks out. Hang in there - the system is confusing but you're doing everything right!

I just went through this exact same experience two weeks ago! Filed my first unemployment claim and when I saw "Disqualified" on week one, I literally had a panic attack thinking I'd been completely denied. I must have refreshed the page 20 times hoping it would change to something less terrifying. The terminology ESD uses is honestly cruel - imagine using the word "Disqualified" to describe what's basically just a standard waiting period that EVERYONE has to go through! I ended up finding this community while frantically googling at 3am, and reading similar stories was the only thing that calmed me down. It's such a relief to know this is completely normal, but also infuriating that ESD puts so many people through this unnecessary emotional roller coaster. For anyone else reading this who's currently panicking about seeing "Disqualified" - you're okay, you didn't mess up, it's just their awful way of labeling the mandatory one-week waiting period. Keep filing your weekly claims and you should start getting paid from week two onwards!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. My benefits exhausted but I kept filing weekly claims for about 8 weeks afterward while job hunting. It was definitely worth it because when I had a brief part-time job that ended after 3 weeks, I was able to restart my benefits immediately without any hassle. The job search reporting does feel redundant when you're not getting paid, but it only takes a few minutes each week and could save you major headaches later. Plus, some employers actually check unemployment records during hiring, so having continuous filing shows you've been consistently looking for work. Just think of it as insurance for your claim status.

I'm in a similar situation - my benefits are running low and I've been wondering about this too. From reading everyone's responses, it sounds like continuing to file is the smart move even without payments. I had no idea that stopping for 4+ weeks makes your claim inactive! That's definitely something ESD should make clearer in their communications. The job search requirement staying at 3 activities seems reasonable since you're maintaining your claim status. Has anyone here actually experienced one of those rare benefit extensions that Jamal mentioned? I'm curious how that process works if it ever happens again.