LOOOOL at ESD. They expect us to surrive on NOTHING when benefits run out. I was on UI last year and when it ended they just cut me off. No help, no extensions, just DONE. The whole system is designed to fail us. Good luck with disability too - I hear they deny everyone the first time. The government doesn't care if we end up homeless!!!

Have you talked to DSHS about HEN (Housing & Essential Needs)? It's specifically for people who are waiting for disability decisions and have very limited income. Won't replace your UI but it can help with rent, utilities, and some basic needs. I got on it after my UI ran out while waiting for my disability hearing. You apply through DSHS and it's administered through local community agencies. Just another option to look into.

Just to follow up on your timeline question - when reopening a claim, if there's no adjudication needed, you can typically expect payments to resume within 1-2 weeks after filing your first weekly claim. It's much faster than a brand new claim. Since you mentioned your previous experience took 3 weeks, that suggests there might have been some verification issues the first time around. As long as your work separation reason is clear (lack of work/layoff) and you have documentation, it should be smoother this time.

To the person recommending Claimyr - does it actually work? I've been trying to get through to ESD for 2 weeks about my missing payments and keep getting disconnected. At this point I'm desperate enough to try anything

Just wanted to add - keep DETAILED records of every attempt to contact them from now on. Dates, times, copies of emails, names of anyone you speak with, etc. This documentation will be super important if you end up having to take legal action. And follow up on EVERYTHING in writing, even if you manage to talk to someone on the phone.

my aunt works for a different state agency (not esd) and she says sometimes claims get "stuck" in the system after appeals because the appeal decision doesnt automatically connect with the payment system??? like the computers dont talk to each other right. maybe thats whats happening?

Has anyone else noticed that the ESD website has been acting weird lately? Sometimes statuses show up incorrectly and then fix themselves a few days later. Maybe try clearing your browser cache or using a different browser to check your claim status again?

Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like you have multiple factors that could be causing the disqualification: seasonal work, partial week of work before layoff, and potentially a new employer who hasn't responded yet. This is exactly the kind of complicated situation where speaking directly with an ESD agent is necessary. Make sure to continue filing your weekly claims even while showing as disqualified. If your claim is eventually approved (which sounds likely based on what you've described), you'll be paid retroactively for all eligible weeks you've claimed. The important thing is maintaining an unbroken claim history while you get this sorted out.

Ugh I know this feeling! My identity was stolen last year and it was a NIGHTMARE getting ESD to sort it out. Took me three months and I had to send in my passport, birth certificate, AND utility bills twice because they "lost" the first set. The adjudication is actually separate from the identity verification - they're two different departments. For the identity issue, you might need to go to a WorkSource office in person with your documents. That's what finally worked for me.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice. I'm going to try that Claimyr service tomorrow morning. I called WorkSource and they said they could see me next Tuesday for help with the identity verification, so at least that's something. I'm still submitting my weekly claims even though I can't log in (using the phone system). This whole experience has been so demoralizing - I've never needed unemployment before and had no idea it would be this complicated. I'll update once I hopefully get through to someone who can help.

One more thing I forgot to mention - be very careful about what you say during your hearing. The judge will ask very specific questions about why you left your job, and your answers need to align with the legal definition of "good cause" for leaving. Don't just say "I couldn't pay my bills with reduced hours" - instead, focus on how the reduction made the job unsuitable compared to your original employment agreement. Also, if your employer reduced your hours to force you to quit (rather than laying you off properly), make sure to emphasize that point. This is called "constructive dismissal" and it's a legitimate defense against a voluntary quit determination. And finally, respond to EVERY piece of mail you get from ESD or OAH (Office of Administrative Hearings). They often request additional information or documentation with very tight deadlines.

Just wanted to add - check if your former employer has contested your original unemployment claim. You can see this in your eServices account under the "Decisions" tab. If they never contested it initially but are suddenly claiming you quit voluntarily, that strengthens your case significantly. Print those records for your hearing. Also, remember that you can request a copy of your entire ESD file through a public records request. This lets you see exactly what your employer told ESD about your separation. Sometimes employers tell ESD something completely different from what they told you. Having this information before your hearing can be extremely valuable.

One more important thing: eligibility determination and identity verification are two separate processes that happen simultaneously. Many first-time claimants get caught up in ID verification issues that can delay benefits. Make sure you've uploaded clear photos of your ID documents in your ESD account, and respond immediately to any requests for additional verification. This alone can save you weeks of waiting.

when i filed last month it took 9 days exactly!!! just waiting was so stressful tho!!!!! hang in there!!!

anyone know if the severance affects the weekly benefit amount? i'm confused about how they calculate it

Another critical thing to remember - make absolutely sure you start filing your weekly claims right away, even if you're still sorting out the severance/non-compete stuff. You can always go back and adjust info if needed, but if you miss filing weeks, it's nearly impossible to claim them retroactively without a major appeal process. I know several people who waited until their severance ran out to start filing, thinking they couldn't collect both, and they permanently lost weeks they could have claimed.

anyone else notice the job search log webpage is broken half the time? tried uploading mine last week and the site crashed three times lol typical esd

Just to follow up on your question about whether they actually contacted employers during my audit - they didn't contact any of them as far as I know. The auditor just reviewed my logs, asked me a few clarifying questions about two of the entries, and that was it. The whole process was much less stressful than I expected.

To provide some clarity on this issue: Under Washington state regulations, gig workers for platforms like Instacart, Uber, DoorDash, etc. are classified as independent contractors (self-employed), not employees. When reporting this income on your weekly claim, you must: - Select the self-employment option - Report gross earnings (before expenses, fees, or taxes) - Report for the week you performed the work (not when paid) - Keep detailed documentation of your earnings The ESD system will reduce your weekly benefit amount by 75% of your reported earnings. If your earnings exceed your weekly benefit amount, you won't receive benefits for that week but can continue claiming in future weeks. This is different from regular W-2 employment where you report 100% of your earnings. The distinction is important for proper benefit calculation.

Just be careful about how many hours you're working too!!! Remember you have to be available for full-time work to qualify for benefits. If you're spending too many hours on Instacart they might decide you're not available for regular employment and disqualify you. I think the magic number is less than 17 hours per week but DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.