As someone who works in seasonal agriculture (orchards in fall, Christmas tree farms in winter), I've been filing unemployment claims during my gap periods for about 3 years now. One thing I learned the hard way is that Washington ESD sometimes asks for additional documentation if your seasonal work pattern seems irregular or if you've had multiple employers in a short time. They want to make sure you're genuinely seasonally unemployed and not just cycling through jobs. I keep a folder with all my seasonal employment letters, pay stubs, and any communication from employers about seasonal layoffs. Also, something I haven't seen mentioned here - if you do ANY work during your claim period, even just a few hours of odd jobs or helping a friend with their business, you MUST report it on your weekly claim. I made the mistake of not reporting some small cash work thinking it didn't matter, and it caused a major headache when they found out during an audit. Be completely transparent about everything, even if it seems minor. The system works for seasonal workers, but you have to follow every rule exactly.

This is exactly the kind of detailed, real-world advice that's so valuable! Your point about keeping documentation for irregular seasonal patterns is crucial - I can see how working for multiple seasonal employers might raise red flags if you don't have proper paperwork. The reminder about reporting ALL work, even small cash jobs, is also super important. I've heard horror stories about people getting in trouble for unreported work that seemed insignificant at the time. It sounds like the key theme across everyone's experiences is being completely transparent and organized with documentation. As someone just starting out with seasonal work, I'm definitely going to set up that documentation system from day one rather than trying to piece it together later. Thanks for sharing the hard-won lessons - it's clear that while the system works for seasonal workers, there's no room for shortcuts or assumptions about what matters and what doesn't.

I'm new to this community and wanted to add my perspective after reading through this discussion. What really stands out to me is how the conversation has evolved from the initial assumption that drug test failures automatically disqualify you to revealing the many nuanced factors that can actually influence these cases. @Dmitry Petrov, I think you're getting excellent advice here, and the experiences shared by @Freya Andersen and others really demonstrate that these situations aren't as hopeless as they might initially seem. The key takeaway seems to be that Washington ESD looks at the totality of circumstances, not just the test result itself. Your clean 3-year work history, the procedural aspects of how your employer handled the testing, the timing of your marijuana use, and whether you were actually impaired at work all potentially matter. I'd encourage you to approach this systematically - file your claim immediately, gather all employment documentation, review your employer's drug testing policies for any procedural violations, and document your work performance history. Even if the initial decision isn't favorable, the appeals process gives you another opportunity to present your case with all the details that might not be apparent at first glance. Don't let the general statistics discourage you from fighting for your specific situation.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some encouragement after reading through all these responses. What really strikes me is how this discussion has revealed that drug test unemployment cases are much more nuanced than they initially appear. While the general consensus is that these situations are challenging, the detailed experiences from community members like @Freya Andersen show that procedural violations and individual circumstances can actually make a significant difference in outcomes. @Dmitry Petrov, your 3-year clean work history is definitely an asset that shouldn't be overlooked. The systematic approach others have outlined seems solid - file immediately, document everything about your employer's testing procedures, gather your performance reviews, and don't assume the worst before you even try. Even if the initial decision isn't favorable, knowing you have the appeals process as a backup gives you multiple opportunities to present your case. The fact that Washington ESD reviews each case individually means your specific situation matters more than general statistics. Stay strong and don't give up before giving it your best shot!

I've been following this thread closely since I'm in a very similar situation - working part-time at a hotel front desk and also doing delivery driving, with both cutting my hours significantly over the past month. What really stands out to me from everyone's experiences is how important it is to keep detailed records from the start. I'm going to create that simple spreadsheet someone mentioned with dates, hours, and gross pay for each job. One thing I'm curious about though - has anyone dealt with jobs that pay weekly versus bi-weekly? My hotel pays weekly but the delivery company pays every two weeks, so I'm wondering how that affects the weekly claim reporting. Either way, I'm convinced I need to apply soon rather than wait and see if hours pick back up. The partial benefits could really help cover my rent shortfall right now.

I've been reading through all these responses and they're incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a very similar situation - I work at a retail store (about 18 hours/week now, down from 30) and also do evening cleaning for an office building (reduced from 15 hours to about 8). Like many of you mentioned, I was completely unaware that you could get partial unemployment benefits while still working multiple jobs. The earnings disregard explanation really cleared things up for me. I'm definitely going to apply online this week and start keeping that detailed spreadsheet everyone recommended. One quick question - when reporting the reason for reduced hours, should I mention that it's affecting both jobs or can I just focus on the primary reduction? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this thread is exactly what I needed to find!

I'm new to PFMLA and just got my approval letter yesterday! Reading through everyone's experiences here is so reassuring - I was really worried about the unpredictable timing since I need to plan my reduced income carefully. It sounds like the Sunday night submission routine that several people mentioned is the way to go. Quick question for those who've been doing this for a while - when you submit your certification on Sunday nights, are you submitting for the week that just ended, or the upcoming week? I want to make sure I understand the timing correctly so I don't mess up my first few submissions. Also, has anyone had issues with Chime flagging these government deposits as suspicious? I've heard some people have problems with unusual deposit sources getting temporarily held. Thanks for all the detailed info everyone has shared - this thread is incredibly helpful for someone just starting out!

I've been on PFMLA with Chime for about 7 months now and wanted to share my experience since I see you're just getting started! The consistency advice everyone's giving is spot on - I submit every Sunday evening around 9 PM and get my deposits Wednesday mornings like clockwork. One thing that really helped me in the beginning was setting up a simple spreadsheet to track my submission dates and deposit dates for the first month or two. It helped me see the pattern clearly and gave me confidence in the timing. Now I don't even think about it - just submit Sunday night and know Wednesday morning I'll have my payment. Also, don't stress too much about the reduced income adjustment period. It's tough at first, but once you get into a rhythm with the predictable payment schedule, budgeting becomes much more manageable. The key is just being consistent with that Sunday night submission routine that so many people have mentioned. You've got this!

I work in HR for a mid-sized nonprofit and deal with unemployment insurance regularly. In Washington, religious organizations with 4 or more employees are generally required to participate in unemployment insurance unless they file for an exemption. The key thing is that even if they're exempt from paying regular UI taxes, they may still be liable as a "reimbursing employer" - meaning they'd have to reimburse the state for any benefits paid to former employees. Your best bet is definitely to contact Washington ESD directly, but also ask your former church's HR or finance person about their unemployment status. They should know whether they pay into the system or have filed for exemption.

This thread has been super educational! I'm dealing with a similar situation but with a different angle - I worked for a religious nonprofit (not technically a church) that provided social services. They definitely deducted unemployment taxes from my paychecks, but when I got laid off last month, Washington ESD is saying there might be complications with my claim because of the religious exemption status. It's so confusing how these rules work differently for various types of faith-based organizations. Has anyone else dealt with religious nonprofits versus actual churches? Wondering if the rules are different.