Another important thing to know: If your new job doesn't work out during the benefit year, you can reopen your claim without filing a new application (as long as your benefit year hasn't expired). Just go into your eServices account and select "Reopen Claim" - this is helpful if the new job doesn't work out or if you're laid off again within that year.

i think u should just keep claiming and not tell them about ur job till u get paid lol thats what my roomate did

my friend had a situation with ULP where they couldnt take her full case but still gave her a free consultation with advice on how to handle her own hearing like what evidence to bring and what to say it was still super helpful even tho they didnt represent her

UPDATE: ULP called me back and agreed to take my case! They're assigning me an attorney who specializes in "voluntary quit" cases. I have a meeting with them next week to go through all my evidence. They said based on what I described, I have a decent chance of winning my appeal, especially since I have texts showing I tried to work with my employer on the schedule issue before leaving. Thanks everyone for your advice! I'll post another update after my hearing to let you know how it goes. For anyone facing a similar situation, definitely reach out to ULP as soon as possible!

why dont they ever send emails!!!! its so annoying everything is by mail and takes forever. so old school

One more thing I just thought about - sometimes when you get disqualified, you won't see the appeal option until after you receive the official determination letter. But you can still submit an appeal before getting the letter by using the general ESD secure message system in your eServices account. Just select "Appeals" as the message type and include all relevant details, including the claim ID and the weeks that were disqualified. It's not the official appeal process, but it starts a paper trail and sometimes they'll fix obvious errors this way without requiring a formal appeal.

wait im confused... did u actually keep working after the system wouldn't let u submit timesheets? or did u stop working when u saw that? cuz that affects what kind of claim u should file

Based on your additional details, this is an even clearer wage theft case. The fact that they continued scheduling you through their app is strong evidence that they authorized and expected the work to be performed. Make sure to include screenshots of your schedule in the app when filing with L&I. Regarding emergency assistance while you wait: apply for expedited food benefits through DSHS (can be approved in 7 days), contact 211 for emergency rent assistance programs in your area, and check with St. Vincent de Paul and other local charities that sometimes provide emergency funds. Your situation would qualify as an emergency hardship with many assistance programs.

After I reported identity theft to ESD, it took about 5 weeks to fully resolve. They'll eventually send you an affidavit to complete. Make sure you keep following up regularly and check your ESD account daily for any updates or required actions. The fraud department moves slowly but they do eventually resolve it.

I'm glad to see you're taking this seriously. One additional tip: create a detailed journal documenting EVERYTHING related to this issue. Every phone call (date/time/who you spoke with/what was discussed), every form submitted, every change to your ESD account status. This documentation will be invaluable if there are any disputes about when you reported the fraud. ESD can sometimes hold victims partially responsible if they determine you didn't report promptly enough.

My husband just went through this whole process in December. For his January-filed claim, they looked at October 2023 through September 2024 for the standard base year. When he couldn't qualify with that (he had been in school part of that time), they automatically checked the alternate base year which was January 2024 through December 2024. He qualified under that one. The determination letter will tell you which calculation they used.

To answer your question about the appeal - yes, there is a specific appeal process. You can file an appeal online through your eServices account by selecting the "Appeals" option. Make sure to upload copies of your paystubs or any documentation showing your correct hours. Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the date on your determination letter. If you call ESD, ask them specifically about the hours calculation and which quarters they used. If some of your hours are missing, they can help identify where the discrepancy is coming from.

i had a friend who went thru this. she said the most important thing is KEEP DOING YOUR JOB SEARCHES while you wait!!! and document everything super carefully. if u win ur hearing u can get all the back pay but only if u did all the job search stuff every week

anyone else notice how they always deny valid claims hoping people will just give up? my sister and 5 other people from her company all got denied for the exact same bogus reason, only 2 of them fought through the whole appeal and petition process and BOTH won eventually. system is rigged

wait did u say u were disqualified for work search? how did u get that fixed? im having the same issue and its been 5 weeks now stuck in adjudication hell

Just checking back - did your payment arrive? Most banks should have processed it by now if ESD issued it on Friday.

when i had my appeal last year the judge let me submit new evidence at the hearing that i didnt include with my original appeal letter. so if you remember anything else helpful later you can still use it. also keep applying for jobs and document all that cuz they might ask about your job search during appeal too

One more thing I forgot to mention - if your appeal is denied, you can appeal AGAIN to the Commissioner's Review Office. I had to do this because I lost my first appeal, but won on the second level review. So even if the first appeal goes against you, don't give up! The higher level review often reverses decisions.

i dont get why they make this stuff so complicated!! just let people get their benefits when theyre not working! its not like any of us are trying to game the system, we just need to pay our bills until work starts again!!!!!

For anyone else in this situation, here's a time-saving tip: Save a documented copy of your job search activities in your personal records even if you're on standby. This way, if you unexpectedly hit the 8-week limit, you'll have your job search documentation ready to upload immediately instead of scrambling to backfill activities or facing denials. The system requires 3 qualifying job search activities per week, which can include: - Job applications - Employment workshops through WorkSource - Creating accounts on job search websites - Networking events - Updating your resume and submitting it to companies Also, mark on your calendar exactly when you'll hit 8 weeks of standby for the benefit year so you aren't caught by surprise.