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Quick practical tip: when you write your appeal statement, use the phrase 'constructive discharge' or 'constructive dismissal' - it's the legal term for when working conditions become so bad you have no choice but to quit. Hearing officers recognize this terminology.
Final update from me - I actually got through to Washington ESD this morning using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. The agent confirmed that hour reductions can qualify as good cause and walked me through what I need for my appeal. Definitely filing it this week!
Just remember that partial unemployment also counts toward your weeks. If you work part-time and still collect some benefits, those weeks still count against your 26 week maximum.
The bottom line is check your specific monetary determination for your exact situation. The general rule is 26 weeks maximum, but your individual circumstances determine how many weeks you actually get and how much your weekly benefit is.
Good plan! And don't hesitate to contact Washington ESD if you need clarification on anything in that document.
Or use that Claimyr service if you can't get through the regular way. Seems like several people here had success with it.
just want to add that if you do win your appeal, make sure Washington ESD updates your employer's UI tax rate to reflect the approved claim. sometimes they don't automatically adjust it and the employer gets away with not paying their fair share into the system.
One more thing - if you need to talk to Washington ESD about your appeal status or have questions during the process, I had good luck using claimyr to get through to an actual person. The regular phone lines are impossible but that service made it so much easier to get answers when I needed them.
Here's the step by step process: 1) Gather all your documents 2) Create SAW account 3) File initial claim at esd.wa.gov 4) Register with WorkSourceWA 5) File weekly claims every Sunday 6) Complete reemployment plan 7) Do job search activities 8) Report any work/income. That covers the basics.
Just remember that if you do get stuck anywhere in the process, getting an actual human at Washington ESD to help can make all the difference. Don't spend weeks spinning your wheels if something isn't working right.
Definitely keeping that Claimyr option in mind if I run into problems.
Jade Santiago
The 26-week thing is pretty standard across most states. What varies is the weekly amount and total you can collect based on your previous earnings. Washington actually has pretty decent benefits compared to some other states.
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Ruby Garcia
•That's somewhat reassuring. I was worried Washington might be stingier than other places.
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Caleb Stone
•Yeah the maximum weekly benefit in Washington is like $999 which is way higher than states like Florida or Arizona.
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Daniel Price
Just remember that once your benefit year expires (52 weeks from when you first filed), you'd have to file a new claim if you're still unemployed. But you'd need to have worked and earned wages since your last claim to qualify for a new benefit year.
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Ruby Garcia
•So if I'm still unemployed after a year, I can't just keep collecting on the same claim?
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Daniel Price
•Correct. You'd need to have worked and earned sufficient wages to establish a new claim. Otherwise your unemployment benefits would be exhausted.
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