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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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You can still change your payment method even after your claims show PAID status. Log in to eServices, go to Settings > Payment Method, and update it to direct deposit with your bank information. If you do this within 24 hours of the PAID status appearing, there's a good chance the payment will go to your bank account instead of the card. However, if it's been more than a day, the payment may already be processing to the card. In that case, once you receive the card, you can transfer the funds to your bank account through the card's online portal.
THANK YOU! Just changed it to direct deposit and triple-checked all my bank info is correct. Crossing my fingers it's not too late and the payment goes to my bank account. What a mess.
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Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful for understanding how to handle this situation properly! As someone who's been navigating unemployment benefits for the past few months, I really appreciate seeing the detailed experiences everyone has shared. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you do decide to decline the job, make sure you also document any safety concerns with your unreliable vehicle making that long of a commute daily. ESD considers safety as part of the "suitable work" determination. If your car has had breakdowns or has known issues that could leave you stranded on a 40+ mile commute (especially in winter weather here in Washington), that's definitely worth documenting. Also, I noticed someone mentioned checking if the employer offers any transportation assistance or commuter benefits. Some larger companies have shuttle services, carpooling programs, or transit subsidies that might change the calculation. It's worth asking before you decline, and documenting their response either way shows ESD you explored all options. The consensus here seems clear though - 40+ miles with an unreliable vehicle and no public transit would almost certainly be considered unreasonable by ESD standards, especially when you factor in the economic impact. Your proactive approach of calling ahead and documenting everything thoroughly is definitely the smart way to handle this. Best of luck with whatever you decide!
Great point about the safety concerns - I hadn't thought about documenting that angle but it makes total sense! My car has actually broken down twice in the past 6 months, once on I-90 in pretty bad weather, so adding 80+ miles daily would definitely increase the risk of getting stranded. That's definitely something I'll include in my documentation along with all the economic factors everyone has mentioned. And you're right about asking the employer about any transportation benefits or assistance programs - even if they say no, having that documented shows I tried to make it work. Thanks for adding these additional considerations to an already really helpful thread!
Wow, this thread has been incredibly informative! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got offered a job that's 36 miles away and was really stressed about whether I could decline without losing my benefits. Reading everyone's experiences, it seems like the key is really thorough documentation. I'm going to follow the advice here and create a detailed breakdown of all costs (gas, wear and tear, time, etc.), document my car's reliability issues, and call ESD ahead of time using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. One question for those who have been through this - did anyone have success stories with distances in the 30-35 mile range? Most of the examples here have been 38+ miles, so I'm curious if there's anyone who declined something closer to that 30-mile threshold that gets mentioned and how it went. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating ESD's complicated system!
I actually declined a job at exactly 32 miles last summer and didn't have any issues! The key for me was really emphasizing the economic impact - even at 32 miles, the gas costs plus wear and tear would have been about 22% of my net pay, which I argued was unreasonable. I also documented that the commute would be 55-65 minutes each way during work hours due to traffic patterns, which put it right at that "1 hour threshold" several people mentioned. ESD approved it without any follow-up questions. I think as long as you can show the economic burden is significant and document everything thoroughly like everyone's suggesting, you should be fine even in that 30-35 mile range. The fact that you're being proactive about calling ahead will definitely help your case!
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honestly the whole ESD system is a mess right now. my friend had her worksource meeting and they never even checked if she was doing her job searches. then 2 months later she got audited and almost lost benefits cause she wasnt keeping good records!!! so unfair
This is unfortunately common. The WorkSource meetings and ESD job search verification are handled by different departments with limited communication between them. WorkSource provides services but isn't primarily focused on enforcement, while ESD's review team specifically checks compliance. This separation can create a false sense of security when WorkSource doesn't review your logs. Always document as if you'll be audited because the chance of random selection remains throughout your entire claim period.
I just went through this same process last month as a first-time claimant! I was also terrified about messing something up. Here's what helped me prepare: For the virtual meeting itself - they sent me a Zoom link about 24 hours beforehand via email. The meeting was pretty straightforward, mostly educational about WorkSource services and job search requirements. They didn't collect any documents during the session. Since you're filing by phone like I was, here's what I did for my job search logs: - Started using a simple notebook to track everything (date, company, position, how I applied, result) - Took photos of each page with my phone as backup - Asked a friend to help me type them up digitally once a week The most important thing I learned: keep doing your 3 job search activities every week and document EVERYTHING. The random audits are real - my neighbor got selected 6 weeks into her claim and had to submit all her logs within 5 days. One tip that saved me stress: I called ESD ahead of my WorkSource meeting to confirm exactly what I needed to bring (which was nothing) and what to expect. It took forever to get through, but it was worth the peace of mind. You've got this! The construction industry is tough right now but there are resources to help. Don't let the bureaucracy intimidate you.
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Just went through this exact scenario myself in February! One thing I'd add is to be prepared for potential confusion on ESD's end about the bonus vs severance distinction. Even after I clearly documented everything, they initially coded my entire lump sum as severance and spread it over way more weeks than it should have been. I had to call back twice to get them to separate out the performance bonus (which should only affect one week) from the actual severance pay. Also, pro tip - when you upload your documentation to eServices, include a cover letter or note clearly explaining which dollar amounts are which. The more explicit you can be, the better chance they'll process it correctly the first time. Good luck!
This is exactly the kind of detailed advice I was hoping for! I'm definitely going to write up a clear breakdown document when I upload everything. Did you have any issues getting through to ESD for those follow-up calls, or were you able to reach them pretty easily? I'm worried about having to spend hours on hold again if they mess up the coding initially.
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got laid off in June and expecting a severance/bonus combo payment next month. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One question I haven't seen addressed yet: does the timing of when you actually RECEIVE the payment matter for reporting purposes? Like if the payment is dated for a Friday but doesn't hit my bank account until the following Monday, which week should I report it on? I want to make sure I'm reporting it on the correct weekly claim to avoid any issues. Also, has anyone had experience with ESD asking for bank statements to verify when you actually received the funds vs when they were issued?
Javier Mendoza
The benefit amount might seem low compared to your regular salary, but remember it's tax-free at the state level in Washington. Plus you'll save on commuting costs, work clothes, and other job-related expenses while you're looking for work.
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Emma Wilson
•Actually unemployment IS taxable for federal taxes. You'll get a 1099-G at the end of the year and need to report it on your tax return.
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Javier Mendoza
•You're right, I misspoke. It's not subject to Washington state taxes since we don't have income tax, but it is federally taxable. Thanks for the correction.
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Malik Davis
If you're still confused about the calculation after reading all this, seriously consider using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I was going in circles trying to understand my benefit amount and a 10-minute call with an ESD agent cleared everything up.
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Malik Davis
•Yeah, it's worth the peace of mind to talk to someone who can look at your specific wage history and give you an exact number instead of trying to guess.
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Freya Andersen
•I was in a similar situation last month and called ESD directly using their callback system. It took about 2 hours to get through, but the agent walked me through the entire calculation step by step. They also helped me understand the dependency allowances and tax withholding options. Sometimes the official route works if you're patient enough!
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