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My adjudicator called me 8 days after my claim was escalated through my state representative (not governor). What's your issue? Is it identity verification or employment separation or something else? That can affect timing too.
It's about my job separation. My employer is claiming I quit but I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. They're fighting my claim to avoid the UI tax increase I guess.
Oh that explains the delay. Employer disputes take longer because they have to interview both sides. My issue was just missing documents so it was quicker. Make sure you have emails or anything that proves you were laid off.
i waited 2 weeks after govs office escalation. but i had to answer a bunch of questions when they finally called and then wait ANOTHER week for a decision. its not just one call and done usually
Ugh, that's frustrating. Did they at least backpay you for all the weeks you were waiting?
yeah they did backpay everything once approved but it was like 11 weeks total of waiting and stressing
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my cousin had the same problem back in february and she ended up having to go to the WorkSource office in person with her ID and social security card. They couldn't fix it there but they gave her a direct number to call and got it sorted in a few days. might be worth checking if your local office is taking walk-ins.
Just checking back - were you able to make any progress with your claim? One thing I forgot to mention is that when my wife was dealing with this, we discovered that the third-party verification sometimes fails if your license was issued in a different state before you got your WA license. In that case, you might need to provide additional documentation like a birth certificate or passport.
I finally got through this morning! You were right about calling at 8am sharp. The agent confirmed my license is stuck in verification because I recently moved and there's an address mismatch. They're escalating it to an adjudicator who should call me within 2-3 business days. Fingers crossed this gets resolved soon. Thanks everyone for the advice!
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On this job search thing - I had a baby last year and took maternity leave and then got laid off right after coming back. I had already arranged to be a stay at home mom after my savings got built back up in a few months. I was so confused why I had to do job searches when I DIDNT EVEN WANT A JOB AT THAT POINT?? The whole system makes no sense sometimes.
That's actually a different situation. To qualify for unemployment, you must be able and available for work and actively seeking work. If you're planning to be a stay-at-home parent and not return to the workforce, you wouldn't technically be eligible for unemployment benefits since you're not actively seeking to return to work. The system is designed for those temporarily between jobs who are trying to rejoin the workforce.
Update: I called ESD using that Claimyr service (which actually worked!), and the agent explained that my case is in adjudication because my former employer contested the reason for separation. I said it was a layoff, they're claiming I quit! I've sent in my termination letter through the document upload system and the agent said it should be resolved within 7-10 business days. I also applied for standby status with my offer letter. Thanks everyone for the help!
Great! That's exactly what happened to me too - employer reported a different separation reason. Once you submitted the documentation, the timeline they gave you is pretty accurate. Glad you got through to someone who could explain what's happening!
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Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I just got off the phone with my 401k administrator and unfortunately they don't allow loans after separation from the company. So withdrawal is my only option. Based on your feedback, I'll make sure to clearly mark it as a 401k withdrawal when I report it, and only include the employer match portion (about $300 of the $5000). I'll also have documentation ready in case there's any delay or questions. I appreciate all the firsthand experiences shared!
Glad you got some clarity! Make sure to set aside money for taxes too - 401k withdrawals are subject to income tax + 10% penalty if youre under 59.5 years. Found that out the hard way last year lol
one more thing! if ur claim gets held up after u report the 401k thing dont freak out. mine took 3 weeks like i said but then went thru fine and i got all my back payments. just keep filing your weekly claims like normal even if they show pending
Thank you for this reminder! I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims if there's any delay. I've put aside enough to cover about 3 weeks of expenses just in case there's a processing delay. Better safe than sorry!
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UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know that I filed my weekly claim and reported all my hours/wages exactly as earned. The system automatically calculated a reduced benefit amount based on my partial work week. Thanks for all the help! For anyone else in this situation - definitely keep filing until you're at full-time hours, just be honest about what you worked.
This is good to know, thanks for the update! Did they still deduct the waiting week from your partial payment or did you already serve that when you first filed?
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Based on what you've described, you should be fine to use the money. Here's how ESD typically handles these situations: 1. The determination letter is your official approval document 2. The payment itself is a separate confirmation that your claim has been accepted 3. The eServices portal often lags behind actual claim processing If you're still concerned, you could try calling ESD directly at 800-318-6022. They open at 8am and it's best to call right when they open. If you're unable to get through due to high call volume, you might try a service like Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps connect you with an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 that shows how it works. But honestly, with both a determination letter AND payment, you should be in good shape to use the funds as needed.
Thank you for laying it out so clearly. I feel much better about using the money now. I've tried calling a few times with no luck - might check out that service if I need to reach them about something else in the future.
UPDATE: I paid my rent and some utilities with part of the money but kept about $900 in savings just in case. Just logged in today and guess what? The pending issues and adjudication notices are GONE from my account! System finally updated. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!!!
That's great news! Thanks for coming back to update us. This is exactly what I expected would happen. The system just needed time to catch up with the decision that had already been made. Good luck with your job search!
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Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I feel much better now knowing I don't need to report my tax refund to ESD. This system can be so confusing sometimes and the website doesn't explain everything clearly. Appreciate all the responses!
Glad we could help! Make sure you're still reporting any actual work income though, even small amounts. Better safe than dealing with overpayment notices later!
This is totally off topic but since we're talking taxes - did anyone else's unemployment tax form (1099-G) show up super late this year? Mine just arrived yesterday and taxes are due in like 2 weeks! Stressing me out!!!
ESD should have had all 1099-Gs sent by January 31st as required by law. If you just received yours, that's unusually late. You can always file for an extension if needed, but you'll still need to pay any estimated taxes owed by the regular deadline. If you're worried, you can also access your 1099-G electronically through your ESD account under the "1099-G tax forms" section.
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my cousin works for esd and she says their system flags cases where hours were reduced before being eliminated completely... they look extra close at these because companies try to disguise layoffs as voluntary quits all the time. so be super clear in your application that you WANTED to keep working your 1 day but they took even that away without asking you. hope it works out for you!
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One more important detail - if your husband does file for partial unemployment, make sure he understands how earnings reporting works. ESD will deduct a portion of his earnings from his weekly benefit amount using this formula: - 75% of any earnings exceeding $5 and up to 1/4 of his weekly benefit amount - 100% of any earnings exceeding 1/4 of his weekly benefit amount So if his weekly benefit amount is $600 (just an example), and he earns $200 in a week: - First $5 isn't counted - 75% of earnings between $5 and $150 (which is 1/4 of $600) = 75% of $145 = $108.75 - 100% of earnings above $150 = $50 Total deduction: $158.75, making his partial benefit $441.25 for that week. Many construction workers get confused by this calculation and end up with overpayment notices later.
Thank you for explaining this! The math is more complicated than I expected. I'm going to write this down so we can calculate it each week before filing the weekly claim. Would hate to end up with an overpayment situation.
Julian Paolo
I just remembered something else - when you get your hearing notice from OAH, it will have instructions for submitting evidence. Make sure you submit EVERYTHING at least 1 week before the hearing. I made the mistake of trying to introduce new evidence during my hearing and the judge wouldn't accept it because I didn't submit it ahead of time.
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Madison King
•That's really good to know! I'll make sure to get everything submitted early. Does that include text messages between me and my supervisor?
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Caleb Stone
Yes, text messages are absolutely evidence you should submit! Take screenshots and organize them by date. Also, I forgot to mention - the OAH hearing will be by phone (not in person), so make sure you're in a quiet place with good reception when the time comes. Have all your documents spread out in front of you for easy reference.
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Madison King
•Just got my hearing scheduled for February 28th. Still seems like forever away, but at least it's on the calendar now. Thanks for all the help everyone - I'm going to start organizing my evidence today.
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