One more thing I should mention - ESD sometimes has different levels of verification. The basic ID verification and then a more thorough verification if they have specific concerns about your claim. If you're in the second category, it typically takes longer. Did you receive any specific notices about why they needed verification again after you'd already done it before?

UPDATE: I took several of the suggestions here and finally got movement on my claim! I contacted my state representative yesterday morning, and by this afternoon I got an email from ESD saying my identity verification was complete. All my pending weekly claims now show as processing for payment! Thanks everyone for the advice - especially about contacting my representative, that really seemed to make the difference.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to file your weekly claim yesterday despite the restart message still showing? This information would be helpful for others who might encounter the same issue in the future.

This is such a relief to hear! I've been dealing with a similar issue where my account shows conflicting messages, and your experience gives me confidence to just proceed with filing. It's frustrating that ESD's website can be so misleading, but at least we know now that the actual filing system works even when the dashboard is buggy. Thanks for updating us with how it turned out - this thread will definitely help other people who run into the same problem!

The most important thing is to answer their questions completely and honestly. Don't volunteer information they don't ask for, but make sure you fully answer what they do ask. And remember, they're not trying to trick you - they just need to verify the information on your claim.

I went through this exact same situation last year and completely understand your anxiety! The interview ended up being much less intimidating than I expected. They asked standard questions about why I left my job, my availability to work, and my job search efforts. Since you mentioned you were laid off due to company downsizing, they'll likely just want to confirm the details and make sure you're actively looking for work. One tip that helped me - have a pen and paper ready to jot down any important information they give you during the call. The whole process took about 25 minutes and the interviewer was actually quite professional and understanding. You've got this!

Just wanted to add that if you're worried about the timing, you can always check your eServices account after filing to see if the payment shows as "Paid" or "Processing." That usually happens within a day or two and will give you peace of mind that everything went through correctly. I've been through this same situation twice now and both times the final week payment processed without any issues, even though filing after the benefit year expired felt weird!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and was totally panicking too! Everyone here is right - you should definitely file that weekly claim. What helped calm my nerves was understanding that the system is actually designed this way on purpose. You're always filing for the week that just ended, so even though your benefit year expired on Saturday, you're claiming benefits for time when you were still eligible. One thing I wish someone had told me: after you file it, don't be surprised if it takes an extra day or two longer than usual to show up in your account. Mine took about 3 business days instead of the usual 1-2, probably because their system has to do some extra processing for final claims. But it did come through with the full amount! Also definitely take the advice about waiting before filing a new claim if that's your plan. I made the mistake of trying to file a new application the same day and it created some weird glitch that I had to call about. Live and learn!

Bottom line - yes you can potentially qualify for unemployment if you quit, but you need good cause and solid documentation. The burden of proof is on you to show Washington ESD why quitting was your only reasonable option. Don't quit impulsively, plan it out and build your case first.

I went through a similar situation about 8 months ago with a toxic manager and constant schedule changes. What really helped my case was keeping a detailed journal of every incident - dates, times, what happened, any witnesses present. I also saved screenshots of last-minute schedule changes and emails about overtime expectations. When I finally quit and filed for unemployment, Washington ESD approved my claim after about 4 weeks of investigation. The key was showing a pattern of behavior that made continuing to work there unreasonable. Start documenting everything now while you're still employed - it's much harder to build your case after you've already left.