Thanks everyone for the advice! Based on what I'm hearing, I think I'll: 1. Limit my business development to evenings and weekends 2. Keep detailed records of both job search activities and business hours 3. Be 100% transparent on my weekly claims 4. Make sure I'm always available for interviews and ready to accept suitable work I might also try that Claimyr service to speak with ESD directly and get their official guidance for my specific situation. I'll update this thread if I learn anything new that might help others in the same boat.

One last important thing to note: If your business progresses to the point where you're getting customers/clients, even if you're not paying yourself yet, you need to report any gross income received by the business on your weekly claims. ESD looks at gross business income, not net profit after expenses. Also, if you've registered your business officially (LLC, sole proprietorship, etc.), make sure you understand how that impacts your "able and available" status. Some business structures could potentially affect your eligibility more than others. Best of luck balancing your job search and entrepreneurial journey!

Just curious - what kind of illness can make you unable to work one day and then suddenly fine the next? Not judging, but seems kinda fishy to me. ESD investigates fraud pretty seriously from what I've heard.

After reading all the comments, I think the best course of action is: 1. Send a secure message through your eServices account clearly stating you wish to withdraw your application because you remained employed 2. Take a screenshot of this message for your records 3. If you're concerned about your employer's perception, have a brief conversation with your manager to explain the situation 4. Monitor your eServices account for the next few weeks to ensure no unexpected actions are taken on your claim This approach provides documentation, transparency, and peace of mind without requiring you to spend hours trying to reach someone by phone.

so i tried this trick today and the lady got really mad at me lol!! she said they've been getting too many people doing this and now they're keeping track. she still transferred me but said next time i might get in trouble or something

Instead of these phone tricks, I've had good luck reaching ESD through my WorkSource office. Many people don't realize WorkSource staff can sometimes help with unemployment issues or at least get you connected to the right person at ESD. My local office has an ESD representative on site two days a week specifically to help with claim issues. Might be worth checking if your local WorkSource offers this!

Handled it all myself. Just made sure to respond to everything quickly and had all my documentation organized. You don't need a lawyer for the initial claim process - just be thorough and honest.

One thing nobody told me - even in adjudication, you MUST keep filing weekly claims! I didn't know this and stopped filing while waiting for my adjudication to finish. When I finally got approved, I only got paid from the weeks I had actually filed claims for, not from my initial application date. Don't make my mistake!

I'm an employment counselor who works with ESD cases regularly. Here's what you need to know about volunteer work with a stipend: 1. Your volunteer firefighter position with a stipend is considered part-time work, not volunteer work in ESD's system 2. You must report the hours worked and earnings on your weekly claim 3. You'll use the formula: Weekly Benefit Amount - (earnings - $5) = adjusted benefit For example: $650 - ($40-$5) = $650 - $35 = $615 adjusted benefit 4. As long as you remain available for full-time work and complete your 3 job search activities weekly, the volunteer firefighting won't affect your eligibility 5. Document your flexibility - ensure your volunteer coordinator would allow you to change your schedule for interviews or work One additional consideration: if your volunteer hours exceed 17 hours per week, ESD may request additional information to verify you're still fully available for work. Just be prepared to explain your flexibility. Your desire to give back to your community during unemployment is commendable, and ESD generally supports this type of activity as long as work search requirements are met.

ive been on unemployment 3 times in WA and let me tell u, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!! take screenshots of all your weekly claims where u report the stipend, keep copies of your W2, save emails from the fire dept about your schedule. ESD makes mistakes ALL THE TIME and u dont want to get hit with an overpayment notice a year from now!

I was in adjudication for 11 weeks last year and tried EVERYTHING - governor's office, state rep, senator, even contacted a local news reporter who does those "help me solve this government problem" segments. Nothing worked until I finally managed to get through to an actual ESD agent. Turns out there was a simple error with my claim that took literally 5 minutes to fix once someone looked at it. My advice is keep pursuing all channels but focus on actually getting through to ESD directly. The governor's office is just another layer of bureaucracy. Last year I discovered a service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent when I couldn't get through myself. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 It was literally the only thing that worked for me after months of frustration. The agent I spoke with immediately saw the issue and fixed it while I was on the phone.

One additional important thing to consider - have you checked your ESD secure message center to see if they've requested any additional information? Sometimes they send requests through the portal but don't call or email you about them. If you miss responding to these requests, your adjudication can drag on indefinitely. Log in to your eServices account and check if there are any new messages or questionnaires that need your attention.

one more thing!! make sure u keep both accts open for like a month atleast. My friend closed her old acct too quick and her payment got lost in limbo for like 3 weeks!!

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know that my payment did end up going to my old account after about 3 business days (normal timing). I've decided to keep both accounts open until I'm no longer on unemployment just to avoid any future headaches. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

The whole unemployment system is DESIGNED to make you fail!!!! They WANT you to mess up so they can deny benefits. If you don't file one week, BOOM claim closed. If you don't do job searches even when working, BOOM disqualified. If you make one tiny mistake on reporting earnings, BOOM overpayment notice for thousands of dollars. It's a trap waiting to happen. I've been fighting with ESD for 3 months over a similar situation.

One more important detail - when you file this Sunday, make sure you answer "yes" to the question about whether you worked during the week. Then report the exact dates you worked and the gross earnings (before taxes) of $1,800. Don't round up or down - report the exact amount. And as others mentioned, don't forget to still complete your 3 job search activities for the week.

i was in a similar situation in 2025 and my PFML case manager actually suggested applying for unemployment even though they knew I'd probably get denied. They said sometimes people get approved if they can prove they're able to do SOME type of work even if not their regular job. Like if you can't do physical labor but could do a desk job. It's worth trying! Worst they can say is no.

has anyone mentioned SSDI (Social Security Disability)? if your condition might last longer then you should apply now bc it takes FOREVER to get approved.

am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous we have to contact the governor to get basic unemployment services? the whole system is a joke. they expect people to wait months with no income while bills pile up? what are families supposed to do?

UPDATE: We got APPROVED!!! All 6 weeks processed and payment is pending direct deposit! Should have the money tomorrow. The adjudicator never even called us - just verified with the employer and made the determination. Thank you everyone for your support and advice during this stressful time. And definitely reach out to the governor's office if you're stuck - it made all the difference for us.