This is such a helpful thread! I'm actually facing a similar situation where I might need to travel to help my mom after her hip replacement surgery. Reading through everyone's experiences and especially seeing that Victoria got official confirmation from ESD about the correct process really puts my mind at ease. It sounds like the key is being honest on your weekly claims about not being available rather than just stopping filing altogether or (definitely not) lying about being available when you're not. The PFML option is something I hadn't considered either - thanks Cameron for bringing that up! It's good to know there are people in this community who really know the system and are willing to share accurate information.

Just wanted to add another perspective based on my experience last year. I had to travel to help my dad after his heart surgery and was worried about the same thing. I called ESD (took forever to get through) and they actually suggested I look into taking a temporary break from my claim rather than answering "no" to availability questions for multiple weeks in a row. They said if you're going to be unavailable for more than 2-3 weeks, it might be better to formally pause your claim and then reopen it when you return. This way you don't have a long string of denied weeks on your record. Might be worth asking about this option too when you call, especially since you mentioned it's going to be about 3 weeks. The PFML route definitely sounds promising though - I wish I had known about that option at the time!

Thanks for posting this question - I had no idea that legacy technology was such a big factor in unemployment processing delays. Makes me feel less like the system is personally targeting me.

As someone who's been through this frustration myself, I can confirm that legacy system issues are a major factor in Washington ESD delays. I spent weeks wondering if I had done something wrong with my application, only to find out later that my claim required manual review because I had worked in multiple states. The old system simply couldn't automatically process cross-state employment history. What helped me was finally understanding that "pending adjudication" often just means the legacy system kicked your case to a human reviewer - it's not necessarily a red flag about your eligibility. The technology limitations are real, and unfortunately we're all dealing with the consequences while waiting for modernization that seems perpetually "in progress.

One more piece of advice - keep detailed notes of EVERY interaction you have with ESD from now on. Date, time, name of representative, what was discussed, confirmation numbers, everything. These notes can be admitted as evidence in your hearing. Also, be aware that there are two levels of appeal - if you lose at the OAH level, you can appeal to the Commissioner's Review Office, and then to Superior Court if necessary (though that's rare). The most important thing right now is getting that appeal filed within your deadline. You can always supplement with additional evidence later.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - what a nightmare! I've been following this thread and wanted to add that you should also request a "waiver of overpayment" when you file your appeal. Even if they determine there was an overpayment, Washington state allows waivers if the overpayment wasn't your fault AND repayment would cause financial hardship. Given that their system deleted your message history and you missed a verification request on a DENIED claim (that never paid you anything), this could be a strong argument for a waiver. The fact that you properly verified for all the claims you actually received benefits from shows you were acting in good faith. Document your current financial situation too - $55,000 would be devastating for most people. You've got this! The appeals process exists for exactly these situations.

I've been through this exact same confusion! One thing that really helped me understand my benefit calculation was realizing that Washington ESD only looks at W2 wages, not 1099 income. So if a significant portion of your delivery work was as an independent contractor, that could explain why the numbers don't match up. Also, double-check that you're using gross wages (before taxes) when doing your own calculations. When I finally got my determination letter, it showed exactly which quarters they used and broke down all the wage sources. The formula itself is pretty straightforward once you have the right numbers: highest quarter ÷ 26 = weekly benefit (capped at the state maximum). Hang in there - the waiting is the worst part but the letter should arrive soon!

I went through something very similar when I filed last year! Having multiple income sources definitely makes the calculation more confusing. One thing that really helped me was calling the Washington ESD customer service line early in the morning (like right when they open at 8am) - I had much better luck getting through then versus later in the day. The agent was able to walk me through exactly which wages counted and explained that they use a "base period" which might not include your most recent work. In your case with $28K total earnings, if most of that was from your W2 retail job, you should be in decent shape. The 1099 delivery income won't count toward your regular UI benefits, but your retail wages should give you a solid weekly amount. Keep checking your eServices account too - sometimes the benefit determination shows up there before the physical letter arrives. The whole process is nerve-wracking but hang in there!

One more thing - if your claim gets approved but you have questions about your benefit amount, that's calculated based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. The monetary determination should show the breakdown.

Final update from OP - got my first payment today! Took about 3 weeks total from filing to getting paid. Thanks everyone for the help understanding the process.