Washington Unemployment

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$19.99 is charged only once a live ESD agent is on the phone with you.

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Ask the community...

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  • DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
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this is the third time this year theyve had "processing issues" with payments!! im so sick of depending on this broken system! every time this happens i get hit with late fees that nobody reimburses me for!!!!!

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It's frustrating for sure. One tip: call your billing companies right away when you know there will be a delay and explain the situation. Most will waive late fees if you're proactive and have a good payment history. I've had to do this several times during my unemployment period.

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UPDATE: My payment just came through about 10 minutes ago (around 5:30pm). Much later than usual but at least it's here before rent is due. Hope everyone else gets theirs soon too!

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just got mine too!! what a relief

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Since your claim is in adjudication for separation issues, there are a few things you can do: 1. Call ESD to check if they need any additional documentation from you. Getting through can be difficult, but services like Claimyr (claimyr.com) can help connect you to an agent without the long hold times. Their video demo explains how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 2. Continue filing your weekly claims during adjudication so you'll receive all eligible payments once approved 3. Check your ESD online account daily for any new correspondence requiring response 4. Make sure you're completing and documenting all required job search activities each week I went through something similar - my husband's claim was approved quickly while mine took 5 weeks due to separation verification. It's frustrating but common.

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Thank you for the practical advice! I'll check out that service - calling ESD has been impossible. I've tried at different times of day and always get the "high call volume" message. And yes, I've definitely been doing my weekly claims and job search activities religiously. Don't want to miss out on any payments once this finally gets resolved!

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i did this with my boyfriend's claim and guess what? i got disqualified for quitting my job (which i didn't, they eliminated my position!) and he got approved right away. took me filing an appeal and waiting 10 weeks to get it fixed. sometimes i think they just randomly pick people to torture with the system.

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It's not random. Position elimination vs. quitting is a very different situation in ESD's system. When an employer reports that an employee quit (even incorrectly), it automatically triggers adjudication since voluntary quits are generally not eligible for benefits. You had to appeal because there was a factual dispute that needed resolution. The system follows specific rules, even though it seems arbitrary when you're caught in it.

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anybody know if going to a WorkSource office in person helps? can they look at ur claim there or do they just tell u to call the same impossible number?

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WorkSource staff can't access or modify your unemployment claim - they're a separate system. They might be able to help with job search activities, but for claim issues, you still need to reach ESD directly. Some WorkSource offices do have courtesy phones that connect to ESD, but you'll still face the same wait times.

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UPDATE: I finally got through!!! Used a combination of your suggestions - called at 10:40am on Tuesday using two phones simultaneously. Got the "all lines full" message on my cell, but my roommate's phone got placed in the queue! Waited 47 minutes but finally spoke to a real person who fixed my pending issue. For anyone else struggling, the mid-morning Tuesday call time definitely seemed to help. The rep said they're training new staff so hopefully the phone situation improves soon. THANK YOU all for your help!

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That's fantastic news! So glad you got through. Did they say when you might see your payments? Hoping it's quick after such a long wait!

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The agent said I should see payments within 48-72 hours! Such a relief after waiting 6+ weeks. She also apologized for the phone difficulties and admitted their system is overwhelmed. Fingers crossed it all processes smoothly now.

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One more important thing to be aware of - if this is your first time on unemployment, remember that you'll need to pay federal taxes on these benefits next year. ESD gives you the option to withhold 10% for federal taxes, but it's not automatic. Might be worth logging in and setting that up now before your first payment if you haven't already.

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Oh wow, I totally forgot about taxes. I'm going to log in and set up that withholding right now. Really appreciate the reminder!

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update us when u get ur $$ so ppl know how long its taking right now

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Will do! I'll post an update as soon as it hits my account.

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Interesting data point! I've been tracking my UI payment processing times for the past 13 weeks (yes, I'm that person with a spreadsheet 😂). Here's what I've found: - Average processing time: 2.3 days - Filing before 8am Sunday: 1.7 days average - Filing after 6pm Sunday: 3.1 days average - Monday filings: 3.8 days average So your timing of 12:01am Sunday likely made a significant difference! The system was probably just booting up the weekly processing cycle and you got in first. The phone vs. online probably didn't matter as much as the exact timing.

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I'm impressed by your data tracking! That's really useful information. Seems like filing as early as possible on Sunday makes a big difference. I'm going to try the same timing next week and see if I get similar results.

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This data tracking is excellent and matches what we typically see in the system. Sunday early morning filers generally do get processed first in the weekly cycle, regardless of filing method.

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my neighbor said she heard from someone at worksource that ESD is switching to a new payment system next month and everything will be faster for everyone... anyone else hear about this??

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I haven't seen any official announcements about a new payment system launching next month. ESD typically announces major system changes well in advance on their website and through claimant emails. I'd be cautious about relying on unofficial information about system changes.

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