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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.
make sure he documents EVERYTHING. take screenshots of all confirmations when filing claims. ESD "lost" half my claims last winter and tried to say I never filed them. total nightmare getting it fixed
That sounds awful! Thanks for the warning - I'll make sure he takes screenshots of everything.
my sister works in healthcare and she said ALWAYS report training bc even if its not direct deposit ur employer reports the pay to IRS and ESD will crosscheck later
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to report the CE training hours for the week I complete them, save all documentation showing it was required certification training, and use the formula someone shared to estimate my reduced benefit. It sounds like this is pretty normal and won't disqualify me from benefits entirely that week. Really appreciate all the input!
Thanks everyone for the help! I'm going to try to get through to ESD tomorrow and ask specifically for the "Emergency Proclamation Job Search Suspension Notice" and reference the WAC emergency rule. If I can't get through I might try that Claimyr service since I really need this documentation quickly. My previous employer is claiming I didn't meet requirements during weeks when the requirements were actually suspended, so having the official documentation seems like the only way to resolve this. I'll update if I have any success!
Good plan. One more thing - make sure to also request any notices that were sent to your eServices inbox during that time period. ESD should have copies of all communications sent to you, even if you deleted them. Those notices often contained specific instructions about how to answer the job search question during the pandemic, which could help your case.
Wait isn't there like a time limit for employers to dispute unemployment claims??? It's been like 5 YEARS since the pandemic started, how can they even do this now??
There's typically a 30-day window for initial protests, but for fraud allegations or overpayment investigations, ESD can go back much further. It's unusual but not impossible, especially if the employer is claiming they just discovered information they didn't have before. The statute of limitations for unemployment fraud in Washington is longer than many people realize.
A few things to consider: 1. ESD processes claims in batches. If your claim was processed at the end of a batch on Tuesday, the ACH transfer might not have initiated until Wednesday morning. 2. First payments sometimes undergo additional verification at both ESD and your bank's end. 3. If Monday was your first weekly claim filing, it's normal for payment to take 2-3 business days longer than subsequent payments. If your payment doesn't arrive by end of day Friday, I would recommend contacting ESD directly on Monday. You can also check your payment status in detail under the "Payment History" section of your ESD account - it should show the exact date the payment was processed.
Thank you for the detailed explanation! This is actually my second payment, but what you said about batches makes sense. I'll check the Payment History section - I didn't realize it would show the exact processing date. I'll give it until Friday before I panic.
Yes! It finally showed up this morning. Looks like it just took 3 business days. Thanks everyone for the reassurance and advice!
Giovanni Martello
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.
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KingKongZilla
•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.
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Bethany Groves
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!
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Rebecca Johnston
•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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