Following up on my earlier comment - I think it would be helpful to understand that under WAC 192-220-017, ESD can reexamine a decision at any time if they receive new information. However, any benefits paid before a redetermination are typically only considered overpayments if there was claimant fraud or misrepresentation. In your case, since it appears to be your employer potentially contesting the claim after an initial determination, you should be entitled to continue receiving benefits during the review unless ESD specifically notifies you of a hold. Even if they eventually rule against you, you might qualify for a waiver of overpayment if you received the benefits through no fault of your own (which appears to be the case here).

btw did u use a fact finding form to respond to their new questions? make sure u fill that out SUPER detailed. my friend got denied cuz she just wrote short answers and they said she didn't provide enough info

congrats on winning!!! honestly dealing with esd is like banging your head against a wall. i was in the same boat last yr and finally got my money but took almost 3 months after the judge ruled in my favor. you have to be super persistent and call like everyday. good luck with ur new claim too!

Quick update on the process since I just helped my brother-in-law through this exact situation last month: Call 833-572-8400, choose the option for questions about an existing claim, then when asked about your specific issue, say "appeal decision payments." This should route you to the right department faster. Have your appeal decision handy - specifically the part listing which weeks you should be eligible for. They'll ask for the OAH docket number (starts with "OAH" followed by numbers) from the top right of your decision letter. The system has improved somewhat since 2024. Back payments after appeals now take about 3-4 weeks instead of 2-3 months like before. Just make sure you're very clear that you're requesting payment for weeks that were approved in your OAH decision, not regular weekly benefits.

I had a similar situation in 2024 and what tripped me up was that I didn't realize I needed to list my temp job as a new employer. When reopening, make sure you have the company name, address, phone number, first/last work date, and reason for separation ready. If you select "temporary job ended" as your reason for separation, you generally won't have issues with adjudication (that's when they investigate job separations). Also important: if your benefit year is close to ending, double-check the date in your eServices account. If you're within a few weeks of that end date, the process might be different.

To directly answer your follow-up question: Yes, you'll reopen first, then file for the week including those last 3 days worked (reporting those earnings), and then you'll be back to regular weekly claims after that. Make sure you're also keeping track of your job search activities - you still need 3 per week starting the week after your last work day. So if Thursday was your last day, you need 3 job search activities for the following week.

have u tried messaging ur state representative?? thats wat i did after waiting 9 wks and suddenly my claim got fixed in 3 days!! they can do something called a "legislative inquiry" that puts ur claim at the top of someones list. worth a try b4 u go thru all that job application stuff lol

I share your frustration with the system, but I'd caution against assuming the delays are due to incompetence or poor management. The reality is that ESD is dealing with an antiquated computer system that was scheduled for replacement before the pandemic hit. The claims process involves multiple verification points through different agencies and employers, and adjudication specifically means there's some discrepancy that requires human investigation. If you're serious about applying, search for "Unemployment Insurance Specialist" or "Employment Security Specialist" on careers.wa.gov. But be aware - the starting pay isn't great considering the technical knowledge required (around $22-28/hour depending on experience), and the pressure can be intense when you're dealing with people who are desperate for their benefits. In the meantime, have you tried requesting an expedite on your claim due to financial hardship? There's a specific process for this that can sometimes help.

Glad to hear it worked out for both of you! The ESD agent I spoke with mentioned their payment status system often lags 1-2 days behind actual payments during these processing delays. Definitely worth checking your bank account directly rather than just relying on the ESD portal status.

same here! money showed up 2day but esd site still says processing. weird system they hav lol