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Laid off but collecting pension - can my friend still get ESD unemployment benefits?
My friend (63) just got laid off from her part-time job at a medical office where she's worked for the last 4 years. She also receives a pension from her previous employer where she worked for 25+ years. Someone told her that because she gets a pension, she's automatically disqualified from receiving any unemployment benefits from ESD. Is this actually true? Seems unfair considering she was working and paying into the system all this time. Does pension income completely disqualify you or does it just reduce your weekly benefit amount? Any insights would be really helpful since she's stressing about making ends meet until she finds another job.
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ESD disqualified me for 2022 claim before processing my new 2025 claim - is this normal?
I'm so confused right now. I just applied for unemployment last week after getting laid off from my warehouse job (downsizing). Yesterday I got a determination letter saying I'm disqualified because of an old claim from 2022! Here's the weird part - that 2022 claim was denied and I never even filed a weekly claim for it because I found a job right away. I didn't think it would matter anymore since it's been over 2 years. Does ESD really have to resolve old claims before they can process new ones, even when they're years apart? Has anyone dealt with this before? I really need these benefits to start soon - rent is due in two weeks and I've got nothing lined up yet.
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Did you check your eServices message center? Sometimes they send instructions there about what you need to do for the old claim. Might save you a phone call.
I did check and there was nothing helpful unfortunately. Just the determination letter saying I was disqualified due to the old claim.
Just to give you some hope - I finally got my claim processed after dealing with a similar issue. From disqualification letter to benefits being paid took about 10 days once I was able to speak with someone. Hang in there!
That's reassuring to hear! I managed to get through today finally and they're processing the administrative closure of my old claim. The agent said I should see movement on my new claim within 3-5 business days. Fingers crossed!
Won an ESD appeal for misconduct/carelessness with minimal documentation?
I was fired in February for supposedly being 'careless' at work and my ESD claim was denied due to misconduct. The only documentation my former employer has is a single write-up from 3 months before I was let go. Nothing else on paper. I've filed an appeal but I'm really stressing about my chances here. Has anyone successfully appealed a misconduct denial when there was barely any documentation? The hearing is scheduled for next week and I'm trying to figure out how to prepare. The write-up was for a mistake that honestly wasn't even my fault - system glitch that cost the company $750, but they blamed me. Any tips or success stories would really help my anxiety right now.
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Did you get the determination letter explaining why they denied your claim initially? It should cite specific reasons and regulations. Understanding exactly why they denied you can help you prepare targeted counterarguments. Also, make sure you have a copy of your employer's response to your claim - you can request this from ESD if you don't already have it.
Yes, the determination letter cited RCW 50.04.294(1)(d) about carelessness/negligence that caused harm to the employer. They mentioned the $750 loss specifically. I'll call tomorrow to request their response - didn't realize I could get that.
Update us after your hearing! Based on what you've shared, I think you have a good chance of winning. One write-up from 3 months prior about an issue that was arguably not even your fault doesn't meet the standard for misconduct under Washington unemployment law. Just make sure you're well-prepared and stay calm during questioning.
ESD payment delays - normal to wait 2-3 days for anti-fraud + weekend deposits?
Finally got my UI claim approved yesterday after 6 weeks of waiting! The ESD rep mentioned my payments will be held for 2 days for anti-fraud verification before being released, and then it might take another 2-3 business days to hit my account. That seems like a long time for funds I desperately need right now. Can anyone confirm if this 2-day anti-fraud hold is standard procedure in 2025? And realistically, how long did it take to receive your back payments after approval? Also wondering if ESD actually processes/releases payments on weekends? My approval came through on Thursday, so if the 2-day hold ends Saturday, will they release it then or wait until Monday? Does your bank matter? (I'm with BECU if that makes any difference) My rent is already 2 weeks late and I'm trying to give my landlord an accurate timeline. Thanks for any insights!
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Final update: The money hit my BECU account this morning, exactly 6 business days after approval. Timeline breakdown: Thursday: Approval Friday-Monday: Anti-fraud hold (2 business days) Tuesday: Status changed to "Paid" in eServices Wednesday: Nothing Thursday (today): Funds available in my account Thanks everyone for the help! For anyone finding this thread later, just know that "2-3 business days" is definitely the best-case scenario.
ESD portal login loop - 'session expired' immediately after signing in
Is anyone else having trouble logging into the ESD unemployment portal this week? For the past 3 days, I sign in with my username and password, and as soon as it should take me to my dashboard, I get a "session expired" message and it kicks me right back to the login page. I've tried different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, and even Edge), cleared my cookies, and even tried on my phone but keep getting the same result. I have weekly claims to file and I'm getting really anxious about missing deadlines. Has ESD mentioned any system issues? Any suggestions on how to fix this login loop nightmare?
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My cousin works in IT (not for ESD) but he says most government websites are running on ancient systems and whenever they try to update security it breaks something else. Not surprised this is happening right when they're probably doing end of quarter updates or whatever.
Glad to hear the SAW portal workaround solved it for you! For anyone else still experiencing issues, ESD just posted on their website that they're aware of the login problems affecting some users and expect to have it fully resolved by tomorrow. They've extended the weekly claim filing deadline by 2 days this week to accommodate for the technical difficulties.
Where did you see this?? I just checked their website and Twitter and don't see ANY announcements about the problems or extended deadlines??
It's on the alert banner that appears at the top of the main ESD unemployment benefits page when you access it from a desktop browser. It might not be showing on mobile. They typically update these system notices once daily, usually in the morning.
Ava Martinez
Make sure your friend completes her weekly claims even while waiting for the initial determination! My brother almost lost out on back benefits because he didn't realize you need to keep filing every week even before they decide if you qualify. Also tell her to be ready to provide documentation about both the pension amount and which company it comes from.
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Dmitry Volkov
AuthorThat's really good advice, I'll make sure she knows to file weekly claims right away. Do you know how long the determination usually takes? She's worried about paying her mortgage next month.
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Zainab Omar
One more important thing for your friend to be aware of: once she starts receiving unemployment benefits, she'll need to complete three job search activities each week and document them. Even though she's at retirement age, if she's collecting unemployment, ESD will expect her to be actively seeking work that's similar to her previous position. Make sure she knows to keep detailed records of all job search activities.
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Connor Murphy
the job search requirement is so annoying especially for older workers! my dad had to apply to all these jobs he knew he wouldn't get just to check the boxes ugh
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