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Does anyone know if you need to keep filing weekly claims even after benefits are exhausted? I'm confused about whether I should keep doing this or if it's pointless?? The ESD website has conflicting info.
Yes, you should continue filing weekly claims even after exhausting benefits if you're still unemployed. This serves two purposes: 1) It maintains your claim as active in case any extensions become available later, and 2) It provides accurate unemployment data that could potentially trigger extended benefits if enough people are reporting continued unemployment. The system won't pay you during this time, but keeping your claim active is important.
Just out of curiosity have you tried looking at remote work in other states? I know someone who couldn't find anything locally but got hired by a company in Colorado for remote healthcare admin work. Might be worth expanding your search geographically since so many places are remote now?
Has anyone actually gotten PFML in Washington recently? I hear the system is completely broken and payments are super delayed??
YES it's STILL a mess in 2025! My claim from January just got fully processed last week. I had to call literally every other day. The online system shows nothing useful and the status updates are completely wrong. The only way I made progress was getting through to actual agents who could fix things in their system.
To follow up on your question about the PFML application process - it's not overly complicated, but it does require coordination with your healthcare provider. Here's a quick overview: 1. Create an account on the PFML portal through ESD 2. Start your application (you can save and return to it) 3. Your healthcare provider will need to complete a certification form 4. Submit documentation about your employment and wages 5. You'll receive a determination within 2-3 weeks typically Since your treatments start in 2 weeks, start the application immediately. There's a waiting week before benefits begin. Also, PFML can be taken intermittently, which might be helpful for a weekly chemo schedule if you're able to work some days. As others have mentioned, the system can have delays, so persistence is key if you encounter issues.
EVERYONE JUST FILES WHERE THEY MADE THE MOST MONEY!!! This isn't complicated people. I've worked in 3 different states and always file wherever I earned the highest wages. The unemployment office will sort it out if there's an issue.
While that's often a good approach, it's not always that simple. Each state has different eligibility requirements, different base periods for calculating benefits, and different weekly benefit amounts. Sometimes the state where you earned the most might not be the state where you'd get the most beneficial claim. It's worth doing the research for your specific situation.
Just wanted to update everyone - I called ESD this morning and finally got through after trying for 2 days. The agent confirmed that I can file in either state, but since most of my wages in the base period were from WA, I'd likely get a better benefit amount filing with them. They're sending me some paperwork to complete for an interstate claim. Thanks everyone for the help!
Glad you got through! That's impressive - usually it takes much longer to reach someone at ESD. Did they mention anything about how long interstate claims typically take to process? In my experience they can take longer than regular claims.
Just remember that ESD is NOT on your side! They'll find ANY reason to deny your waiver request! A friend of mine got denied because she had $1,200 in her checking account when they reviewed her case - they said that meant she could afford to pay back the overpayment! BE CAREFUL what financial info you share!!!
I understand the concern, but you do need to be honest on your financial disclosure for the waiver. Providing incomplete information can result in automatic denial or even potential fraud issues. One last thing - if both your petition and waiver are denied, you can still negotiate a payment plan with ESD. They can go as low as $25-50 per month based on your financial situation. While not ideal, it's better than having the full amount sent to collections, which would impact your credit score and potentially lead to tax refund interception.
Emily Thompson
That's great news! Thanks for coming back to update us. It's really helpful for others to see real timelines for these processes.
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Sophie Hernandez
lucky you!!! glad it worked out faster than mine did!
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