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After reading through this thread, I'd recommend a combined approach: 1. Send the certified letter to your employer citing RCW 50.12.070 2. Contact your adjudicator immediately (don't wait) to explain the situation 3. Submit bank statements and any pay documents you do have as temporary proof 4. Use the Claimyr service mentioned above if you're struggling to reach ESD by phone 5. File a wage complaint with L&I if your employer doesn't respond within 10 days The key with ESD is documenting everything. Keep a log of every attempt to contact your employer with dates, times, and who you spoke with. This will strengthen your case.
UPDATE: I took everyone's advice and sent a certified letter yesterday citing the RCW. I also managed to get through to my adjudicator (after a 2 hour wait on hold!) and she was actually really understanding. She put a note in my file and said they can work with bank statements for now while I'm trying to get the official documents. She also mentioned they can request the wage info directly from the employer if necessary. Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! Will update again once I know more.
Just wanted to check in - have you received your decision yet? Mine came exactly on day 14 like I mentioned, but I know others who got theirs sooner.
No decision in the mail yet, but I got an update on my SAW account this morning!! It says "Decision: ALLOWED" and shows my benefit amount! I'm literally crying with relief right now. Thank you everyone for helping me through the wait. Now I just need to figure out how long until the backpay actually hits my account.
Congratulations on your successful appeal! Once the decision shows as "ALLOWED" in your account, ESD typically processes backpay within 3-5 business days. You might receive separate deposits for each week claimed, or a single lump sum payment. Make sure your payment method (direct deposit or debit card) is properly set up in your ESD account to avoid further delays. Also, don't forget to continue filing your weekly claims according to the regular schedule.
Quick update for you - I just checked the ESD website and they posted a notice about payment delays for claims processed between March 1-15, 2025. They're experiencing issues with their payment processing system and some payments are taking longer than usual. They state all back payments should be issued by March 25th. This likely explains your situation.
Thank you so much for checking! That's really helpful information. At least now I know it's a system-wide issue and not just my claim.
My cousin works for ESD (not saying that publicly lol) and she says they're SUPER backed up right now because of system updates and staff shortages. Like worse than usual. Not helpful for your immediate problem but might explain why even after winning your appeal it's taking forever. The system is basically held together with duct tape at this point.
Update for everyone: I just checked the ESD website and they've posted a notice about implementation delays for appeal decisions. They're currently processing implementations from early October, so that explains the 7+ week wait for more recent decisions. Still worth contacting your representatives though!
Lauren Zeb
the esd system is GARBAGE!!!!! i spent 9 weeks with my claim saying disqualified when it was really in adjudication and nobody bothered to explain the difference. they expect us to somehow know their internal processes and terminology. such a broken system that makes people suffer while they take their sweet time reviewing basic claims!!! makes me SO ANGRY how they treat people who just need their benefits.
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Evan Kalinowski
•I understand your frustration, but there is actually a logical reason behind this (though it's still confusing). Claims are technically in a disqualified status until they complete adjudication and make a determination. The system was designed with this default position. I agree they should make this clearer to claimants though.
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The Boss
Update: I took everyone's advice and we kept filing weekly claims. We also managed to reach an ESD agent this morning (after many attempts). They explained that my son's claim is in adjudication because his employer reported the separation as "quit" instead of "laid off" when the project ended. The agent sent a message to the adjudicator to prioritize the case and said we should receive a fact-finding questionnaire within 3-5 business days. Thank you all for your help - at least now we know what's happening!
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Jasmine Quinn
•That explains everything! This is exactly why it's important to contact them. Employer reported separation reason discrepancies are one of the most common causes of adjudication. Make sure your son responds to that questionnaire IMMEDIATELY when it arrives and includes any documentation that proves it was a layoff (text messages, emails, etc). Glad you were able to get through and get some answers!
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