Washington Unemployment
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Confused about ESD benefits calculation - where to find my full payment amount?
I've been on unemployment for about 3 weeks now after being laid off from my accounting job. I'm really confused about how to find my full weekly benefit payment amount on the ESD website. I get the direct deposits, but I want to make sure I'm actually receiving the correct amount. I see a 'weekly benefit amount' of $902 on my claim summary page, but then there's also something about a maximum benefit payable? Is that the total I can receive over the whole claim year? The ESD notices are so confusing! Can someone explain where I can find my full payment details and what all these different amounts actually mean?
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Will taking union training courses affect my ESD benefits or make me ineligible?
I've been collecting unemployment while on my union's Out of Work list for about 2 months now. Everything's been running smoothly - payments hit my account early each week without any issues. But I'm getting worried about something on the weekly claim form. Every week I have to answer NO to 'Have I begun any school or training?' question. Here's my situation: my local is offering some skill upgrade courses in November (just two 1-week classes). They're completely free, and I'm not getting any stipend or payment for attending. I'm still available for any dispatch calls and wouldn't turn down work. Will taking these courses mess up my unemployment benefits? Has anyone had experience with short training courses while on ESD benefits? The last thing I want is to lose my benefits or trigger some kind of investigation when I'm following all the rules. Are there specific ESD rules about taking classes while collecting?
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When I was getting unemployment my brother was getting married and I had to go to california for the wedding but I was worried about answering the able and available question that week and if I would get in trouble for being out of state briefly but my claim was fine and nothing bad happened. Sorry this isnt about training but similar worry I guess
That's a different issue actually. For brief travel, you're supposed to indicate that on your weekly claim (there's a specific question about being out of your local area). Short trips are allowed as long as you're still conducting job search activities. For training, it's about whether you're in a full Commissioner-Approved Training program, not short professional development courses.
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much better about this now. I'll continue to mark "no" for that question since these are just short professional development courses and not a formal training program. I'll still be fully available for dispatches, which seems to be the key factor. Really appreciate all the advice!
You're welcome! That's exactly right - availability for work is the critical factor. Keep documenting your job search activities (or union dispatch availability) each week and you'll be fine. The courses might even give you an edge when you do get your next dispatch.
ESD denied my unemployment after 'job abandonment' claim - how long should adjudication take?
My employer reported that I 'abandoned my position' when I was actually let go without warning after raising concerns about workplace safety. Now my unemployment claim from three weeks ago is stuck in adjudication and I haven't heard anything from ESD. I've tried calling but can't get through to anyone who can tell me what's happening. The online portal just shows 'pending adjudication' with no other details. I'm getting really worried about bills piling up while this gets sorted out. Has anyone dealt with a similar false accusation from an employer? How long did adjudication take in your case? Is there anything I can do to speed this up or should I just keep waiting?
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anyone else notice that adjudication seems to take longer when the employer is fighting the claim? when i got laid off last year with no dispute my benefits started in like 10 days. but my friend who got fired for "performance" (totally bogus btw) waited like 6 weeks for adjudication. seems like they put the complicated ones at the bottom of the pile...
Yeah thats exactly what happens! My wife's claim went through in a week cause her company didn't contest it. But mine is on week 4 of adjudication because my boss is claiming I was "insubordinate" when actually I just refused to do something unsafe. ESD is definitely prioritizing the easy cases.
You're right that uncontested claims process much faster. When employers contest a claim, it automatically triggers adjudication, which requires a trained adjudicator to review evidence from both sides. ESD processes uncontested claims through an automated system, while contested claims require human review, creating a bottleneck. It's not about prioritizing easy cases - it's about the additional steps required for disputed separations.
Just wanted to update everyone - I finally got through to ESD today after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. The agent confirmed my case is assigned to an adjudicator but said they're backed up by about 3-4 more weeks. At least now I know what's happening. They also looked at my documentation and said I've done everything right so far. Thanks for all the advice and support!
That's great you were able to get through and get an update! Did they give you any idea about your chances of approval or is it too early to tell?
They couldn't tell me about approval chances, but did say my documentation looks good. The agent mentioned that having written proof of the safety concerns I raised before termination will help my case. Now it's just more waiting, but at least with a clearer timeline.
ESD denied my UI claim despite meeting 680 hour requirement - hours from employers missing
I'm completely frustrated with ESD right now. They denied my unemployment claim saying I didn't meet the 680 hours requirement, but I KNOW I have way more than that between October 2022 and December 2023. I filed on January 8, 2025, and their own website shows my hours! But when I got my determination letter, it's missing ALL my hours from certain employers, especially those from Oct 2022 through March 2023. I've already filed two appeal letters through their stupid website (since that's all they tell you to do when you call), and it's been 4 weeks with absolutely zero response. Can't reach a human being on the phone either - just endless loops of automated messages telling me to go back to the website. I'm seriously struggling financially now. Has anyone dealt with this hours reporting issue before? Any advice on how to actually get a real person to look at my case? This is getting desperate.
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Have you checked with your previous employers to make sure they properly reported your wages to ESD? I had an issue where my employer had me classified wrong in their system (as a 1099 instead of W-2), so none of those hours were showing up in the ESD system. Took some back and forth with the HR department but they eventually fixed it on their end.
I went through this exact nightmare last year. My determination letter was missing almost 850 hours from two different employers! After three appeal letters with no response, I finally got through to someone on the phone who explained that sometimes hours don't transfer properly in their system if there's ANY discrepancy in how your name or SSN was entered by different employers (like using a middle initial at one job but not another). Request a copy of your wage and hour history report directly from ESD. Compare that to your actual work records. If there's a mismatch, you'll need documentation from each employer confirming your actual hours worked. Time-consuming but it worked for me.
Thanks for the detailed advice! How do I request the wage and hour history report? Is that something I can download from eServices or do I need to call/email someone specific?
How to find exact dates of previous ESD unemployment claims from 2023?
I received unemployment benefits sometime in 2023 but I need to prove the exact start and end dates for a loan application. I've been looking all over the ESD website but can't find any history section that goes back that far. My eServices account only shows recent activity. Is there a way to access older claim records? Do I need to call ESD directly or is there some archive section I'm missing? Really need this info by next week for my mortgage application.
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When I needed my old claim info for a background check, I ended up having to go to the WorkSource office in person. The staff there could access my full history immediately and printed everything out for me on the spot. Might be worth trying if you have one near you and can't wait for email responses or phone calls.
I hadn't thought of going to WorkSource! There's one about 20 minutes from me. Did you need an appointment or could you just walk in? This might be my best option at this point.
I just walked in. Had to wait about 30 min to see someone but WAY better than trying to call ESD. Bring your ID and know your SSN. They might ask security questions to verify your identity before accessing your records.
Quick update on the records request option - I just checked and the public records process typically takes 5-21 business days per ESD's website, so that's probably too slow for your mortgage deadline next week. Either try Claimyr to get through by phone faster, or the WorkSource in-person option someone mentioned might be your quickest solutions.
Tasia Synder
when i was on unemployment last year i had this same question! i ended up just downloading the payment history and making my own spreadsheet to keep track of everything because the esd website is so confusing. helped me catch when they underpaid me one week too!
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Daniel White
AuthorThat's actually a really good idea. I'm an accountant so spreadsheets are kind of my thing anyway. Did you eventually get the underpayment fixed?
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Tasia Synder
yeah but it took forever. had to send like 3 messages through the portal and finally called. they fixed it about 3 weeks later with backpay. document everything!
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Natalia Stone
my sister just went thru this. she thought she was gettin $844 but was only gettin like $720 something. she called and they said its bcuz she owes child support LOL she was so mad
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