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The exact same thing happened to me!!! My hours got cut to 12 per week back in December and my claim got stuck in adjudication for FIVE WEEKS!! I called ESD like 50 times and either couldn't get through or got hung up on. I finally contacted my state representative's office and they helped push it through. Try that if the governor's office helped last time. So ridiculous we have to involve politicians just to get our legitimate benefits!!!
Just an update - I called ESD this morning using Claimyr and managed to speak with someone who explained what's going on with my husband's claim. They said they're verifying with his employer about the reduction in hours, and once they receive that information, they can complete the adjudication. The agent also expedited our case due to financial hardship. So there's definitely value in being able to actually reach someone!
One other thought - have you applied for Washington's Senior Citizen Jobs Program? It's separate from regular unemployment and specifically designed for workers 55+ who are struggling to find employment. It provides subsidized part-time work (usually 20-25 hours/week) with non-profits and government agencies. It won't replace your full income but might help bridge the gap until you find something permanent. You can apply through DSHS or your local WorkSource office.
my grandma had the same problem last year and what she did was started doing administrative work from home as an independent contractor. she found a bunch of small businesses who needed someone to do their scheduling and emails but couldnt afford a full-time person. now she has like 4 different clients and makes decent money working from her apartment. might be worth looking into since you have office manager experience?
That's actually a brilliant idea I hadn't considered. I have extensive experience with scheduling, correspondence, filing systems, and bookkeeping. Working remotely as a contractor for multiple small businesses could really work for me. Do you know how your grandmother found her clients initially? Did she use a particular website or service?
she started on upwork but said the pay was too low. then she just started reaching out directly to small businesses in her area through their websites and also joined some local facebook business groups. she made a simple website with her experience and services and got most clients through word of mouth after the first couple. good luck!
I wanted to follow up on my earlier comment about WorkSource escalation. When you go to WorkSource, you need to specifically ask for an "UI Liaison" or "ESD Specialist" - not all WorkSource staff have the same level of access to ESD systems. These specialists have direct channels to the adjudication teams. Make sure to bring all your claim information, including your claim ID number and a list of all documents you've already submitted. This approach helped me get my claim unstuck after weeks of frustration.
Any update on your situation? Did you try any of these approaches yet? I'm curious which route worked for you since I know several people in similar situations right now.
So I've tried a few things from the advice here. I went to WorkSource and asked for the UI Liaison like someone suggested. They actually had me talk to someone who seemed more knowledgeable. They submitted some kind of internal ticket for me. I also emailed my state rep yesterday but haven't heard back yet. I'm going to try Claimyr tomorrow if I still don't get anywhere. Will definitely update once something works!
Malik Jackson
My sister works at a WorkSource office (not ESD directly but they work with them) and she says they've been super backed up lately because of some seasonal construction layoffs. She mentioned something about their system doing maintenance overnight too, so maybe filing at midnight actually puts you at the back of the line for the next day's processing?
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Javier Hernandez
•Of COURSE they don't tell us about system maintenance or slow periods. Just another way they make it harder to get benefits we've EARNED. They should be required to post processing times on the website so people know what to expect!!
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Paolo Marino
UPDATE: My claim finally moved from "processing" to "pending" this morning! So it took about 3 days total. I also got a notice that I need to complete an identity verification interview, which is scheduled for next week. Thanks everyone for the advice and help!
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Amina Bah
•Great news! For the identity verification interview, make sure you have your driver's license/ID, social security card, and at least one recent pay stub ready. They'll likely ask you to confirm details about your previous employers and wages too. If you prepared all this in advance, these interviews usually only take about 15 minutes.
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