The ESD system is so annoying. I'm still fighting with them over an overpayment notice from a job I had 6 months ago! They claim I didn't report income correctly but I absolutely did. Now they want $2,400 back! I've been trying to appeal but good luck getting anyone on the phone. The whole system is designed to be frustrating.

To summarize what everyone's said: 1. Wait until your last day of work to file 2. File immediately after your last day (don't wait for final paycheck) 3. Report your final paycheck during weekly claims for the week you receive it 4. Prepare to do and document 3 job search activities every week 5. File weekly claims consistently, even during adjudication 6. Keep records of everything Good luck with your claim and job search!

UPDATE: I was able to get through to ESD this morning using the Claimyr service someone mentioned above, and wanted to share what I learned since I had a similar issue last month. \n\nThere's a known glitch in their system where an approved claim can still show weekly certifications as \

Thank you SO MUCH for this information! This sounds exactly like what's happening with my claim. I'll definitely be specific about the approval letter and ongoing disqualifications when I call. Really appreciate you coming back to update with what you learned!

My sister works for DOR (not in the tax credit department tho). She says they got WAY more applications than they expected for the Working Family Tax Credit this year and are super backlogged. If it's been less than 90 days, they probably won't have any updates for you yet. Just FYI.

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I'll stop worrying about these programs being connected and focus on following up with each department separately. Going to call the DOR hotline tomorrow about the tax credit and keep working with ESD on my unemployment claim. Really appreciate all the advice!

my friend waited too long to file her last week and lost it completely so def do it right away on sunday!

One additional note: if you're starting a new job soon after your benefit year ends, remember to report any earnings properly for that final week if applicable. If your new job starts during that Nov 3-9 week, you need to report those earnings when you file, even if you haven't been paid yet. Earnings are reported for the week the work was performed, not when you get paid.

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?