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Does anyone know if theres a specific department or option to select when calling for this specific issue? Like should I choose claims questions or payment issues or what? The phone menu has like 10 different options and I never know which one will get me to the right person fastest
For waiting week issues, you'll want to select the option for "Questions about my claim" or "Claim issues" (the exact wording varies). Avoid the options for technical support or new claims. When you reach an agent, immediately specify that this is about a waiting week that should be waived due to a previous claim in the same benefit year. This will help ensure you don't get transferred around.
UPDATE: Success! I finally got through to ESD this morning after using the Claimyr service (which worked exactly as described). The agent confirmed that since my mom had already served a waiting week in July 2024, she shouldn't have had another waiting week for this standby period. They're updating her claim now and said the payment should be processed within 48 hours. Thanks everyone for your help! For anyone else with this issue - definitely mention the "benefit year" and "previously served waiting week" specifically when you call. The agent told me their system sometimes doesn't automatically connect claims properly, especially with standby status.
wait im confused... are you trying to get regular unemployment or is this for disability? because they're different systems. if u cant work for medical reasons u should apply for disability not unemployment. unemployment is for when ur able to work but cant find a job.
You're raising an important point, but there's some nuance here. While unemployment is generally for those able to work but can't find jobs, there are situations where someone initially qualifies for UI, then develops a medical condition that temporarily prevents them from working. In Washington state, if someone becomes temporarily disabled after establishing a UI claim, they may still qualify for UI benefits under certain circumstances, especially if they're expected to recover and return to work. This is different from long-term disability benefits.
btw when is ur hearing date? make sure u prepare like CRAZY for it. i bombed my first hearing cuz i wasnt ready for all their questions. write down EVERYTHING u wanna say before u go in!!!
It's scheduled for August 18th, so I have two weeks to prepare. I'm definitely going to write everything down. Did they ask you really specific questions about your medical condition?
oh yeah they asked super specific stuff. like exactly what symptoms i had on which days, how it affected specific job duties, if i could have done ANY kind of work even part time, why i couldnt just take medication and keep working, all kinds of detailed questions. they were respectful but really thorough.
Thank you all for the responses! This is really helpful. I'll keep my logs organized and make sure I'm documenting everything properly. I might scan them too just to be safe - good suggestion. Feeling much better about this now!
one more thing make sure ur still doing the right TYPE of activities each week. my buddy got in trouble cuz he was only doing job applications but ESD wants you to mix it up with things like workshops at WorkSource and informational interviews too. the rules say you need 'varied activities' or something like that
Just to confirm what's been said - the current requirement is 3 job search activities per week, and you need to keep your own records but don't submit unless asked. ESD moved away from requiring weekly submission to reduce their administrative burden, but they still expect you to maintain detailed logs. And yes, mixing up your activity types is wise - applications, interviews, WorkSource workshops, networking events, etc. all count.
I tried using that Claimyr service that someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked really well. Got through to ESD in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. The agent confirmed my waiver was approved and explained the whole refund process. Just wanted to update in case anyone else is struggling to get answers from ESD.
I'd recommend checking your spam folder for emails from ESD as well. They sometimes send electronic notifications about important account changes that get filtered out. Also, when you do receive your official determination letter, make sure to keep it in a safe place indefinitely. Overpayment waivers can sometimes be revisited years later during audits, so having documentation of the approval is important for your records.
Nolan Carter
Make sure to request a waiver of the overpayment! Even if you lose the appeal, you can still request that they waive repayment due to financial hardship or because the overpayment wasn't your fault. I got my $3,200 overpayment completely waived after showing I couldn't afford to pay it back on my current income.
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Alfredo Lugo
•I didn't know waiver was an option! Is that something I request separately from the appeal?
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Sydney Torres
UPDATE: After looking at the responses here, I wanted to share that there's now a class action lawsuit against ESD over these mass overpayment notices. You might want to Google it and see if you qualify to join. It argues that ESD approved claims based on their guidance at the time, and can't retroactively change interpretation of eligibility rules years later.
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Alfredo Lugo
•Just looked it up - thanks for mentioning this! I'm definitely going to follow that case. In the meantime, I got through to ESD today (using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above) and found out they're claiming I didn't provide enough job search proof for weeks 10-20 of my claim. I'm gathering all my emails showing job applications from that period.
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