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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.
I had a similar experience back in 2023 when I was working seasonal jobs. Had to reopen my claim twice and never had to do another waiting week. Just make sure all your info is up to date when you reopen. Good luck!
UPDATE: I reopened my claim yesterday and confirmed with an ESD agent (after way too many attempts calling) that I do NOT need to serve another waiting week! They said I can file my weekly claim this Sunday for this week. Thanks everyone for your help!
One more thing I forgot to mention - make sure all your job search activities are properly logged during the transition period. ESD sometimes pays extra attention to job search compliance when reviewing new claims. Still need those 3 activities per week!
To answer your question from earlier - my new claim took about 10 days from filing to first payment (including the waiting week). So while there was a gap, it wasn't nearly as bad as my first claim experience. I think having all documentation ready and making sure all information matched exactly what employers would report made the difference. And yes, if your new job paid more, your weekly benefit amount should increase accordingly since ESD uses your highest-earning quarters to calculate benefits. That's one silver lining!
my brother just went thru this last month!! one thing nobody mentioned is that they look at your earnings from the previous 18 months not just ur current job so even if u were only at this job a short time u might still qualify
To summarize what everyone has said: 1. File your initial application immediately - today if possible 2. Report that you worked Monday and the amount earned when filing 3. Understand there's a waiting week (first eligible week) where no benefits are paid, but you must still file a weekly claim 4. Begin your three job search activities right away and document them carefully 5. Report your final pay accurately on your weekly claim For job search documentation, ESD provides a job search log on their website, but you can also create your own as long as it includes: date of activity, type of activity, employer/job contact information, position applied for, and results/follow-up. Keep these records for at least a year.
Liam Murphy
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!
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LilMama23
•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
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Amara Okafor
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.
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Liam Murphy
•This is really helpful, thank you! I've been doing a mix of activities but I'll make sure to keep it varied. I'm going to organize my logs by week and scan them tonight just to be safe.
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