Washington Unemployment
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Need ESD direct phone number - claim suddenly disqualified with no notice!
Is there ANY working phone number to reach an actual ESD agent?? I've been pulling my hair out for days! My husband's unemployment claim was approved last month, everything was going fine with two successful weekly payments, then suddenly the eServices portal shows "DISQUALIFIED" on his last two weekly claims with ZERO explanation! No letter, no email, nothing in his eServices inbox. We tried calling the main number at least 15 times but it's always "due to high call volume..." then either disconnects or sends us to another useless automated menu. We've already tried 855-682-0785 and 833-572-8400 with no luck. There's no option to appeal since we don't even know why he was disqualified! He's in construction and was laid off due to the weather freeze in January - totally legitimate claim. Anyone know of a direct line or trick to get through to a real person? Our rent is due next week and we're seriously freaking out!!
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ESD claim eligibility after working without pay during background check renewal period?
I'm in a really weird situation with my employer and not sure if I can file for unemployment. I've been working as a home health aide for the same company for almost 5 years. In January 2025, they required me to renew my background check but didn't process it properly. For THREE WEEKS I continued working with my clients (they never told me to stop), but when I tried to submit my timesheet, the system wouldn't let me. Now that my background check finally cleared, my manager informed me in writing that they won't pay me for those three weeks I worked! That's nearly $2,800 in lost wages! I'm a single mom supporting two kids and this has put me in a terrible financial situation. Can I file for unemployment for those weeks since technically I worked but wasn't paid? Or should I file a wage complaint with L&I instead? Has anyone dealt with something like this before?
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wait im confused... did u actually keep working after the system wouldn't let u submit timesheets? or did u stop working when u saw that? cuz that affects what kind of claim u should file
Yes, I kept working because they never told me to stop! I was caring for vulnerable clients who needed daily assistance, and my supervisor kept assigning me shifts through our regular scheduling app. I just couldn't submit my timesheet for payment, but was told to "keep track of hours" while they sorted out the background check. They clearly expected me to work during this time, just decided after the fact not to pay me.
Based on your additional details, this is an even clearer wage theft case. The fact that they continued scheduling you through their app is strong evidence that they authorized and expected the work to be performed. Make sure to include screenshots of your schedule in the app when filing with L&I. Regarding emergency assistance while you wait: apply for expedited food benefits through DSHS (can be approved in 7 days), contact 211 for emergency rent assistance programs in your area, and check with St. Vincent de Paul and other local charities that sometimes provide emergency funds. Your situation would qualify as an emergency hardship with many assistance programs.
Thank you so much for all this information. I just filed my L&I complaint online and included screenshots of everything including the scheduling app. I'll call 211 today about emergency rent assistance. This community has been so helpful - I felt completely lost before posting here.
Unexpected ESD deposit in my account - not unemployed, should I worry?
I just checked my bank account this morning and saw a deposit from WA unemployment for $764. The weird thing is I'm currently employed full-time and haven't filed for unemployment in over 2 years. Should I be concerned about this? Is this some kind of mistake or maybe a retroactive payment from when I was on UI before? I'm worried about spending it if it's an error and then having to pay it back later. Has anyone else experienced random ESD deposits? Should I contact them about this or just wait to see if they realize their mistake?
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After I reported identity theft to ESD, it took about 5 weeks to fully resolve. They'll eventually send you an affidavit to complete. Make sure you keep following up regularly and check your ESD account daily for any updates or required actions. The fraud department moves slowly but they do eventually resolve it.
5 weeks sounds like an eternity when you're worried about your identity being compromised. I'll keep checking my account daily. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I'm glad to see you're taking this seriously. One additional tip: create a detailed journal documenting EVERYTHING related to this issue. Every phone call (date/time/who you spoke with/what was discussed), every form submitted, every change to your ESD account status. This documentation will be invaluable if there are any disputes about when you reported the fraud. ESD can sometimes hold victims partially responsible if they determine you didn't report promptly enough.
That's a great idea. I've started a document tracking everything, including screenshots of the fraudulent claim in my account. I finally managed to speak with someone at ESD today using that Claimyr service - they've flagged my account and are sending me the fraud affidavit forms. Will keep documenting everything throughout the process. Thanks everyone for your help!
When does ESD's 18-month base year lookback period start? Filing confusion
I'm trying to figure out when the 18-month lookback period actually starts when filing for unemployment in WA. My former employer is claiming I didn't work enough hours to qualify because they're counting from when I first applied. But I thought ESD looks back 18 months from when you file your initial claim? My layoff was Jan 15, 2025 and I filed on Jan 20. Would they look back to July 2023 or is it different? My determination letter mentions something about base year and quarters but it's super confusing. Anyone know exactly how this works?
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My husband just went through this whole process in December. For his January-filed claim, they looked at October 2023 through September 2024 for the standard base year. When he couldn't qualify with that (he had been in school part of that time), they automatically checked the alternate base year which was January 2024 through December 2024. He qualified under that one. The determination letter will tell you which calculation they used.
That's exactly my situation - I was in school part-time during early 2024. I'll check my determination letter more carefully to see if they considered the alternate base year. Thanks for sharing your experience!
To answer your question about the appeal - yes, there is a specific appeal process. You can file an appeal online through your eServices account by selecting the "Appeals" option. Make sure to upload copies of your paystubs or any documentation showing your correct hours. Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the date on your determination letter. If you call ESD, ask them specifically about the hours calculation and which quarters they used. If some of your hours are missing, they can help identify where the discrepancy is coming from.
Perfect, thank you! I just found the appeals section in my eServices account. I'm gathering all my paystubs now to show the correct hours. Really appreciate everyone's help!
Petition process timeline after ESD appeal denial - how long until OAH hearing?
My ESD unemployment appeal got denied last week after nearly 2 months of waiting (seriously?). I've submitted my petition explaining why I disagree with their decision - I was laid off due to a merger, but they're claiming misconduct because I missed some targets in my final month. I wrote a detailed explanation with evidence from my performance reviews showing I was meeting expectations until the company started cutting corners before the merger. Anyone know how long this petition process usually takes? The ESD website is useless with these timelines. I need to know if I should keep looking for ways to cover rent or if this might get resolved soon. Has anyone gone through the petition process after an appeal denial?
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i had a friend who went thru this. she said the most important thing is KEEP DOING YOUR JOB SEARCHES while you wait!!! and document everything super carefully. if u win ur hearing u can get all the back pay but only if u did all the job search stuff every week
anyone else notice how they always deny valid claims hoping people will just give up? my sister and 5 other people from her company all got denied for the exact same bogus reason, only 2 of them fought through the whole appeal and petition process and BOTH won eventually. system is rigged
YES!! This is exactly what I think too! They count on people giving up because the process is so long and complicated. I almost gave up twice during my appeal.
While the process can certainly be frustrating, ESD decisions are based on the information available at the time. The appeal and petition process exists specifically to correct decisions that may have been made with incomplete information. If you believe a decision is incorrect, it's always worth pursuing through the proper channels.
Yuki Yamamoto
why dont they ever send emails!!!! its so annoying everything is by mail and takes forever. so old school
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Ethan Brown
One more thing I just thought about - sometimes when you get disqualified, you won't see the appeal option until after you receive the official determination letter. But you can still submit an appeal before getting the letter by using the general ESD secure message system in your eServices account. Just select "Appeals" as the message type and include all relevant details, including the claim ID and the weeks that were disqualified. It's not the official appeal process, but it starts a paper trail and sometimes they'll fix obvious errors this way without requiring a formal appeal.
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CosmicCrusader
AuthorI didn't realize we could message them about appeals through eServices. We'll do that tonight while also trying to call in the morning. I'm feeling a bit more hopeful now with all these suggestions. Thank you everyone for the help!
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