Washington Unemployment
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Will ESD pay unemployment for 3 weeks between jobs? Started new job but claim still pending
Hey everyone, I got laid off from my warehouse supervisor position on October 23rd and immediately filed for unemployment. My claim is still showing as 'pending' after almost 3 weeks. I get that ESD is swamped (as usual) and processing times are probably longer than they should be. But here's my situation: I just started a new job on November 11th (different industry, less pay unfortunately). My question is: will I still be eligible to receive unemployment benefits for those ~3 weeks I was completely unemployed? Do I need to formally update my claim now that I'm working again, or do I just stop filing the weekly claims? I'm worried if I just stop filing they'll think I'm still unemployed and I'll get in trouble later. Any advice from people who've been in similar situations would be super helpful!
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ESD claim stuck in March - can't file for April after returning to work
I'm having this weird issue with my ESD account and don't know how to fix it. I was on unemployment, then found work for about a month (last 4 weeks of March). Now I'm out of work again and need to file for the beginning of April, but the system is still stuck back in early March! When I log in, it's only letting me file for weeks from over a month ago, not the current week. Has anyone dealt with this before? Do I need to call ESD to reset something in my claim? Or is there some option I'm missing to skip forward to the current week? Really need to get this sorted ASAP since rent is coming up fast. Thanks for any help!
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Any luck getting through? I'm dealing with something similar and wondering if I should just keep trying online or bite the bullet and call.
Finally got it figured out! After trying everything online with no luck, I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Got through to an ESD rep in about 30 minutes. Turns out there was a flag on my account from my previous employer that was preventing the reopen button from showing. The rep was able to clear it and reactivate my claim. Filed my weekly claim for this week right after the call. Such a relief!
Got OAH hearing email after filing ESD appeal - normal process? Hearing timeline?
I just filed an appeal with ESD yesterday because they denied my unemployment claim (said I quit without good cause, but I actually was forced to resign due to unsafe working conditions). Today I got an email saying my case is going to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) and that I'll be scheduled for a hearing. Is this the normal process? I thought maybe ESD would reconsider their decision first before sending it to a hearing. Also, any idea how long it typically takes between filing the appeal and actually having the hearing? I'm getting pretty desperate financially and wondering how long this whole process might drag out. Thanks for any insights!
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One more important thing about OAH hearings - be sure to attend your hearing no matter what! If you miss it, you'll almost certainly lose your appeal by default. If something comes up and you absolutely can't make it, contact OAH immediately to request a postponement, but know that those are not automatically granted. Also, during the hearing, only speak when the judge asks you questions. Don't interrupt your former employer or the judge. You'll get your chance to present your side. And stick to the facts rather than emotional arguments - the judge is only concerned with whether your situation meets the legal standard for good cause to quit.
That's really good advice, thank you. I'll make sure to be professional and stick to the facts. I'm nervous about the hearing but trying to prepare as much as possible.
I forgot to mention - make sure you continue filing your weekly claims while waiting for your appeal hearing! Even though you're disqualified right now, if you win your appeal, they'll only pay you for weeks that you properly certified. Lots of people make this mistake and miss out on benefits they would have been entitled to after winning their appeal.
Oh wow, I didn't realize that! I thought since I was denied I couldn't file weekly claims. I'll make sure to start doing that right away. Thanks for the heads up!
Can I call ESD on holidays? Success reaching an agent today when everyone thought they're closed
Just wanted to share a quick win! I've been trying for WEEKS to reach someone at ESD about my UI claim that's been pending since early January. Everyone kept telling me that ESD would be closed today because of the holiday, but I decided to try calling anyway around 10:30am. Surprisingly I got through after only about 25 minutes on hold! The agent was super helpful and fixed an issue with my ID verification that had been holding everything up. Apparently they ARE open today but with reduced staff. If you've been struggling to get through, today might actually be a good day to try since fewer people are calling. Just don't mix up UI (regular unemployment) with PFML (paid family leave) like I almost did - they're different departments with different phone lines!
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whats the best number to call for regular unemployment? i have like 5 different ones saved in my phone and i never know which one to try
The main UI Claims Center number is 800-318-6022. That's the best one to use for most unemployment issues. They're open Monday-Friday from 8am to 4pm (except holidays). If you have a specific adjudication issue, sometimes the claims center agents will give you a direct number to the adjudication department after your initial contact.
When I had issues last year they were actually pretty helpful once I got through. Speaking of which, does anyone know if they're hiring? Might be worth working for them if the pay is decent since I haven't found anything else yet...
Yes, ESD is actually hiring quite a few positions right now! They have a high turnover rate in their call centers. Check careers.wa.gov and search for Employment Security Department. The entry-level claims specialist positions start around $3,800-4,200 per month with full benefits. The training is about 6 weeks long.
Does ESD verify part-time hours with employers when filing weekly claims?
I just started a part-time job after being on unemployment for 3 months. I'm reporting my hours honestly each week when I file my weekly claim, but I'm wondering if ESD actually contacts my new employer to verify the hours I'm reporting? This is my first time working while claiming benefits, and I'm worried about accidentally making a mistake that could cause problems. I'm only working about 15 hours per week right now, so I still qualify for partial benefits. Does anyone know how ESD checks our reported hours?
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im pretty sure they check everything cuz my friend got caught lying about his hours and had to pay back like $5000 plus they added a penalty. dont mess with esd they will find out eventually
Update: Wanted to share what happened in case anyone finds this thread with the same question. After 6 weeks of working part-time and claiming, I got a letter from ESD saying they're doing a routine audit of my claim. They asked me to submit copies of my paystubs for verification. Just like you all said - they do check! I'm glad I've been reporting everything accurately. Still waiting to hear back after submitting my documentation.
Thanks for the update! This is the typical process. As long as your reported hours match your paystubs, you should be fine. The review usually takes 2-3 weeks to process.
Beatrice Marshall
Something nobody mentioned yet - make sure you're accurately reporting your separation reason from the previous job. If you selected "laid off" but your employer reports something different (like performance issues), that can delay your claim processing because it triggers an investigation. Double-check that your separation reason matches what your employer would say.
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Lena Schultz
AuthorThat's a good point I hadn't considered. My separation letter clearly states it was a layoff due to department restructuring, so hopefully there won't be any discrepancy there. I'm wondering if that's why it's taking so long to process though...
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Gemma Andrews
One more important detail: When you file the weekly claim for the week you started working, make sure you answer "Yes" to the question about whether you're still seeking work for that week IF you were still actively job searching before accepting this position. Some people mistakenly select "No" because they accepted a job, but ESD wants to know if you were available and seeking work during any portion of that week before you started working.
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Dallas Villalobos
Wait I think I've been doing this wrong. If I accept a job offer on Monday but don't start until the following Monday, how should I answer the "looking for work" question for that week between acceptance and starting?
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Gemma Andrews
For the week between accepting the job and starting it, you should answer "Yes" to whether you're seeking work. Until you actually start working and earning wages, you're still considered to be seeking work for unemployment purposes. You only answer "No" when you're no longer available for work (like if you're on vacation, sick, or have actually started working).
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