
Ask the community...
make sure u report the pfmla income in ur application. my friend didnt mention it and later got hit with an overpayment notice for $2700!
Just to share my experience: I went from PFMLA to unemployment in 2025 with no problems. Applied on a Sunday, got approved by Wednesday, first payment hit my account Friday. BUT my situation was super straightforward - job eliminated while on leave, doctor fully cleared me to work, no restrictions. If your situation has any complications, you might need to talk to an actual person at ESD. Good luck!
UPDATE: Problem solved! It was exactly what @profile4 suggested - I had to complete my WorkSource registration first. After I did that and waited about an hour, the weekly claim button magically appeared! For anyone else who has this problem, check if you need to complete your WorkSource registration first. Thanks everyone for the help!!!
So did your payment come through on time? I'm having a similar issue and wondering what happened with yours.
This reminds me of when I first started on unemployment back in January... I was so paranoid about every little status change! I once stayed up until midnight to file because I thought it would process faster lol. Now I just file whenever I have time on Sunday and the money always shows up on Wednesday for me. The whole system is confusing at first but you get used to it.
have u tried the worksource office? sometimes they can help u talk to esd faster then doing it urself
Just checking back - were you able to contact OAH about expediting your hearing? Any progress with rental assistance?
Yes! I finally got through to OAH and submitted my hardship request with copies of the eviction notice. They said they'll try to schedule my hearing within 10 days. I also applied for emergency rental assistance through the county and they're processing my application. My landlord agreed to wait for the assistance determination before moving forward with eviction. It's still incredibly stressful, but at least there's some progress. Thank you all for the advice.
My neighbor works at ESD (not in claims but in IT) and he told me they recently updated the phone system in April 2025. Apparently there's been lots of glitches with the new system. Maybe that's part of your problem too? Something to mention when you finally get through to them.
Update: I finally got through to ESD this morning! For anyone with the same issue - YES, you have to speak to a real person to file missed weeks. The agent was actually really nice and helped me file for the two weeks I missed. She said this is super common and as long as it hasn't been more than 30 days since the week ended, they can usually help. Thanks everyone for your advice and support!
The whole COVID unemployment tax situation was a MESS! Not only did they change rules midway, but then some states followed the federal exemption and others didn't! Washington eventually conformed to the federal exemption for 2020, but I had friends in other states who had to pay state tax even when they got the federal exemption. And don't even get me started on how ESD handled the tax documents - I got THREE different 1099-Gs for 2020 with different amounts!
Here's another important point: if you did have the $10,200 exemption in 2020 but didn't claim it (many people filed before the law passed in March 2021), the IRS was supposed to automatically adjust your return and issue refunds. Many people got these refunds in summer/fall 2021. If you were eligible but never received an adjustment for your 2020 return, you might want to check on that. The IRS had a huge backlog, so some adjustments may have fallen through the cracks.
so wait im confused about this base year thing. if my benefit year ends 1/15/26 and i apply for a new claim on 1/16/26, what exactly is my base year? which months? the esd website explanation makes my head hurt
For a claim filed in January 2026, your base year would be October 2024 through September 2025. ESD always looks at the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So for your January 2026 application, the last five completed quarters would be: - Q4 2025 (Oct-Dec 2025) - this gets excluded as the most recent quarter - Q3 2025 (Jul-Sep 2025) - Q2 2025 (Apr-Jun 2025) - Q1 2025 (Jan-Mar 2025) - Q4 2024 (Oct-Dec 2024) Those last four quarters become your base year, and you need 680 hours of work within that period to qualify.
So after reading all your responses, I'm going to: 1. Apply for a new claim when my benefit year ends (but not expect much) 2. Contact DSHS about emergency assistance programs 3. Step up my WorkSource participation and ask about retraining options 4. Keep perfect records of my job search activities 5. Make sure my ESD account stays updated This isn't the news I was hoping for, but at least I'm not caught by surprise in December. I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain how this works. The ESD website should really be clearer about this stuff!
Once you've submitted the additional information they requested, it typically takes 3-5 business days for them to process it and update your claim status. However, if they determine they need even more information, it could take longer. \n\nIf you don't see movement on your claim after a week, I'd recommend trying to contact them directly. When I was in a similar situation last month, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent after trying unsuccessfully for days on my own. They got me connected in about 30 minutes, and the agent was able to resolve my issue on the spot. Their video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 shows exactly how it works.\n\nHope your claim gets sorted quickly!
UGH the ESD system is GARBAGE!!! I had THREE duplicates of my employer somehow and spent SIX WEEKS trying to get someone to fix it!!! By the time they finally fixed it they had OVERPAID me and then wanted ME to pay it back even though THEY screwed up my claim!!! The whole system is designed to make claiming as difficult as possible so people just give up. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and send messages through eServices portal too, not just phone calls. Sometimes they actually respond to those.
Oh no, that sounds like a nightmare! I definitely don't want to end up with an overpayment. Did you have to appeal the overpayment decision?
Just wanted to update that I managed to get through to ESD this morning! The agent was able to remove the duplicate employer from my account in less than 5 minutes. She said it might take 24-48 hours to update in the system, but my next weekly claim should only show my employer once. For anyone else with this issue - she mentioned this happens frequently and confirmed that as long as you enter identical hours for both entries, it won't affect your benefits. Thanks everyone for your help!
Chloe Anderson
your in adjudiation? that sucks, mine was stuck there 4 ever!! like 3 months!! and nobody told me why. i finally got paid after contacting my state rep AND the govs office. do both. the squeky wheel gets the greese!!!
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Diego Vargas
•Same! Adjudication is the worst. And they never tell you how long it will take. I waited 6 weeks then suddenly all my payments came through at once with no explanation. The system makes no sense.
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Malik Davis
Important tip based on your adjudication status: If you're able to get through to ESD, ask specifically for an adjudicator or claims specialist. The regular agents are limited in what they can do for adjudication cases. Also, with 8 weeks pending, you likely qualify for a hardship escalation. Make sure to mention the risk of utilities being shut off - that should get you a 72-hour escalation. Document everything - who you spoke with, date, time, what they promised, etc. You might need this information later if there are more delays.
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Emma Wilson
•Thank you for this! I had no idea about the hardship escalation. I'll definitely mention that when I call. I'm going to try all these suggestions tomorrow - Governor's office, state rep, and trying to get through to ESD again with these specific requests. I'll update here if anything works!
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