Washington Unemployment
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- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
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- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
ESD denied benefits after winning appeal - old COVID 'not able and available' issue from 2021 blocking my claim
I'm at my wit's end with this ESD nightmare! Just won my appeal hearing (took 7 weeks) and thought I'd finally start receiving payments, but NOPE. Called ESD yesterday and after waiting 3+ hours, the agent told me I'm STILL being denied! Apparently there's an old issue from a 2021 claim where they marked me as 'not able and available' due to COVID restrictions. The system is still using this to block my current claim even though I've been working full-time since then! The agent told me I need to file another appeal to fix this, but when I went online to file it, the system won't let me because 'it's been past 30 days' from the original determination. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO APPEAL SOMETHING FROM 2021 THAT I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT?? Has anyone dealt with something like this before? Is there a way to override the 30-day appeal window when it's clearly ESD's error? I have $6,800 in benefits that I qualify for but can't access because of this ridiculous technicality.
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ESD denying my weekly claims despite approved reopened claim - can't reach anyone for help
I'm at my wit's end with this ESD nightmare! I successfully reopened my unemployment claim last month and got a monetary determination letter showing I should receive $687 per week. But every single week when I file my claim, it gets denied with NO explanation whatsoever. The most frustrating part is there's no appeal option showing up in eServices for these denials. I've called the ESD number literally 40+ times over the past two weeks at different hours of the day, and either get disconnected immediately or sit on hold until the system boots me out. I've sent messages through eServices but haven't received any response. I have bills piling up and I'm about to miss rent. Has anyone else dealt with weekly claim denials after being approved for benefits? Is there some obscure reason this could be happening? Any advice on how to actually talk to a human being at ESD?
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did u make sure ur doing all ur job search requirements? my buddy got denied 4 weeks straight bc he wasnt logging his job searches right
The OP mentioned they're completing and documenting more than the required 3 job search activities per week. Also, job search logging issues typically generate a specific notification and appeal rights, not silent denials without appeal options. This sounds more like a system flag or technical issue with the claim that requires agent intervention.
UPDATE: I got through!!! Used Claimyr and was connected to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes. Turns out there was a weird flag on my account because my previous claim from 2023 hadn't been properly closed in their system. The agent was able to fix it right away and process all my denied weeks. She said the payments should hit my account in 48-72 hours. So relieved! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.
That's great news! Glad you got it resolved quickly. It's amazing how these technical issues can completely halt benefits without any explanation to the claimant. Make sure to keep documenting your job searches even though this issue is resolved - they can audit those up to a year later.
Stuck in ESD pending status for 4 weeks - how to speed up my claim?
I filed my unemployment claim with ESD a month ago and it's still showing as 'pending' on the portal. Nothing has changed in 4 weeks! I expected some movement by now. My benefits calculator showed I should qualify for $847/week but I haven't seen a penny. I check the portal every morning hoping for a change, but it's always the same pending status with no additional information. No requests for documents, no messages, nothing. I've tried calling ESD at least 20 times but either get disconnected or am told the wait time is over 4 hours. I can't afford to stay on hold that long with my cell phone battery. I'm getting really worried since my savings are almost gone and rent is due next week. Does anyone know if there's a standard timeframe for claims to move out of pending? Or some way to actually get through to someone who can tell me what's going on? This limbo is driving me crazy.
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One more thing to try - check if you can make an in-person appointment at your local WorkSource office. They can sometimes look up your claim status and identify issues that aren't visible on the portal. I've seen people get their pending issues resolved much faster with in-person help than trying to call the main ESD line.
That's a great suggestion I hadn't thought of! There's a WorkSource office about 20 minutes from me. I'll call tomorrow and see if I can schedule an appointment. Thank you!
update: i tried that claimyr thing someone mentioned and actually got thru to ESD! turns out i had an identity verification issue that never showed up in my portal. they fixed it and said my claim should move forward in 72 hrs. might be worth trying for u too
That's great news! Thanks for sharing the update. I'm definitely going to try Claimyr if I don't have luck with uploading my additional ID documents and the WorkSource appointment. Really appreciate you letting me know it worked!
Address change causing ESD claim to go back into adjudication and stopping payments?
I just updated my address with ESD yesterday because I moved from Tacoma to Olympia for a new job opportunity (still unemployed but had to move for cheaper rent). This morning I checked my claim status and it says 'adjudication in progress' again! My payments had been coming regularly for the past 6 weeks. Does changing your address automatically trigger adjudication? Will they stop my payments while they're reviewing this? I can't afford to miss even one week. Has anyone else experienced this after updating their address? I'm seriously freaking out right now.
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Just to give you some peace of mind - I checked the ESD handbook and this type of adjudication is usually classified as a 'non-separation issue' which typically takes 7-10 days to resolve. Much faster than the initial claim adjudication which can take weeks. If you're able to get through to an agent using that service someone mentioned or just by persistent calling, ask them specifically to note that your move didn't affect your availability for work and that you've been continuing your job search activities without interruption.
That's actually really helpful to know, thank you! I'm going to try to call them first thing tomorrow morning. Hopefully I can get this resolved quickly.
I'm an employment counselor, and I see this situation frequently. Here's what's happening: When you change addresses across different geographical areas, ESD's system automatically flags your claim for a quick review to ensure you're still meeting the "able and available" requirements in your new location. This doesn't mean your benefits will be stopped permanently. What to do: 1. Continue filing weekly claims without interruption 2. Document your job search activities thoroughly (all 3 per week) 3. If possible, upload proof of your new address to your eServices account 4. Contact ESD to explain that your move hasn't affected your ability to search for work Most of these reviews resolve within 7-10 business days without requiring additional information from you. However, contacting them to explain the situation can sometimes expedite the process.
Thank you so much for this detailed explanation! I feel much better knowing what's happening and that it should be resolved within 7-10 days. I've been keeping detailed records of my job search activities, so I should be able to prove I've been actively looking for work throughout my move.
ESD website won't let me file appeal - need direct phone number to bypass auto-hangup
I just got a disqualification letter on my ESD claim 4 days ago and I'm trying to file an appeal, but the website keeps giving me an error message saying 'appeal cannot be processed at this time'. I've tried on different browsers and even on my phone but nothing works. Every time I call the main ESD number, the automated system just hangs up after saying they're experiencing high call volume! Has anyone successfully gotten through to a real human recently? Is there a specific number or extension to bypass that annoying machine? I only have 26 days left to file this appeal and I'm getting really worried.
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Does anyone know if you can still file weekly claims while waiting for the appeal to be resolved? I'm in a similar situation and confused about whether I should keep claiming each week.
Yes, absolutely continue filing your weekly claims while your appeal is pending! This is extremely important. If you win your appeal, ESD can only pay you for weeks you properly claimed, even if you were eligible otherwise. If you don't file weekly claims during the appeal process, you could lose benefits even if you win the appeal.
Update: I was able to get through to ESD using Claimyr and they fixed the technical issue on my account. Just submitted my appeal online and got a confirmation number! The agent said this happens sometimes when there are multiple issues being processed on one claim. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions! Now I just need to prepare for the hearing...
That's great news! Make sure you check your mail and email frequently over the next few weeks. The OAH will send instructions about your hearing date and how to submit evidence. Don't miss those deadlines! Also, when the hearing happens, be super organized and stick to the facts - the judges appreciate concise, clear explanations.
Zara Shah
I had a somewhat similar situation last year. What fixed it for me was going to my state representative's office. They have constituent services staff who can cut through ESD bureaucracy FAST. I was stuck for 2 months trying on my own, representative's office fixed it in 4 days. Google your district and state rep and send them an email explaining the situation.
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Ravi Malhotra
AuthorI hadn't even thought of contacting my state rep! That's brilliant and I'll definitely try it if I can't get through with the other suggestions. Thank you!
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Zara Shah
No problem! Just be super clear in your email about the timeline of events and what you've already tried. They usually have forms on their websites specifically for constituent services requests.
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Chloe Davis
Update us on what ends up working! These stories help others who run into the same ridiculous issues with ESD's broken system.
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Ravi Malhotra
AuthorI definitely will! I'm going to try the good cause exception approach first, then the redetermination request, and if those don't work, contacting my state rep. I'll post what eventually works.
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