UPDATE: I got through to ESD finally! The agent confirmed that yes, I can get backpay for the weeks I was waiting in adjudication IF my appeal is successful. She also said I should definitely keep filing weekly claims until the appeal is decided (even after I start working) and just report any new income accurately. She said the appeal is likely to take 6-8 weeks, which isn't great but at least I know now. Thanks everyone for your help!

Awesome that you finally got through to someone! That's such a relief to get official confirmation. Just wanted to add - when you do start that new job, make sure to keep really detailed records of your hours and pay for those weekly claims. I learned the hard way that being super precise with reporting earnings helps avoid any delays or complications if your appeal goes through. Also, even though 6-8 weeks sounds long, that's actually pretty reasonable for appeals right now. Fingers crossed your interview goes well and your appeal is successful!

Just wanted to give you an update from my experience - after finding myself in this situation, I ended up having to call ESD three separate times. The first agent couldn't help, the second told me there was a system issue, and the third finally resolved it. The issue was that my claim had been flagged for manual review due to my job title containing certain keywords that triggered verification. The most important thing I learned: if your weeks show as disqualified but there are no letters, it's almost always a technical or procedural issue within ESD, not something you did wrong. Be persistent with calling, ask specifically for a tier 2 agent if the first person can't help, and request they add detailed notes to your account about the issue.

Hey Owen! I just went through this exact same nightmare two months ago. The "disqualified with no letters" issue seems to be happening more frequently lately. In my case, it turned out that ESD's system had flagged my claim because I had a brief period of part-time work mixed with unemployment in 2024, and their computer couldn't figure out how to process it properly. Here's what worked for me: Call at exactly 8:02 AM (not 8:00 - everyone calls then). Have your Social Security number, claim confirmation number, and the dates of your layoff ready. When you get through, tell them specifically "My weeks show disqualified but I have zero decision letters in my account and cannot appeal." Use those exact words - it seems to trigger them to look for system errors rather than assuming you did something wrong. Also, while you're waiting to get through, screenshot everything in your account showing the disqualified weeks and empty letters section. The agent I spoke with said this helps them identify which type of system glitch you're dealing with. Don't give up - this is definitely fixable, just super frustrating to deal with!

One last tip - if you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to verify your benefit amount for the marketplace application, I've had good luck using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Much faster than trying to call directly.

Bottom line: yes, unemployment counts as income for health insurance marketplace purposes. Report it accurately, keep your documentation handy, and update your application if your situation changes. You should still qualify for subsidies at your income level.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing no one tells you: If you win your appeal, YOU STILL NEED TO CONTACT ESD to make sure they implement the judge's decision!!! I won my hearing but then waited and waited for payment. After 3 weeks I called and they said "oh we need to process the judge's decision" - like it wasn't automatic!!! Why wouldn't they tell people this?? I could have had my money 3 weeks earlier if I'd known to call them right away after getting the decision.

I'm going through a similar situation right now - just got disqualified and waiting to file my appeal. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying! It sounds like the whole process could take 2-3 months minimum even if everything goes smoothly. Has anyone had luck getting any kind of emergency assistance while waiting for their appeal? I'm already struggling to make rent and utilities, and the thought of waiting that long without any income is really stressing me out. Also, when you say "keep filing weekly claims" - do those show up as $0 payments during the disqualification period?

Thanks everyone for the explanations! I feel much more confident about reporting my remuneration now. The $180 I earned will definitely be reported on my weekly claim. Sounds like Washington ESD has a pretty fair system for handling part-time work income.

Just wanted to add that Washington ESD also considers holiday pay, vacation pay, and severance pay as remuneration, even if you're not actively working those days. I learned this the hard way when I got a final paycheck with accrued vacation time and forgot to report it. They caught it later and I had to explain the whole situation. So make sure to report ANY compensation from employers, not just regular work hours!