Washington Unemployment

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Stuck in ESD adjudication for 5 weeks & starting new job - should I keep filing?

Ugh, I'm approaching week 5 of my unemployment claim being stuck in adjudication with ESD. Is this normal?? I've been filing my weekly claims faithfully but haven't seen a penny yet. The stress is killing me. To make things more complicated, I finally got a new job (starting next Monday!) but won't receive my first paycheck for about 2-3 weeks after I start. I'm totally confused about what to do with my claims now. Do I need to keep filing my weekly claims while in adjudication even after I start working? Or will this Sunday be my last claim? Also, how do I report that I've started working when I file? I've called ESD like 20 times trying to get answers about both the adjudication delay and what to do about my new job, but I just get stuck in automated phone hell. Never can reach a human being. Anyone dealt with this situation before?

When I got my new job last month I kept filing until I got my first paycheck. Made sure to report all my hours worked even though I wasn't paid yet. I think my last benefit payment was reduced because of the hours, but I still got something since I wasn't full time right away. Just be super honest about the hours - they crosscheck with employers eventually.

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They ALWAYS crosscheck! My coworker tried to fudge his hours for two weeks and boom, six months later he got hit with an overpayment notice plus penalties. NOT worth it!

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For context on adjudication timing: ESD currently has a significant backlog of claims requiring adjudication. The standard timeframe is 4-6 weeks, but can extend to 8-10 weeks during periods of high volume. The adjudicator reviews issues that could affect your eligibility, such as job separation circumstances, availability for work, or potential earnings discrepancies. Regarding your new employment: Continue filing weekly claims until you are working full-time hours (35+ per week). Report all hours worked in the week they are worked, regardless of when payment is received. Your benefits will be reduced according to your reported hours using a specific formula. Once you're working full-time, you can simply stop filing weekly claims - no need to formally close your claim. If you need to verify exactly what issue is being adjudicated, you'll need to speak with an ESD representative. Written correspondence about adjudication issues should appear in your eServices account under Notices/Letters.

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Thank you for the detailed explanation. It sounds like I should be approaching the end of the typical adjudication window, so hopefully I'll hear something soon. I'll keep filing my weekly claims and make sure to report my work hours accurately starting next week.

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Second job separation form after 6 weeks in adjudication - reset waiting period?

I'm completely confused about my ESD claim timeline. I submitted my initial unemployment claim on October 21st and it's been sitting in adjudication since November 4th (so almost 6 weeks now). Yesterday out of nowhere I got an alert to fill out ANOTHER job separation form. I already completed one during my first week when I applied! Why would they wait 6 weeks to ask for a second one? Does this mean my claim timeline basically resets and I'll be waiting ANOTHER 6+ weeks? I'm getting desperate as my savings are almost gone. Has anyone else had to fill out multiple separation forms? Did it delay your claim even further?

Yes, Claimyr does have a fee, but it was worth it considering I was about to miss another rent payment. They basically hold your place in line and call you when they have an ESD agent on the phone. Took about 2 hours total instead of days of redialing. The video on their site explains it better than I can. With how backed up ESD is right now, it was the only way I could actually reach a human.

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I just watched their demo video and signed up. It's a bit nerve-wracking to pay for something like this, but at this point I'm desperate to talk to an actual person at ESD. If it works, it'll be worth every penny. I'll update here if I get through!

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Just to clarify some points here: 1. The second job separation form doesn't reset your place in line completely. Your claim has already been in adjudication, and this is part of that process. 2. When you submit the new form, it goes directly to the adjudicator handling your case, not back to initial processing. 3. Continue filing weekly claims as normal - this is critical for receiving all back payments if approved. 4. The timeframe varies, but currently ESD is taking 8-12 weeks for complex adjudication cases. When you see activity like being asked for additional information, that's actually a good sign that your claim is being actively worked on rather than sitting in a queue. 5. Be extremely detailed and precise in the new form, especially regarding your reason for job separation, last day worked, and any severance or final pay received.

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Thank you for this detailed explanation! I'm relieved to hear it doesn't completely reset my place in line. I submitted the second form immediately with very detailed information about my separation. Hopefully this means someone is actively looking at my claim now.

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After 8 weeks stuck in adjudication, what finally got ESD to look at my claim

I've been waiting in adjudication hell for almost 8 weeks with absolutely zero progress. Bills piling up, credit cards maxed, and feeling completely ignored by ESD. Finally got desperate enough yesterday to contact the governor's office (something I was hesitant to do). Spoke with an incredibly helpful person who not only answered all my questions but also expedited my claim! Within just 3 hours, ESD called me saying they're assigning an adjudicator by end of day. Apparently my claim had just been sitting there untouched for TWO MONTHS. No one had even looked at it! They still need to investigate my separation reason from my employer, but at least something's finally happening. Anyone else had to go to these lengths to get movement on their claim? Praying they wrap this up next week so I can start catching up on rent and utilities before things get even worse.

Once your claim is approved, check if you're eligible for the waiting week waiver. Normally there's a one-week waiting period before benefits begin, but depending on your circumstances and when you filed, that waiting week might be waived. Also, make sure you understand the job search requirements going forward - currently it's 3 job search activities per week that you need to document. The WorkSource workshops count as activities and can be done online. Staying on top of these requirements will prevent any interruptions once your benefits start flowing.

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I've been dutifully reporting my 3 job search activities every week even though no payments were coming through. Didn't want to fall behind on that requirement in case they eventually approved my claim. I've been doing a mix of applications and WorkSource workshops. Just hoping they approve me and release all those back payments soon - I'm down to my last $43 and rent is due next week.

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ESD payment processing timeline - got 5 backpayments but 6th shows 'processing'

FINALLY some good news! After 6 weeks in limbo my claim was just approved this morning. I woke up to 6 payment notifications in my account! First one shows as my waiting week, then I got 4 weeks of regular payments (they all show as paid), and the 6th payment is from this Sunday but it's still sitting in 'processing' status. Anyone know how long it normally takes for that last payment to clear if I filed my weekly claim online? I'm just paranoid something will go wrong again after waiting so long for everything else to get approved. Can I expect it tomorrow or does it usually take longer? Getting anxious about paying rent next week!

Can I ask what your claim was stuck on for those 6 weeks? Mine's been in adjudication for almost 5 weeks now and I'm losing my mind. Did you do anything special to get it moving?

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Mine was stuck in adjudication too! They were verifying my reason for separation since my employer contested it initially. I called about 20 times over those 6 weeks but only got through twice. Second time I spoke with someone who actually escalated it properly and it was resolved within 3 days after that. Persistence was key in my case. Good luck with yours!

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ESD only paid half my benefits with no explanation letter - anyone else dealing with this?

I'm at my wits' end with ESD right now! My weekly benefit amount was supposed to be $820 according to my monetary determination, but when the payment hit my account yesterday, it was only $410! I've been checking my mail every day, and there's absolutely NOTHING from ESD explaining why they cut my payment in half. I've been trying to call the claims center for three days straight, starting right when they open at 8am, and all I get is the 'high call volume' message before getting disconnected. Has anyone else had their benefits randomly reduced without explanation? Is there some secret way to actually talk to a human being at ESD? I'm worried that my mortgage payment is going to bounce if I don't get this fixed soon!

has anyone noticed that ESD notifications show up in spam folders sometimes??? might be worth checking there too. happened to my cousin last month

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Good point! Just checked my spam folder and there's nothing there from ESD, but that's definitely something to keep an eye on going forward. Thanks!

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Based on what you've found out about the child support deduction, I wanted to add that you should make sure to print or save screenshots of your payment details from eServices. These will be important documentation if you need to request a modification from DCS. Also, when you do connect with DCS, ask them about the "need-based formula" - there's a calculation they use that might allow for a lower withholding percentage based on your basic living expenses.

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That's really helpful advice! I'll definitely save all the documentation from eServices. I hadn't heard of the "need-based formula" before, so I'll specifically ask about that when I call DCS. Thanks for the insider tip!

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