Washington Unemployment
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Reporting 1099 contract work on ESD weekly claim - out-of-state employer questions
I've been on unemployment for 4 months and just got offered a contract position with a company based in Oregon (I'm in WA). They're hiring me as a 1099 independent contractor, not a W-2 employee. I'm starting next week and will be billing them for hours worked. I'm completely confused about how to report this on my weekly claim to ESD. Do I report the hours I work each week? Or do I report income only when I actually get paid (which might be weeks later after I invoice them)? And do I need to list them as an employer even though technically I'm self-employed now? I don't want to mess this up and end up with an overpayment situation. Has anyone dealt with this contractor situation before?
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ESD claim filed by phone still showing as 'to file' in online account - is there a system delay?
I'm feeling really confused about my weekly claim status. I called in my weekly claim this morning around 8:30am using the phone system (since it's always worked fine for me), and everything seemed normal. The automated system confirmed my claim was received at the end. But when I logged into my eServices account just now (around 2pm), it's still showing that I have a weekly claim to file! Last week I filed by phone with zero issues and my online account updated within an hour. Is there some kind of system delay happening today? Has anyone else experienced this lag between phone filing and online updates? I'm worried my claim didn't actually go through and I'll miss my filing window.
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This is actually correct. The online system works best with Chrome and Edge. If you're using Safari or Firefox, you might encounter more sync issues. The phone system is more consistent but the tradeoff is the delay in database updates.
UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know my claim finally updated to 'submitted' in the online system! It took about 20 hours, but at least now I know everything is working correctly. Thanks to everyone for the reassurance and helpful information. I'll definitely keep filing by phone since it works for me, but now I know not to panic if the online status doesn't update right away.
ESD weekly claim call suddenly disconnected after last question - Did it still process?
So weird. I filed my weekly claim by phone just now and something bizarre happened. Usually after answering the last question, the system tells me my claim has been accepted and gives me that confirmation number. But this time, it just disconnected right after I answered the final question! No confirmation, nothing. When I called back immediately, the automated system isn't giving me the option to file a weekly claim anymore. Has anyone experienced this? Does this mean my claim actually went through despite not getting confirmation? I'm freaking out because I can't afford any delays in my benefits right now.
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ESD tax refund wait time - how long after determination?
Just had my unemployment overpayment case resolved in my favor (thank goodness!) and ESD said I'll be getting a refund for the money they wrongly took from my benefits last year. The determination letter came today, but doesn't mention any timeline for when I'll actually see the refund money. Has anyone been through this process recently? I'm trying to figure out if I'll get the refund in days, weeks, or months? Really need this money to catch up on bills that piled up during the whole mess. Any info would be super helpful!
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Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I'll make sure my direct deposit info is updated, and I'll give it about 3 weeks before I start getting too concerned. If I don't see anything by then, I'll try that Claimyr service to get through to ESD directly. Really appreciate all the advice and sharing your experiences!
have u tried emaling ur state rep? when i had issues wth my claim i emaied my state rep and they got ESD to call me back the next day! worth a try if u dont get the $ soon
I hadn't thought of that! I'll keep that as an option if the refund doesn't come through in a reasonable timeframe. Thanks for the suggestion!
ESD benefit year ending 4/20 - Do I need to file new claim after restarting old one?
Hey everyone, I'm stressing about my unemployment situation. My benefit year is ending on April 20th, 2025, and I'm confused about what to do next. I was working steadily until the end of January when our company had massive layoffs. Since I had an existing claim from before, I just restarted that instead of filing a new one. Now I'm wondering if I need to file a completely new claim once my benefit year ends in April? Will ESD automatically notify me or am I supposed to do something specific? I don't want to mess anything up and have my payments stop.
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This is all really stressful. I'm worried because I worked less hours in 2024 than I did previously, so my benefit might go down. Does anyone know if they'll at least process the new claim quickly if I start it a few days before the benefit year ends like someone suggested?
In my experience, if you file before the benefit year ends and have a straightforward work history (no multiple employers or unusual situations), it typically processes within 3-5 business days. Just make sure you have your work history accurate and answer all questions consistently. The most common delay happens when there's discrepancy between what you report and what your employer reports about your separation reason.
Caesar Grant
dont forget you need to be looking for full time work even while doing contract stuff!!! esd still requires the 3 job search activities every week
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Philip Cowan
AuthorOh! I actually didn't realize that. So even though I have this contract work, I still need to do job search activities every week? That's good to know.
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Lena Schultz
Yes, that's correct. Unless you're specifically approved for standby status (which is rare these days), you must continue performing and documenting three job search activities each week regardless of part-time or contract work. The job search requirement is tied to receiving any amount of benefits, even partial benefits. Make sure to keep detailed records of all your job search activities in case of an audit.
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