I'm confused... if someone wasn't eligible for benefits for certain weeks because they worked too much, why do they still have to claim those weeks? Isn't the whole point of unemployment that you're, well, unemployed? The ESD system is so unnecessarily complicated.

I went back to full time for almost 2 months then got laid off again. Had to file for all those weeks I missed (about 8 weeks total). It was tedious but not a big deal. Just entered my full-time hours for each week, got $0 payments for those weeks since I earned too much, then was able to start getting benefits again after the layoff. The system just wants continuity.

One important thing to understand about the backdating process: once your account is unlocked, you'll need to file for each week separately. The system will walk you through each missed week, but be prepared to spend about 20-30 minutes total completing all the backdated weeks. For each week, you'll need to report: - Your 3 job search activities for that specific week - Any earnings from part-time work during that week - Whether you were able and available for work - Any refusals of work If you're currently on day 5 or 6 of the processing time, I'd recommend organizing all this information now so you're ready as soon as your account is unlocked. That will help ensure you get paid as quickly as possible once the fraud hold is removed.

my cousin works at ESD (not in fraud dept tho) and she says they're super backed up right now because there was a big wave of identity theft cases in April. apparently some data breach somewhere led to a bunch of unemployment fraud attempts at once. so that might affect your timeline, unfortunately...

For what it's worth, I work in career services and have helped many clients navigate UI while taking classes. The one-hour class shouldn't be a problem, but I strongly recommend reporting it accurately. If your class is job-related training, you might also want to record it as one of your job search activities in your job search log. This creates a record showing that the class is actually helping, not hindering, your employment prospects. Remember that the underlying principle is always whether you remain able and available for full-time suitable work. As long as that's true, and you're honest about your activities, you should be fine.

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to make sure I report the class on my weekly claim and explain that it's just one hour per week and doesn't affect my availability for work. I'll also add it to my job search log since it's directly related to skills in my field. Really appreciate all the advice and experiences shared here!

just wondering did anyone elses back unemployment payments get taxed at a weird rate? when i got mine last year it seemed like they withheld way more than 10% for taxes, more like 25% or something?? confused about that too

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! Based on what I'm hearing, it sounds like I need to include this on my 2026 taxes rather than trying to amend 2025. I think I'll consult with a tax professional just to be safe, especially regarding potential impacts on credits and deductions. This unemployment appeal process has been so much more complicated than I expected!

One important thing to note - when dealing with overpayment increases, you need to determine if they're adding what's called a "fraud penalty" (50% additional) or if they're recalculating the entire overpayment amount. In my experience, the key is getting written documentation. Every time you speak with ESD: 1. Get the agent's ID number 2. Take detailed notes with dates/times 3. Immediately follow up with an eServices message summarizing the call 4. Request all determinations in writing ESD is required to provide written explanation for all overpayment calculations. If they haven't, that's a procedural error you can use in your appeal. Also, there's a specific overpayment waiver form on the ESD website if financial hardship applies to your situation.

Update on your options: If you truly never received notification of an appeal hearing or decision, you can file what's called a "Petition for Review" with the Commissioner's Review Office. This is different from a regular appeal. You'll need to explain that: 1. You filed an initial appeal 2. You never received notice of hearing 3. You never received a decision This can be done even after the normal appeal deadline has passed. The Commissioner has authority to determine if your procedural rights were violated. Regarding the increased amount - request an itemized statement showing exactly how the new amount was calculated. This is your right under Washington Administrative Code (WAC).