Washington Unemployment
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ESD appeal taking forever - facing eviction with a child - desperate!
I filed my appeal with OAH back in early December (it's late January now) and haven't heard ANYTHING back except the confirmation letter saying they received it. I got disqualified for supposedly "refusing suitable work" which is totally FALSE - the job paid $9/hr less than my previous position and was 50 miles from my home! I've been checking my eServices account daily and calling the appeals office twice a week but just get voicemail. Meanwhile, my landlord has started eviction proceedings because I'm 2 months behind on rent ($2650 total). I've called 211 and all the rental assistance programs either have no funding or can only offer $200-300 which doesn't even cover 1/4 of my monthly rent. I have a 7-year-old daughter and don't know what to tell her if we get kicked out. Has ANYONE had their appeal actually get resolved? How long did yours take? Are there any emergency options while waiting for an appeal decision that I'm missing? I'm having panic attacks daily at this point.
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ESD benefits running out - any extensions available within same benefit year?
I've been on unemployment for about 4 months now after the tech company I worked for had massive layoffs. My ESD account shows I've got maybe 3 weeks of benefits left, but I'm still actively job hunting with no solid offers yet. Does anyone know if WA state allows any kind of extension once regular UI benefits run out? I'm still within my benefit year (ends in November 2025) and I'm doing all the required job search activities. I'm getting really worried about what happens when my benefits hit zero. Are extensions still a thing or did those end with the pandemic programs?
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Thanks everyone for the advice! I've scheduled an appointment with WorkSource to discuss Training Benefits, and I'm going to try Claimyr to get through to ESD to ask about my specific situation. It sounds like regular extensions aren't available anymore, but at least there might be some options with the training route if I decide to go that way. I'll update this thread once I learn more in case it helps someone else.
good luck! the job market is slowly getting better i think. took me forever to find something but my roommate just got 3 offers in the same week after being unemployed for 2 months. totally random
Need Governor's office contact number to expedite my stuck ESD adjudication - worked before!
I'm at my wit's end with ESD again! Back in November, my claim got stuck in adjudication for over 2 months. I eventually found a special number for someone at the Governor's office who was able to escalate my case and get it resolved within a week. Like an IDIOT, I didn't save the number anywhere thinking I wouldn't need it again. Well guess what? My claim is now stuck in adjudication AGAIN (different issue this time - they're questioning my availability for work because I had to turn down one interview due to childcare issues). It's been 3 weeks with zero movement. Does anyone remember or have that special Governor's office contact number that can help push ESD claims through? I'm seriously stressing as my savings are almost gone and my rent is due next week. I've tried calling the regular ESD line 43 times over the past week and either get disconnected or told the wait time is 4+ hours. Please help!
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Quick update for anyone following or who might be in a similar situation. I called the Governor's Constituent Services number this morning, and they took all my info. They said they'd submit an urgent inquiry to ESD on my behalf and I should hear something within 3-5 business days. I also called my local WorkSource office and they're submitting an escalation request too. Hoping between these two approaches, something will get my claim moving again. Will update when I hear anything!
That's great! Using multiple channels is smart. In my experience, when your claim gets flagged from both the Governor's office AND WorkSource, it typically gets prioritized pretty quickly. The key thing will be making sure your explanation about the childcare situation is clear and documented. ESD needs to understand that one declined interview due to temporary childcare issues doesn't mean you're not available for work in general.
FINAL UPDATE: Success! Less than 48 hours after contacting the Governor's office, I got a call from an ESD supervisor. She reviewed my case on the phone with me, I explained the childcare situation (it was a one-time emergency when my sister couldn't watch my kids), and she immediately cleared the adjudication flag! My status is now active again and I should receive back payments within 48 hours. THANK YOU to everyone who offered advice, especially about the Governor's Constituent Services number. That was the key to getting this resolved quickly!
So happy to hear this worked out for you! Thanks for coming back to share the good news. This info will definitely help others who find themselves stuck in adjudication.
ESD direct deposit timing for weekly claims - FASTER than website claims?
Has anyone else noticed that filing weekly claims by PHONE seems way faster than the website right now? I'm honestly shocked at how quickly my payment processed. Here's my timeline from this week: Sunday 12:15am - Filed my weekly claim by phone Sunday evening (sometime between 4-7pm) - Status changed to processing Monday morning 7:30am - Status showed as PAID Monday 10:00am - Money actually in my bank account This is WAY faster than the 48+ hour delays people are reporting with web claims! With the holiday coming up next Monday, I'd recommend setting up your phone filing PIN this week if you haven't already. It's definitely worth trying if you've been stuck with those website delays. Not sure if my experience is just lucky or if phone filing is consistently faster, but thought I'd share in case it helps anyone. We all know how frustrating it is when ESD doesn't communicate about these things!
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Wait a second - am I the only one who didn't know you could file by phone? I've been using the website for months! How do you even set this up?
I felt the same way when I first found out! You need to call the main ESD number (during regular business hours) and request a phone PIN. Once that's set up, you can call the weekly claims line at 800-318-6022. The automated system walks you through everything. Definitely worth setting up before the holiday!
i did the phone thing last week and it still took 3 days to get paid so maybe its just random luck when we get our money lol. nothing about ESD makes any sense to me anyway
right?? one week its super fast then the next week its like did they forget about us?? i swear its just whoever is working that day and if they feel like pressing the approve button lol
ESD payment delayed for Columbus Day holiday - checks coming Tuesday 10/15 not Monday
Heads up everyone! Just checked my ESD account and noticed our unemployment payments will be delayed because of the Columbus Day holiday (Oct 14). We'll get our checks on Tuesday the 15th instead of Monday. The system is showing the payment date change already. Just wanted to let everyone know so nobody panics when money doesn't show up Monday morning!
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Does anyone know if this affects the loaded4u cards too or just direct deposit?
The Loaded4U debit cards are affected as well since they still rely on the banking system to process the transfers. All payment methods will be delayed by one day due to Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day being a federal banking holiday.
my cousin works at esd and said they're totally swamped right now with people calling about this exact issue... they get like thousands of calls every holiday about delayed payments. wish they'd just put a big notice on the website
They SHOULD put notices everywhere! I bet half their call volume is just people freaking out about where their money is. Such a waste of everyone's time.
If you need to get through to ESD, I've had success using Claimyr.com - they have a system that helps you bypass the phone queue. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 that shows how it works. Saved me hours of redial frustration when I had an adjudication issue last month.
Jabari-Jo
I've helped several clients through the ESD appeals process, and while it's frustrating, there are some steps you can take: 1. File a hardship request with OAH specifically mentioning the eviction risk and having a minor child. Call 1-800-583-8271 and follow up with an email to oah@oah.wa.gov including your appeal number. 2. For immediate housing assistance, contact the Washington Homeowner Assistance Fund if you own your home, or the Department of Commerce's Eviction Rent Assistance Program (ERAP) if you rent. They have emergency funding specifically for people awaiting unemployment benefits. 3. Prepare for your appeal by organizing documentation that shows: - Your previous wage rate ($32/hr you mentioned) - The offered job's wage ($23/hr) - The distance to the new job (map printout showing 50 miles) - Calculation of gas/transportation costs - Any childcare complications the new schedule would create 4. Consider asking for a continuance if you get a hearing date but don't feel prepared. The good news is that refusing work due to substantial pay reduction AND excessive commute distance is commonly successful on appeal. The bad news is that the timeline is indeed 6-8 weeks currently before hearings are scheduled.
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Niko Ramsey
This is excellent advice. I'd add that when contacting OAH for a hardship request, use the exact phrase "financial hardship expedite request" as this triggers a specific protocol. Also worth noting that if you get an unfavorable decision at the OAH level, you have 30 days to appeal to the Commissioner's Review Office, which can overturn OAH decisions.
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Seraphina Delan
i know this isnt a solution but if u have family anywhere else maybe send ur daughter to stay with them until this is over? that way even if worst happens and u need to go to shelter she doesnt have to. just thinking what id do in ur shoes
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Derek Olson
AuthorI wish that was an option but my parents passed away and my sister is overseas with the military. My daughter's dad isn't in the picture at all. We're kind of on our own here. But I appreciate the suggestion.
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