Washington Unemployment
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How to get recordings of initial ESD claim for unemployment hearing - need evidence fast
My husband's unemployment appeal hearing was scheduled for next week, but thankfully we got approved for a continuation since we're completely unprepared. The judge mentioned something about needing evidence from our initial claim filing? I'm trying to figure out if there's any way to get a recording or transcript of when my husband first filed his claim with ESD back in January. The determination letter mentions some statements he supposedly made during the initial application that don't match what he remembers saying, and I think this is why he got disqualified. The paperwork we received is SUPER confusing - there's like 15 pages of legal terms and I honestly don't understand what we're supposed to be proving. Something about "able and available" requirements not being met? Has anyone gone through an appeal hearing with OAH and know what evidence we should be gathering or how to request our original claim recording? I'm completely lost and starting to panic because we only have 3 more weeks now.
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ESD unemployment payment confusion after 3-day job and termination - will I get full benefits?
I'm completely lost about my unemployment situation right now. I was on unemployment, then got hired somewhere and worked for only 3 days before they let me go. I reported those 3 days on my weekly claim last week, and as expected, didn't receive any unemployment benefits for that week. Now I'm back to having zero income this week. Here's where I'm confused - the employer never collected my SS card or ID during those 3 days. Will they still pay me for that work? And more importantly, will ESD now restart my full unemployment benefits since I've been let go and reported zero earnings on this week's claim? I'm really stressed about this because I need the full unemployment amount to cover rent. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Do I need to restart my claim or will it automatically go back to normal payment?
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Don't expect anything to happen QUICKLY with ESD! Even if you're 100% eligible, if your claim hits adjudication, they'll make you WAIT and WAIT while they "review" your case. Meanwhile your landlord doesn't care about ESD's timeline!!! The whole system is broken!
That's what I'm worried about. I've got rent due in 2 weeks and absolutely need this payment.
One last thing to check: look at your monetary determination letter (should be in your eServices account). This shows your benefit year end date. As long as you're within your benefit year, have available benefit weeks remaining, and haven't earned wages that would establish a new claim, your benefits should continue at the previously established weekly benefit amount after reporting the brief employment period.
Just checked and I still have 16 weeks left in my benefit year, so that should be fine. Thanks for all the help everyone!
Applied for ESD unemployment after Amazon layoff - still pending since January, how long should I expect to wait?
I got laid off from Amazon on January 9th and submitted my unemployment claim on the 12th. It's been weeks now and my claim is still showing as 'pending' with no updates or timeline. I'm getting seriously worried because my savings are running thin and I can't seem to land any interviews despite applying everywhere. I've heard some people saying their claims from NOVEMBER are still pending?! Is this normal? Does ESD give any kind of estimated timeline for processing claims, or is it completely random case-by-case? I tried calling but can't get through to an actual person. How are people supposed to survive while waiting months for benefits?
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i tried calling 37 times yesterday no joke
Unfortunately, the ESD phone lines are overwhelmed right now. The best times to call are Tuesday-Thursday right when they open (8am) or between 4-5pm when call volume sometimes drops a bit. Mondays and Fridays are typically the worst days to get through.
Update: I tried that Claimyr service and it actually worked! Got a call back from ESD within 2 hours. The agent said my claim was delayed because of the severance calculation, but since I've been waiting 4+ weeks already, she expedited it. Should be processed within 3-5 business days. Thanks for all the advice everyone!
nice! did they tell you why they dont just TELL PEOPLE this information in the first place instead of making everyone guess?? would save everyone so much stress
Switching from ESD unemployment to Paid Family Medical Leave after having a baby - how long for approval?
I'm currently on regular unemployment after a layoff from my construction job (electrical). I just had a baby 2 weeks ago and submitted all my PFML paperwork right away. Does anyone know how long it typically takes to get approved for PFML when transitioning from unemployment? Do I need to stop filing my weekly unemployment claims while the PFML application is processing? Really confused about how this works and getting anxious since my savings are running low. Anyone from the trades been through this process recently?
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Pro tip: document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots of all confirmations when you submit documents. Write down dates, times and names when you talk to anyone. Keep copies of EVERYTHING you send them. The system is a mess right now and I had to prove multiple times that I had already submitted certain documents.
That's great advice - just took screenshots of my submission confirmations and saved them to a folder. Wish I'd known to do this from the start!
When I had my baby last year I went from regular UI to PFML and it actually only took 2 weeks!!! But my coworker who did the same thing a month later waited for almost 7 weeks. I think it's totally random and depends on who processes your claim. Just bad luck sometimes.
TOTALLY RANDOM is exactly right!!! They shouldn't be allowed to take so long when people have BABIES to feed and bills to pay! The whole system is broken and nobody cares about us regular working people.
ESD weekly claim system showing February 1st, 2025 as week start date instead of end date - system error?
Has anyone else gotten messages from ESD with completely wrong dates for their weekly claims? I just received a notification about filing for "the week beginning 02/01/2025" - but February 1st, 2025 is a SATURDAY, which would be the END of a claim week, not the beginning! Washington's claim weeks run Sunday-Saturday, right? I'm worried about filing correctly and don't want to mess up my benefits. Is this just a weird typo in their automated system or something more serious? Should I call ESD about this or just ignore it and file as normal? I've had so many issues with my claim already and really can't afford any more delays.
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i got this message to but didnt even notice til i saw your post lol. i just file anyway and got paid like normal so i think its fine.
When I first started on unemployment last year I got so confused about when weeks begin and end! I remember submitting for the wrong week and having to call and sort it all out. Such a pain! But yeah, this is definitely just an error in their messaging. The actual claim period should be correct when you go to file.
The whole system is just needlessly complicated. Why can't they just say "file for January 26-February 1" instead of "the week beginning/ending on" language? Would make it so much clearer for everyone.
Nathan Kim
Make sure u find out EXACTLY what week(s) they're questioning for the "able and available" issue. My husband's case was only about a specific 2-week period when he had limited his hours due to childcare, not his whole claim. If u know the specific dates it makes preparing way easier. btw do u have a copy of his weekly claim certifications? Those are super important since that's what they're usually comparing to the initial application to find "inconsistencies
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Benjamin Johnson
AuthorThat's a good point about the specific weeks - I need to check that. We should have the weekly certifications in his online account, right? I'll look for those tonight.
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Zara Perez
One more thing - if you're preparing for an "able and available" hearing, get familiar with WAC 192-170-010 through 192-170-070. These are the Washington Administrative Code sections that define what "able and available" actually means. Judges reference these specific codes during hearings. You can find them online by searching "WAC unemployment able and available". Also, hearings are typically held by phone right now. Make sure you're in a quiet place with good reception, have all your documents organized and labeled, and take notes during the proceeding.
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Benjamin Johnson
AuthorThank you for this! I just looked up those WAC sections and they're really helpful for understanding what we need to prove. Our hearing is scheduled for phone, so we'll definitely prepare a quiet space and have all documents ready. I feel so much more prepared now thanks to everyone's advice!
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