I'd like to add some clarification about working while on unemployment: 1) You must report all hours and earnings, even for one day of work 2) The formula is: Weekly benefit - (gross earnings × 0.75) = adjusted benefit 3) You must still be available for full-time work to qualify for benefits 4) Substitute teaching hours are compatible with UI as long as you remain available for full-time permanent work 5) If working as a substitute, make sure you're reporting your hours correctly - count prep time if required A common mistake is not reporting small amounts of work, which can lead to overpayment notices later. Always report everything, even if it's just a few hours.

What about applying for TANF or other assistance programs once unemployment runs out?? Has anyone done that? Does one automatically qualify if UI benefits are exhausted??

A tip for your appeal that worked for me: call the PFMLA department (not regular ESD) and ask them for a formal letter confirming your medical leave dates and that it was properly approved. Having official documentation from another state department really helped my case. Also, when you write your appeal, keep it SUPER factual and timeline-based. My first appeal was denied because I focused too much on explaining my situation emotionally rather than just stating the facts in chronological order.

One more thing to add: make sure you meet the 30-day deadline for filing your appeal. If you're close to the deadline, file a basic appeal immediately (even just stating "I disagree with the determination") and then submit your supporting documentation afterward. You can always supplement an appeal with additional documents later, but you cannot file late. Also, under Washington law, you have the right to continue filing weekly claims during the appeal process. If you win your appeal, you'll receive all benefits for weeks you properly claimed during this time. If you don't continue claiming, you won't receive those payments even if you win the appeal.

Just wanted to mention - make sure you're still filing your weekly claims even while your initial claim is pending! I made this mistake and it caused even more delays. If your initial claim eventually gets approved, you'll only get backpay for weeks you properly claimed.

Any update on your situation? Did you try contacting your rep or using that Claimyr service that was mentioned? I'm curious which approach worked for you as I might be in the same boat soon (my company just announced layoffs).

Back in 2020 during COVID I never got my 1099-G and filed without it. BIG MISTAKE. IRS came after me 6 months later saying I underreported income. Had to pay penalties on top of the taxes I owed. Don't mess around with this form!

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I was able to find the 1099-G form right where you all said - in the main menu of eServices under "1099-G Tax Forms." I feel silly for missing it before. For anyone else looking, you can also request a copy by phone if needed. This community is amazing!

My claim was stuck in processing-web for 4 weeks and then suddenly jumped to paid status without ever showing any intermediate statuses. Make sure your payment method is set up correctly in eServices (direct deposit info etc). Sometimes the status doesn't update properly on the website even though your claim is actually being processed. Also double check that you answered all the eligibility questions correctly when you filed - one wrong answer can cause delays.

Update on my earlier comment - it's definitely worth trying to speak with someone at ESD directly. The processing-web status could mean different things for different claims. In my case, it turned out there was a flag on my account because my employer contested the claim, but this wasn't visible to me on eServices. Only found out when I finally got through to an agent.