also btw they ask if ur job is permanent when u file each week so make sure u mark YES since u got hired full time even if its not 40 hrs. my friend marked NO cuz she was on probation period and got flagged for review!!

One more important thing - if your hours increase to 40+ per week or your pay increases, make sure you still report that for your weekly claims. Technically, your claim stays open for a year from when you first applied, but once you have those 4 consecutive weeks over your WBA, it goes inactive. You can always reactivate it within that year if your hours get cut or something changes with your job.

Something I forgot to mention earlier - if your appeal is successful, make sure to check your payment history once payments resume. Sometimes ESD misses paying certain weeks or calculates the wrong benefit amount for some weeks. I had to call them to fix two weeks they somehow skipped even though I had filed claims for them. Also, interest does NOT accrue on back payments owed to you, in case you were wondering.

Thanks everyone for the helpful info. I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims, and I'll plan to contact ESD about 10 business days after the hearing if I don't see any movement. I've been documenting everything carefully, so hopefully that helps if there are any issues. Still worried about making January rent, but at least I have a better idea of the timeline now. I'm going to look into those emergency rental assistance programs just as a backup plan.

UPDATE: I finally got through to ESD this morning! The agent confirmed this was definitely an error. Apparently there was a glitch in their system where some letters for claims filed in January 2025 had the delivery addresses mixed up. She flagged my account to make sure future communications come directly to me and said they're aware of the issue and working on fixing it systemwide. She also noted that while employers do get notified about claims and some general determination info, they shouldn't be receiving my detailed claim correspondence. She's escalating this as a privacy concern to their IT department. Thanks everyone for your help and confirming I wasn't overreacting about this!

wait but did u ever get the actual info that was supposed to be in the letter?? like was it important or just general stuff?

The ESD system is COMPLETELY BROKEN for trades and seasonal workers!!! I spent 6 weeks trying to get my benefits approved during my last training period and then they wanted all kinds of additional documentation that wasn't listed anywhere on their website. By the time it was approved, my training was almost over. Make sure you start this process EARLY and document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots of every page you submit, record the names of every ESD agent you talk to, and follow up constantly. The system is designed to make you give up!!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to: 1. File my initial claim at the start of Christmas break 2. Complete my waiting week during that time 3. Do the required job searches during the Christmas break period 4. Request the Training Benefits application for my February apprenticeship training 5. Get documentation from my training coordinator about the mandatory nature of the training 6. Keep detailed records of everything I submit I really appreciate all the insights and warnings about potential pitfalls. This community has been super helpful!

Quick update on something I forgot to mention - if your employer is going to be at the hearing (sometimes they are, sometimes not), be prepared for them to present their side. In my case, the payroll person from my company attended and actually ended up supporting my position because they realized their reporting to ESD had errors. So don't automatically assume your employer is "against" you in this process.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I've started gathering all my documentation and will submit it by the deadline. One last question - how long after the hearing did you get the decision? The waiting and uncertainty is killing me!