Why is everyone saying to apply for standby?? I thought standby was only for temporary layoffs when you're going back to the SAME employer? This person has a NEW job, not going back to their old one.

Update: I applied for standby yesterday and just got approved! It shows in my eServices account now. Thanks everyone for your help - I'll still keep good records just in case, but it's a relief not to worry about job searches when I'm already set to start my new position.

one thing i havent seen mentioned here - if your contract has any kind of severance or final project payment coming later, make sure you report that correctly. i messed this up and ended up with an overpayment notice for $2,300 that im still paying back. if ur not sure how to report something call and ask first!!!!

One last piece of advice based on recent experience: When you file, be very careful about the "able and available" questions. ESD has been extra strict about this lately. If you say you're not available for full-time work for ANY reason (childcare issues, school schedule, transportation limitations, etc.) they'll likely deny your claim or at minimum send it to adjudication. Also, make sure you're checking your ESD account messages regularly after applying. Sometimes they request additional information with short deadlines, and if you miss those, your claim gets delayed substantially. I recommend checking daily until you're receiving payments reliably.

I called at exactly 8:00am and used the option for "questions about an existing claim" instead of the general questions line. Still took forever but at least I got through eventually!

my buddy said they only took like $40 from his check each week and he had a pretty big 401k so maybe it won't be so bad for u!!!

One more thing to consider - if you're dealing with both L&I and a third-party claim (against the other driver), make sure you understand how these interact. If you receive a settlement from the third-party claim, L&I may place a lien on part of that settlement to recover what they paid for your medical treatment. This is standard practice, but many people are surprised by it. Your attorney should be explaining this to you. As for finding a surgeon who takes L&I, ask your claim manager for a list of approved specialists. They should be able to provide you with options within your area that are approved providers.

Based on everything you've shared, here's what I recommend: 1. Contact your L&I claim manager tomorrow and request a list of approved spine surgeons in your area 2. Have your primary doctor submit detailed documentation about why you need a specific surgical approach 3. If your claim manager isn't responsive, contact the L&I Ombuds office 4. Withdraw your ESD application for now to avoid potential overpayment issues 5. Ask your L&I claim manager about getting your time-loss rate reassessed if it's not sufficient Don't agree to pay for the surgery out-of-pocket with the promise of reimbursement later - that's risky and not how the system is supposed to work. L&I should cover approved medical treatment directly.

one more thing make sure u keep doing ur job search activities!!! now that ur fully unemployed u need to do all 3 job contacts every week. ESD is super strict about that

Final tip: After you submit your weekly claim with the job separation, call ESD within 2-3 business days to confirm everything looks good on their end. This proactive approach can save you weeks of waiting if there is an issue. The earlier you catch any potential problems, the faster they can be resolved. You'll want to have your separation details and last day of work ready when you call.