Back in 2023 I totally forgot to file for like 3 weeks straight (mental health issues). When I finally remembered I was able to file for all 3 weeks, one after another on the same day. Everything processed normally, no adjudication or anything. But I did have to answer why I filed late for each one. So you should be fine with just one missed week!

I had a similar situation a few months ago when I was dealing with a family emergency and completely spaced on filing. You should be totally fine filing both weeks this Sunday! Just like others mentioned, make sure to file the older week first - the system actually guides you through it pretty well. One tip that helped me: before you start filing, have all your job search activities written down for both weeks so you're not scrambling to remember what you did. The process is basically the same as filing normally, just twice in a row. I didn't have any issues with adjudication or delays, got paid for both weeks on the normal schedule. The "reason for late filing" question is straightforward - just be honest about helping your mom move. ESD sees legitimate reasons like family emergencies all the time. Good luck with the filing! And definitely set up that phone reminder like FireflyDreams suggested - I learned my lesson too!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I had a medical emergency and completely forgot to file. The online reopening process worked fine for me - took about 10 minutes to complete all the questions. Just make sure you have all your recent job search activities documented because they'll ask for those details. One thing that helped me avoid this happening again was downloading the ESD mobile app and turning on push notifications. It sends me a reminder every Sunday morning to file my weekly claim. The lost week still stings financially, but at least you caught it after just one missed filing instead of letting it go longer.

I had a similar situation last year when I missed filing due to a death in the family. The good news is that reopening your claim is pretty straightforward, and you won't have to serve another waiting week since it's just one missed week. Here's what worked for me: log into eServices, click "Restart your claim," answer all the questions (they're mostly the same as your original application), and submit. Your new effective date will be this coming Sunday, so you can file your weekly claim normally starting then. The hardest part is accepting that you'll lose that one week's payment - there's unfortunately no way to backdate it. But your total benefit amount and benefit year end date stay the same, so it doesn't affect the overall length of your claim. Make sure you have your job search activities ready because they'll ask about those during the reopening process.

I'm dealing with the exact same frustration! Been trying to reach them about my claim for almost two weeks now. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to try calling Tuesday morning around 10am and also check out that Claimyr service that multiple people have mentioned. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get basic help with our unemployment claims. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips!

I've been dealing with this exact same issue for weeks now! Reading through all these comments is both frustrating and helpful - at least I know I'm not the only one struggling with Washington ESD's phone system. I'm definitely going to try some of the strategies mentioned here, like calling on Tuesday or Wednesday mornings around 10am, and I'm seriously considering that Claimyr service since so many people have had success with it. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to resort to third-party services just to talk to someone about our own unemployment benefits. The system is clearly broken when people are waiting weeks just to get basic questions answered. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and tips - this community is more helpful than Washington ESD's actual customer service!

I'm currently in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! I was laid off in December and received what my employer called "severance" but was actually paid through their regular payroll system. I've been getting those same "excess earnings" determinations every week and was starting to worry I'd done something wrong with my claim. What really helped me understand this was reading everyone's explanations about how ESD treats continuation pay versus true lump-sum severance. Since my payments were processed through regular payroll at my normal rate, ESD is rightfully treating them as wages that exceed my weekly benefit amount. The most valuable thing I learned from this discussion is that those weeks with excess earnings aren't wasted - they still count toward my benefit year and one satisfies the waiting week requirement. I have about two more weeks of continuation pay left, but now I feel confident that my UI benefits will start automatically once that ends, as long as I keep filing every Sunday. The anxiety around this whole process is real, especially when ESD's messaging isn't very clear about what "excess earnings" actually means. But knowing that so many others have gone through this exact scenario and had their benefits start normally once the severance/continuation pay ended gives me a lot of peace of mind. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now and this thread has been so helpful! Got laid off in early December and my company provided what they called "severance" but it's been coming through their regular payroll system every two weeks. I've been getting those "excess earnings" determinations on every weekly claim and was starting to panic that I'd somehow screwed up my application. What really clicked for me after reading everyone's responses is understanding that this is continuation pay, not true severance, which is why ESD treats it as regular wages. Since these payments are higher than my weekly benefit amount, they're completely offsetting any UI benefits I would receive during this period. The most reassuring thing I learned is that these weeks still count toward my benefit year - they're not lost time. I have about 4 more weeks of continuation pay left, but now I feel confident that my benefits will start automatically once that period ends, as long as I keep filing every Sunday. The anxiety around not being able to reach anyone at ESD to confirm what's happening has been brutal, especially when you're already stressed about being unemployed. But seeing so many others go through this exact scenario successfully gives me hope. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made such a difference in my peace of mind!

One more thing to try - email your state representative. My cousin had a claim stuck in adjudication for over a month. She emailed her state rep with her claim details and within 3 days got a call from an ESD supervisor who fixed everything. The legislative offices seem to have direct contacts at ESD that can bypass the regular channels. Worth a shot if you're desperate.

I feel your pain! I went through the exact same nightmare last year - couldn't get through on the phone for WEEKS and my claim was stuck in limbo. What finally worked for me was a combination of things: 1) I called exactly at 7:58 AM on Tuesday mornings (2 minutes before they officially open) and stayed on hold no matter what, 2) I sent a secure message through eServices every single day documenting my attempts to reach them, and 3) I contacted my state senator's office after 4 weeks with no resolution. The legislative contact was what really got things moving - I got a callback from an ESD supervisor within 48 hours. Don't give up! Also, keep detailed records of every call attempt with dates and times - ESD supervisors can see this data and it helps your case when you finally get through to someone with authority.