Quick update to my earlier comment - I checked with a colleague who works with unemployment cases, and the current adjudication time for straightforward cases like yours (with documentation already submitted) is running closer to 2-3 weeks rather than the 3-4 I mentioned earlier. So you might hear back sooner. Regarding the identity verification issue - that's completely separate but equally important to resolve. Unfortunately, having two issues at once is fairly common with ESD. The good news is that once both are resolved, any back payments you're eligible for will be processed at once.

i had this happen back in 2023 and heres a tip: if u call right when they open at 8am and keep hitting redial youll eventually get thru. took me 26 tries one morning but i finally got a person! they can sometimes push ur adjudication thru faster if u explain ur situation. good luck!!

UPDATE: Just wanted to share that I tried the Claimyr service that someone suggested here, and I actually got through to an ESD rep! They told me my case was assigned to an adjudicator last week and is

That's great news! At least now you know it's in process and not just sitting forgotten in some digital pile. When you get that peace of mind that your claim is actually being worked on, it makes the waiting a little easier. Hope you get your approval soon!

Pro tip from someone who just went through this: record EVERY interaction with ESD. Washington is a two-party consent state for recording, so you need to tell them you're recording, but I did this and it helped tremendously in my appeal. The judge was very interested in hearing the recordings where the ESD rep gave me incorrect information that led to my disqualification.

anybody else feel like they make these processes take forever on purpose so people just give up? the whole system is designed to be frustrating

One more important tip - at the end of the hearing, the judge will typically ask if you have anything else to add. Use this opportunity to briefly summarize your main points: 1. You quit primarily because your hours were reduced by approximately 50% 2. This reduction exceeds the 25% threshold established in WAC 192-150-120 3. The reduction made it financially impossible to continue the employment 4. You've provided documentation proving the reduction Keep it under 60 seconds, be respectful, and thank the judge for their time. This final summary can be very effective as it's often the last thing they'll remember when making their decision.

make sure u tell us how it goes!!! good luck!!

just wondering how much is your overpayment? mine was $4200 and i got it reduced to $1500 with the waiver

After seeing all these responses, I want to clarify something important: there's a difference between the overpayment waiver form (which is what you're asking about) and other ESD programs like continued assistance that might look at total household size/income. For the waiver form specifically, you only include legally recognized relationships. If you're concerned about making a mistake, definitely try to speak with an ESD representative directly. The advice about using Claimyr is good - I've used it twice when I needed to get through quickly.