Washington Unemployment
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ESD denied my remaining benefits after quitting new job - options?
I'm freaking out right now. I was on unemployment for about 9 weeks when I got offered a position that seemed perfect. Took the job, stopped filing, and officially started 3 weeks ago. Well, turns out the workplace is TOXIC. Manager screams at staff, constantly changing expectations, and the job duties are nothing like what was described in the interview. I quit yesterday after another blowup. Tried to file for UI again today and the system asked about why I left this job. When I put 'quit' it gave me this warning about possibly being disqualified. Does this mean I've completely lost ALL my remaining unemployment benefits? I still had like 14 weeks left on my claim! Anyone dealt with something like this? Is there a way to explain the situation to ESD?
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ESD overpayment waiver pending 11 months - no response & can't get through on phones
I'm at my wit's end with this overpayment situation! I submitted my waiver request back in May 2025 (11 months ago) for a pandemic benefit overpayment they claim I owe. Not ONE person has reviewed it according to my eServices account. Every single time I call ESD, the automated system says "we can't take your call at this time" and literally hangs up on me. Meanwhile, I've talked to two people who submitted their waivers AFTER me who already got their overpayments completely reversed! I'm starting to think my application is just sitting in digital limbo somewhere. Has anyone tried contacting the Governor's office for help with ESD issues? Is there ANYTHING I can do at this point? I'm considering filing a complaint but don't know where to start. This $7,800 overpayment is hanging over my head and I can't afford to pay it back for benefits I legitimately qualified for!
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Ugh, the waiting game with ESD is the WORST. I've been there. Have you tried contacting the Office of the Unemployment Insurance Ombuds? They're supposed to help resolve issues when normal channels aren't working. Here's their website: https://ombuds.wa.gov/unemployment They helped my sister get her appeal unstuck after it was ignored for months. It's an independent office created specifically to help people who are stuck in ESD limbo.
I hadn't heard of the Ombuds office! Just looked them up and this seems like exactly what I need. I'm going to try my state rep first as others suggested, but will definitely contact the Ombuds if that doesn't get results quickly. Thank you for this tip!
my waiver took 13 months to get approved so hang in there! esd is super backlogged with these. make sure ur mailing address is updated in the system bc when they finally did process mine they sent important papers to my old address even tho id updated it online
Oh that's good to hear that yours eventually got approved even after that long! I'll double-check my address is current in the system. Did you do anything special to finally get them to process it, or did it just eventually happen on its own?
honestly it just happened randomly. got a letter in the mail one day saying it was approved and the debt was gone. never talked to anyone on the phone or anything. but this was before i knew about the ombuds thing someone else mentioned. probably would have tried that if i knew about it
ESD phone system keeps hanging up - can't check if weekly claims were properly submitted
I'm about to lose my mind with this phone system! Been trying to reach ESD for DAYS now - calling at exactly 8am when they open and randomly throughout the day. Every single time I get the same automated message about 'high call volume' and then it just hangs up on me! Not even an option to wait! My real concern is that I've submitted my weekly claims but when I log into my account, they're not showing up anywhere. I triple-checked that I completed all the steps, got confirmation numbers and everything, but the system isn't displaying any record of them. Is there some secret backdoor number to actually speak with a human being? Or any other way to verify if my claims are actually in their system? My rent is due next week and I'm seriously stressing out about whether I'll get my benefits. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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i had to call 67 times in one day before i got through. not exaggerating, i kept a tally. try calling at 10:15, thats when a lot of their morning appointments end and sometimes there's a small window where calls get through. good luck!!
UPDATE: I took several pieces of advice from this thread and wanted to report back what worked! I tried calling on Thursday at 10:20am like someone suggested, and still got the high call volume message. Then I went to my local WorkSource office, and they confirmed my claims WERE in the system despite not showing in my online portal! They said it's a known display issue affecting many accounts right now. The WorkSource staff helped me submit a priority message to claims center, and within 2 days my missing weeks appeared online! Payments are now processing. Thanks everyone for your help during my panic - special thanks to the person who suggested WorkSource!
So glad it worked out for you! WorkSource offices are seriously underutilized resources for UI issues.
This is excellent news. Thank you for updating the thread - it helps others who might face similar issues.
Can my son qualify for ESD benefits after medical leave termination?
My son just finished a 12-week medical leave (nerve damage and blood clots in his legs) and returned to work, but has already missed several days. His boss texted saying they 'need to fill his position' and that HR would contact him. It's been 2 weeks with zero communication from HR. I'm worried about his unemployment eligibility if they terminate him. Since he's not fully recovered enough to work regularly, would he even qualify for ESD benefits? He's mentioned he's willing to be retrained or work from home. Has anyone dealt with this medical-related termination situation before? What should he expect from ESD if he files a claim?
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forgot 2 mention - ur son shud apply for SSDI too if his condition is long term. UI is only temporary but SSDI can help if hes gonna be disabled more than a year
That's really helpful, thank you. His doctors aren't sure how long his recovery will take yet. The nerve damage might be permanent, which would affect his ability to stand for long periods. I'll definitely look into SSDI as well. Does anyone know if you can receive both SSDI and unemployment at the same time?
To answer your question about SSDI and unemployment simultaneously - generally no, you can't collect both because they have conflicting eligibility requirements. For UI, you're certifying you CAN work and are looking for work. For SSDI, you're certifying you CANNOT work due to disability. However, there are some gray areas where limited work capacity might allow for partial benefits, but this is complex territory that usually requires professional guidance. The most important thing now is for your son to: 1) Get his doctor to document specifically what work he CAN do with accommodations 2) Formally request those accommodations from his employer in writing 3) File for UI immediately if terminated (appeal if denied) 4) Consider consulting with an employment attorney who specializes in disability cases
Thank you for clarifying that - makes sense that you can't claim to be both able and unable to work at the same time. We'll focus on getting detailed documentation from his doctor and making formal accommodation requests first. I think we should probably consult with an attorney too, especially if they do terminate him.
ESD demanding 24-hour responses after 9 weeks of silence - what's the deal?
Just need to vent about this absurdity. Filed my claim back in February, and ESD has kept me in limbo for NINE WEEKS with zero updates. Then yesterday I get a notification demanding additional documentation with a strict 24-hour deadline?! Are they kidding me? I work 12-hour shifts at the hospital and barely saw the message in time. How is this even legal? They take their sweet time for months while I'm struggling to pay bills, then expect me to drop everything and respond immediately. Anyone else dealt with this ridiculous double standard? Any tips on how to get an extension on their deadline?
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by the way anyone know why they need all these extra docs anyway? i already sent everything when i first applied
When ESD requests additional documentation after your initial application, it's usually because something in your claim triggered an adjudication issue. This could be discrepancies in reported wages, questions about separation from employment, identity verification concerns, or job search compliance. Each type of issue requires specific supporting documents. The best approach is to provide exactly what they request as quickly as possible, then follow up with a phone call to confirm receipt.
UPDATE: Finally got through to ESD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned below. The agent was surprisingly understanding and gave me a 72-hour extension because of my work schedule. They said the urgent timeline was because my claim has been flagged for potential identity verification (which is ridiculous since I've verified my identity three times already). Anyway, just wanted to update in case anyone else faces the same issue - definitely explain your work situation and ask for more time if you need it.
That's awesome! Glad you got the extension. Did they say how long it would take to process after you submit the new docs?
They said it should take about 7-10 business days after I submit everything, but honestly I've stopped believing their timelines. I'll just be happy if it's resolved before summer at this point 🙄
Sergio Neal
YES! Keep filing your weekly claims even while in adjudication! That's super important. If you stop filing and then eventually get approved, you won't get paid for weeks you didn't claim. The system will show them as pending until a decision is made.
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Butch Sledgehammer
AuthorOk that's really good to know - I'll make sure to keep filing every week. Thank you!
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Esteban Tate
My sister is a claims specialist at ESD (not speaking officially!!!) and she says they get this situation ALL THE TIME. Big thing they look for: did you try to resolve the issues before quitting? If you can show you talked to a supervisor or HR about the problems before walking out, that helps your case a lot. Also I heard the average adjudication time right now is like 4-5 weeks so prepare financially if possible.
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Savanna Franklin
4-5 weeks is crazy long! They really expect people to just survive with no income for over a month??
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