My friend works at ESD (not posting officially) and says that over 70% of layoff claims go through with no issues as long as you document properly. Most employers don't contest legitimate layoffs because they know they'll lose and their unemployment insurance rates are affected by layoffs regardless of whether they contest. He says to just be honest, upload documentation, and don't worry too much unless you actually receive an adjudication notice.

One important thing to understand is that the separation form is actually for YOUR protection in the process. It gives you the opportunity to document your side of the story BEFORE any potential issues arise. Make sure you: - Use clear, factual language (no emotions or accusations) - Specify it was a layoff due to budget cuts/reduction in force - Include the names of managers who informed you - Note that others were also laid off (if applicable) - Upload your layoff notice - List any severance or final payments you received This creates a solid record that makes it much harder for an employer to successfully contest later. Many claimants make the mistake of providing vague information on this form, which can lead to unnecessary adjudication delays.

To answer your follow-up question - when you do reach an ESD agent, have this information ready: 1. Your claim ID number 2. The specific week (date range) where your job search log is stuck in draft 3. Details of your job search activities for that week 4. Screenshots or documentation if possible Make sure to specifically ask them to add a note to your claim about the job search log technical issue. Also ask them to confirm that your weekly benefits won't be affected by this. In my experience, as long as you did actually perform the job search activities and can document them, ESD is reasonable about system limitations. The key is getting through to actually speak with someone.

Just as a follow-up since I saw your question - when I used Claimyr to reach ESD about my job search log issue, they got me through to an agent in the claims department. The agent asked for my SSN, claim ID, and the specific week I was having trouble with. They confirmed I could still receive benefits as long as I actually did the job search activities, even if the system wouldn't let me submit the log retroactively. The whole call took about 15 minutes once I got through.

UPDATE: I finally got through to ESD this morning! The agent confirmed I was underpaid throughout my claim. They're going to issue a supplemental payment for all weeks I claimed (23 weeks total). The difference comes out to about $1650 before taxes that I'm owed! She said it should be deposited within 5-7 business days. Thanks everyone for your help figuring this out - I would have just assumed I was out of luck if I hadn't posted here.

This is a great reminder for everyone to carefully review their initial monetary determination and compare it to the actual payments received. ESD's system doesn't always correctly apply the WBA calculation, especially if you had multiple employers or irregular earnings in your base year. For anyone else reading this: you can request a redetermination of your weekly benefit amount at any time during your benefit year if you think there's an error. Don't wait until your benefits expire like the original poster did - the sooner you catch these issues, the faster they can be resolved.

Im in construction and get paid for diffrent jobs at all diffrent times, sometimes weeks later!!!! I always just report the hours when i work them and never had a problem with esd. your doing it right!!

Everyone here is correct - you report wages in the week they were earned, regardless of when payment is received. This is covered in the ESD handbook under the "How to Report Earnings" section. The reason for this policy is to maintain consistency in how unemployment benefits are calculated and to ensure that claimants aren't penalized due to employer payment schedules, which can vary widely. Keep in mind that when you report earnings, you should report gross wages (before taxes and deductions) for the week in which the work was performed. If you performed work over multiple weeks but received a lump sum payment, you should divide the earnings according to when the work was actually done. If you ever receive a questionable determination or notice about this issue, you have the right to appeal within 30 days.

also make sure you didnt accidentally answer something wrong on your weekly claims. i said NO to being able and available one week cause i was confused about what they were asking and it held up ALL my payments for weeks

One thing to keep in mind - if your claim is delayed beyond 3 weeks, you have a right to know why. Request a status update through your eServices account by sending a secure message. Sometimes this alone can trigger someone to look at your claim. Also, double-check that your job search activities are meeting the 3 required activities per week and that you're documenting them properly. Inadequate job search information is a common reason for delays. But from what you've described, this sounds like the normal verification process that happens with new claims. The system is telling you to continue filing weekly claims because that's exactly what you should do - it's good advice.