this happened to my cousin last month! turns out he had holiday pay they didn't know about at first and it changed his whole calculation. maybe check if you had any special pay they might have missed initially?

After you file your appeal, make sure to monitor your eServices account daily. ESD often sends requests for additional information with very short deadlines (sometimes just 48 hours). Missing these can cause bigger problems. If you have a smartphone, set up email notifications for your ESD account so you don't miss anything important.

Thanks for sharing this approach! Just to add some helpful context for everyone: When you call the governor's office, you're essentially creating what's called an "executive escalation" within the state system. These are tracked differently and routed directly to specialized teams within ESD. Here's what typically happens: 1. Your information is logged into the executive correspondence system 2. It gets assigned to an ESD executive response team member 3. They review your case for urgency markers 4. If it meets criteria, they'll expedite contact (like OP experienced) 5. If not urgent by their definition, it goes into a separate queue (still faster than regular channels, but not same-day) One important note: The system tracks how many times individual claimants use executive channels. Repeated use without genuine emergencies can potentially be flagged as system abuse, which you don't want in your account notes. The best approach is still to try regular channels first, then use the executive option only when truly necessary.

i tried calling today after seeing this post and the governors office person was really nice but said they have a 3 day waiting period before they can help now because so many people are calling them about esd 😭

This happens alot!! My nephew had the same problem last week but his payment still came on time so dont worry about it. The website and phone system are seperate I think but they both work for filing claims.

Quick update for anyone finding this thread later: The system discrepancy between phone claims and the online portal is a known issue that ESD has acknowledged. They've stated that as long as you have confirmation numbers from phone claims, your weekly certification has been received even if the portal doesn't show it immediately. If it's been more than 3 business days and the portal still shows unfiled claims, then it might be worth contacting ESD, but otherwise it's normal system behavior that will resolve itself.

When I had trouble figuring this out a few months ago, I spent DAYS trying to reach someone at ESD. Seriously thought I was going insane hitting redial. Finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes (claimyr.com). They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent told me the system allows filing after exhaustion because sometimes retroactive benefits get approved, and if you haven't been filing, you can't claim them later. So it's like a just-in-case thing. But yeah, if you're working now it doesn't matter anyway.

One important thing nobody mentioned - if you've exhausted regular UI but still have an active benefit year, you might want to call and check if you qualify for Training Benefits or other ESD programs. People assume once regular UI is gone, that's it, but there are sometimes other programs you might qualify for depending on your situation. But since you've found work, congrats! That's the best outcome anyway!

sorry about ur layoff but congrats on the baby! my sister just had one too! one thing nobody mentioned - make sure ur resume is updated ASAP cuz the job search requirements start right away! u have to do 3 activities every week and keep a log. if u dont they can deny ur benefits even if u were approved!

Quick update on the job search requirements that were mentioned: While you do need to complete 3 job search activities per week, know that these activities can include more than just applying for jobs. They can also include: - Attending job fairs - Creating profiles on employment websites - Meeting with career counselors - Taking skills assessments or training courses - Networking events Also, WorkSource Washington offers free resources to help with your job search and they count toward your required activities. Regarding childcare: Washington has childcare subsidies available for job seekers. You can check eligibility through the Department of Children, Youth, and Families website.