Just wanted to follow up and say I hope you got through! If you're still struggling with the phone system, seriously consider Claimyr. My friend in construction uses it every time he has a break in claim (which is frustratingly often). The peace of mind from actually talking to a real person who can fix things on the spot is worth it.

Great news! Glad you got it resolved. For future reference (since construction work can be sporadic), remember this rule: anytime your husband works and then needs to claim again, he'll need to reopen the claim first. It's a hassle but at least now you know the process. And make sure he keeps doing his 3 job search activities every week, even during weeks he's expecting to return to work, unless he has official standby status (which is hard to get approved these days).

For anyone dealing with extended adjudication, there's actually a formal process to request an expedited review based on financial hardship. Navigate to your ESD account, select the

I wish I'd known about the formal expedited review process! I just sent a general hardship letter through the message system. But mentioning the 8+ week wait when I contacted officials definitely seemed to get their attention.

One thing no one has mentioned - if his hours were just reduced and not completely eliminated, he might still qualify for partial unemployment benefits even with the base year requirement. It's a common misconception that you have to be completely unemployed to get benefits.\n\nWhen I worked retail and had my hours cut from 40 to 20 during slow season, I was able to get partial benefits. But again, you still need to meet that 680 hour requirement in your base year.\n\nDefinitely worth calling and asking specifically about partial benefits for reduced hours AND the alternate base year option. But be prepared that if he truly didn't work enough hours during either calculation period, he might not qualify regardless of his current situation.

Yes, that's exactly what we're trying to figure out - the partial benefits for reduced hours. Good to know it worked for you! We'll definitely ask about both the alternate base year and partial benefits when we call.

i had part time work last year and i missed one week of doing job searches cause i thought i didnt have to since i was working 30 hours that week... got disqualified and had to appeal!!! dont make my mistake!! even if ur working u still need 3 activities EVERY WEEK u claim benefits no exceptions!!!

One important detail: If your part-time job becomes full-time (32+ hours per week) OR if your gross earnings exceed 1.33 times your weekly benefit amount for four consecutive weeks, you'll no longer be eligible for benefits regardless of job search activities. Make sure you accurately report all hours and earnings each week to avoid overpayment issues later.

i think your still suposed to do job search stuff until u actually start working. ESD is really strict about that from what i heard. my friend got in trouble for not doing it the week before she started her new job last year

Just to follow up - I looked up the exact ESD guidelines on this. When you file your weekly claim, you'll be asked: "Did you accept an offer of work from a new employer that has not yet started?" Answer YES to this, and provide the date you'll start working. You'll still get benefits for this week (assuming you meet all other requirements), but ESD will know you have work lined up. Regarding job search activities - technically you still need to do them UNLESS ESD specifically places you on standby for this final week (which sometimes happens automatically when you report accepting a job). So to be safe, I'd recommend doing your 3 activities just in case, unless you log into your eServices account and see you've been placed on standby status.