To answer your follow-up question - yes, the monetary determination letter means you're eligible based on your past earnings. You should definitely start filing weekly claims right away. Just because your status can change later (as others have mentioned) doesn't mean you should delay filing. Each week you don't file is potentially lost benefits that can't be recovered later. Regarding your employer - there's no direct way to see if they've contested anything, but if they had immediately disputed your claim, you likely wouldn't have seen the status change to active so quickly. Most employer disputes show up within the first 10 days, though they technically have more time than that. If your separation was a departmental layoff as you mentioned, it's very likely your claim will remain approved. Just make sure you're doing your 3 job search activities every week and documenting them properly.

anyone else notice how ESD seems to be speeding up for some people but still keeping others waiting FOREVER??? seems totally UNFAIR how they pick and choose who to process quickly!

Unfortunately, I think you've missed the window for unemployment benefits from that job. The deadline is usually within 6 months of separation, and it's been well over a year now. However, since you mentioned you got your cosmetology license, have you considered looking into any of the Work Source programs? They might be able to help you find flexible work options that could accommodate your needs while bringing in some income. Also, as others have mentioned, PFML is probably your best option right now. Washington has one of the better PFML programs in the country, and it specifically covers recovery from childbirth. The application process is completely separate from unemployment. Whatever you do, don't give up. The system is complicated, but there are resources available.

The ESD phone lines are IMPOSSIBLE!! I spent 3 weeks trying to get through about my claim last month. If u need to talk to someone try early morning like 7:59am right when they open. Or use that Claimyr thing someone mentioned, my friend said it actually works.

i had kinda the same thing happen but it was cuz i answered a question wrong on my weekly claim. took FOREVER to fix. have u been filing ur weekly claims still even tho ur not getting paid? u gotta keep doing that or they'll close ur whole claim and ull have to start over again. dont forget!!!!

Any update? Were you able to get through to ESD today? Did any of these suggestions help? Also, how did your job interview go?

Try calling exactly at 4:25pm. That worked for me twice because most people don't realize they're open until 5pm and stop calling after lunch. The queue usually clears out a bit by then.

Any luck getting through? I'm curious if any of these suggestions worked for you.

Im sorry ur dealing with this! I had something kinda similar happen with my cosmetology license last year and what helped was getting a letter from my previous employer stating that they would rehire me once my license was renewed. ESD accepted this as proof that I was just temporarily unable to work due to administrative processing and not due to any fault of my own.

After your adjudication interview, if they still deny your benefits, remember you have the right to appeal the decision. The appeal would go to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), where an Administrative Law Judge would review your case. You have 30 days from the date of the determination letter to file an appeal. While it takes time, the appeal process often results in reversals of incorrect ESD determinations, especially in complex cases like yours where you're clearly making good faith efforts to maintain your eligibility to work.

There's some confusion in this thread about how the calculation works. Here's the exact formula ESD uses: 1. They subtract $5 from your gross earnings 2. They subtract 75% of the remaining amount from your weekly benefit For example: If you earn $100 in a week and your weekly benefit is $500: $100 - $5 = $95 $95 × 75% = $71.25 $500 - $71.25 = $428.75 (your adjusted benefit) Total income: $100 + $428.75 = $528.75 So you actually end up with MORE total income than just receiving unemployment alone. Just make sure you always report accurately and maintain your job search activities.

Thank you all SO much for your advice! I'm going to accept the on-call position and make sure I report everything accurately. I'll keep searching for full-time work and completing my job search activities every week. It's a huge relief to know I can earn some extra money without losing all my benefits. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge!

One more thing to be aware of - if your overpayment was due to an agency error (which many pandemic ones were), you might be eligible for an additional waiver of the interest and penalties. This isn't automatic - you need to specifically request a "waiver of fees and interest under RCW 50.20.190(4)" in writing. The standard waiver program doesn't always include this. Could explain some of the difference in your refund amount.

Update: I finally got through to ESD after trying for two days straight. The agent explained that the $1,400 difference was broken down as: - $515 in administrative fees (which aren't waived) - $685 in federal tax withholding (10%) - $200 in interest that had accrued before I started repayment She said I'll receive a detailed breakdown in the mail within 2 weeks, and the actual refund should be deposited within 30 days. Thanks everyone for your helpful advice - it gave me the right questions to ask!

wait guys sorry to jump in but if the claim shows denied doesn't that mean the initial claim was denied? or can weekly claims get denied too? i'm getting so confused with this whole process...

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! I checked my job search logs and realized I wasn't including the contact information or outcomes for each application. I also suspect I might not have been clicking the final submission button correctly. I'm going to call the Office of Administrative Hearings tomorrow about appealing the denied weeks. Will also try Claimyr if I can't get through on my own - at this point, I just need to speak to someone who can explain exactly what went wrong. Really appreciate all the guidance!

just wait it out. my claim fixed itself after like 3 weeks of being stuck lol. esd eventually processes the backlog even if you cant reach anyone

UPDATE: I did not manage to reach a live representative on the number in my post, however based on the advice in the comments I was able to find an option that asked me if I want to restart my claim and I pressed "yes". It asked me to create a PIN, and voila, my claim is now automatically restarted. I no longer have the old weeks blocking my current claims. It did ask me if I was available for work for the first week during which I was travelling and I replied no. That was all. I could swear that option was NOT available previously in the automated system. It somehow appeared the 10th or 15th time I called...

Here's what ESD's handbook actually says: You must file a weekly claim for every week you want to receive benefits, even if you worked that week or your eligibility is being questioned. If you don't file a weekly claim for more than four weeks in a row, your claim becomes inactive, and you'll need to reopen it. For your specific situation with the unpaid time off, you should choose "No" when asked if you worked, but indicate that you're still employed when asked about your employment status. There's a difference between having zero hours in a week and no longer being employed at all. If the online system isn't letting you do this correctly, then you definitely need to speak with an agent.

UPDATE: I tried again following the advice here. When I selected "No" for working that week (instead of trying to enter 0 hours), the system let me continue. I made sure to answer all the other questions honestly, including that I was able and available for work. My claim went through without any issues! Thanks everyone for your help. I was overthinking it and making it more complicated than it needed to be.