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When my UI was about to run out, I couldn't get through to ESD for three days straight to ask about extensions. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes. The agent explained that I didn't qualify for an extension but helped me apply for Training Benefits instead since I was interested in a career change. Their video demo (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3) shows exactly how it works. Definitely worth it when you can't get through on your own.
Thanks for the tip! I've been trying to get through to ESD for a few days now with no luck. I'll check out Claimyr. Did you end up getting approved for the Training Benefits? How long did that process take?
Based on your healthcare admin background, have you considered looking at medical coding or medical records positions? There's currently high demand in those areas, and your experience might transfer well. Also, temporary staffing agencies like OfficeTeam and Robert Half specialize in administrative placements and often have contracts with healthcare organizations. This might help bridge the gap while you search for something permanent.
That's a great suggestion! I did some medical coding in a previous role and could probably get back into it. I'll reach out to those staffing agencies this week. At this point, I'd take a contract position just to have some income coming in. Thank you!
my brother went thru same thing last year. he had like 2 months of backpay and it took about 10 days after adjudicaiton finished. something about large payments needing extra approval i think
That's exactly what they told me when I called! Large payments need extra approval. Wish the adjudicator had mentioned that to begin with...
Did your money arrive yet? I'm in the same situation now and wondering how long I'll be waiting 😩
Yes! It finally came through this morning - so 8 business days total after adjudication. And it came as one lump sum. Such a relief! Hope yours comes through quickly!
No, they just need basic info to connect the call. Nothing invasive. It was worth it for me since I was about to miss my school registration deadline without the approval.
Once you have Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) status, you're typically exempt from job search requirements while you're in the approved training program. That's one of the main benefits! However, there's an important distinction: until you receive the official approval, you MUST continue doing and documenting your job search activities (normally 3 per week). Don't stop your job search activities until you have written confirmation of your CAT approval. Also, keep in mind that Worker Retraining approval has an end date that aligns with your training program. If you take a quarter off or change programs, you need to notify ESD immediately as it can affect your benefits and exemption status.
Has anyone else noticed that when you DO finally find the weekly claim form, half the questions are different than before???? I'm so paranoid I'm going to answer something wrong and get my benefits stopped!
The questions have been reworded but they're asking for the same information as before. The most important ones about your work availability, job search activities, and any earnings remain essentially unchanged. If you're unsure about a particular question, you can click the small (?) icon next to it for an explanation.
Update: I managed to find the weekly claim form using the directions from @helpful_guidance above. For anyone else struggling, the key is to look under "My Benefits" NOT "My Account" which seems counterintuitive. Also discovered they've added a mobile app called "WA Unemployment" that actually works better than the website right now. Might be worth downloading if you're having website issues.
Thanks for the app tip! That's actually working much better for me too. Still a terribly executed website migration overall, but at least there's a workable alternative.
Leo McDonald
Has anyone received an actual timeline from ESD recently? Every time I call they give different answers. First they said 6 weeks, then 10 weeks, then "we can't say" - complete runaround and it's impossible to budget or plan when you have no idea when you might get money!
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Jessica Nolan
•they told my brother 8 weeks last month but his hearing got scheduled after 7 weeks so maybe theyre catching up?
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Angelina Farar
Quick update to my earlier comment - I just checked with a colleague who works with appeals cases. The current average for scheduling "able and available" appeals is about 9 weeks, but they are trying to expedite cases where it was clearly a form error rather than an actual availability issue. Make sure when you call OAH that you emphasize this was simply checking the wrong box, not an actual limitation on your ability to work. That might help get your case prioritized.
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Norah Quay
•Thank you for checking! I'll definitely emphasize that when I call. It was 100% just clicking the wrong box - I've been actively job searching the whole time and have documentation to prove it.
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