did u check ur determination letter?? sometimes they give u a specific reason why they disqualified u and it might help with ur appeal

That's actually GOOD news for your appeal! Now you know exactly what to focus on - proving the potential harm (harassment = emotional harm, food safety = physical harm to you and customers) AND getting evidence that contradicts your employer's version. This is why those coworker statements will be super important. One more tip - at the hearing, if your employer says something that's not true, don't interrupt or get emotional. Just write it down and when it's your turn to speak, calmly say "I'd like to address the statement about X. That's not accurate because..." and then provide your evidence. Judges really appreciate this approach!

After dealing with the ESD system for months during my own unemployment, I can tell you their payment processing is reliable but not instant. The most frustrating part is actually reaching someone at ESD if you do have an issue. I spent days trying to get through on their phone lines when I had a payment problem. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with an ESD agent quickly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 that shows how it works. Saved me tons of time when I needed to sort out why my payment was delayed. That said, your situation sounds normal - first payments typically take 2-3 business days to show up after the ESD system marks them paid.

Just checking back - did your payment arrive yet? If it's been more than 3 business days, you might want to verify that your banking information is correct in your ESD account.

Update for everyone: ESD just posted on their Twitter account that they're experiencing technical difficulties with the weekly claims filing system. They expect it to be resolved by 8pm tonight. They apologize for the inconvenience and confirm this won't affect benefit payments as long as you file before the weekly deadline (Saturday at 11:59pm).

I just tried again and it's working for me now! Looks like they fixed it earlier than expected. You might want to try again.

To directly address your question: File your claim immediately. According to ESD rules, your claim will be effective the Sunday of the week you file. The waiting week is the first week you're eligible for benefits (meet all eligibility requirements including job searches) after your claim is processed. So if you file today, and there are no issues requiring adjudication, your waiting week would likely be this current week. You won't receive benefits for the waiting week, but you must complete job search activities and file a weekly claim for it. There's absolutely no advantage to delaying your application. Only disadvantages as it pushes back when you might receive benefits.

btw the esd website says u need these for job search activities: in-person visit, virtual job fair, job application, interviews, resume submission, workshop, civil service test....i think there's more but those r the main ones they look for

So I'm an adjudicator with experience in the unemployment system (not in Washington though). Here's what's likely happening: After initial processing, claims with any issues go into an adjudication queue. When the agent "fixed" your claim, they probably just made notes in your file and either 1) put it back in the general queue or 2) assigned it to a specific adjudicator's workload. The problem is adjudicators typically have 100+ cases at any given time. They're supposed to work them in order received, but cases get prioritized based on various factors. When you call, your file gets a "contact" note, which sometimes bumps you up in priority. You need to specifically ask for: 1. The status of your adjudication 2. Who specifically is handling your case (get a name if possible) 3. Request a callback from that adjudicator within 48 hours 4. Ask if there's anything missing they need from you Be persistent but polite. The front-line agents have limited power, but they can add urgency notes to your file.

I had a similar issue back in December and my determination letter was stuck for weeks! My cousin had good luck with contacting the ombuds office at ESD rather than the regular customer service line. They're specifically there to help with issues that aren't being resolved through normal channels. Might be worth a try?