yea i remeber it took like 2 weeks for me... the annoying thing is they dont let u know when they mail it. also make sure u keep the envelope it comes in! has ur activation instructions. i threw mine out accidentally had to figure it out from their website lol

One additional detail I forgot to mention - after you receive the ReliaCard, you'll need to create an online account with US Bank to manage it. This is separate from your ESD account. You'll be able to check your balance, set up alerts for deposits, and even transfer money from the card to your personal bank account (which many people do to avoid the ATM fees).

Everyone here is mostly right but missing ONE important detail - the 'waiting week'!!!! If you've been on unemployment for a while you already served it, but if this is newer for you, Washington has a mandatory one-week waiting period where you don't get paid benefits. So if you're just starting unemployment AND a new job, that could impact things. Also make sure you're checking your correspondence in eServices because sometimes they send important notices there that don't come through email!!!!

UPDATE: I talked to an ESD agent this morning and got clarification. They confirmed I don't need to report accepting the job on this week's claim, only when I actually start working. Once I start working, I'll need to report my hours and earnings even though I won't be paid yet. Since my new job is full-time (40 hours), I won't be eligible for any benefits once I start, regardless of when I get my first paycheck. Basically there will be a 3-week gap with no unemployment and no paycheck. The agent suggested I contact local community organizations for emergency assistance if needed. Thanks everyone for your help! I'll start looking into local resources to help bridge the gap.

I wanted to add one more thing - make sure you keep documenting your job searches each week, even while you're trying to resolve this issue. Once an agent fixes your claim status, you'll need to back-file for any missed weeks, and they'll ask for your job search details for each of those weeks. If you don't have them, you could lose benefits for those periods. The law requires 3 job search activities per week, and you need to record: - Date of contact - Company name - Company contact information (phone or email) - Position applied for - Method of contact - Result of contact Keep this documentation even if you can't file currently.

when i had this happen i just kept checking the website every single day and suddenly the claim button magically reappeared after like 10 days lol... esd works in mysterious ways 😂

i had something kinda similar happen last year and the thing that helped me most was getting everything organized before my appeal hearing. i made a timeline with all the events, reports, and my termination with dates, and referenced my evidence for each point (like "see exhibit A for email to HR on 3/5"). the judge seemed to really appreciate having everything laid out clearly because these cases can get complicated and they handle so many appeals. also practice explaining your situation clearly without getting too emotional (hard i know!!) because you want to come across professional in the hearing.

Update: I talked to the ESD claims specialist today (finally!). They said since my employer is claiming misconduct, my case is being sent to adjudication for further review. They're going to interview both me and my former employer next week. The specialist recommended I upload my documentation showing the timeline of harassment reports and the retaliation that followed. She also said that my case would be stronger if I could get statements from any former coworkers willing to confirm my version of events. Not sure if anyone will be brave enough to speak up though since they're afraid for their own jobs.

my sister in law works at esd and she says funerals count as personal business so u def need to report those days as not available! dont mess it up or they might audit u later

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. I'll mark "No" for the days I'm out of state and explain it's for a funeral in the comments. It sounds like I'll get partial benefits for that week which is completely fair. I appreciate all the responses!