Washington Unemployment
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Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
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- Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call
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- DO post questions about your issues.
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- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Fired after employer found out I was applying to jobs for UI requirements - now stuck waiting for OAH hearing
I'm in serious hot water after my employer discovered I was part of this unemployment group. They terminated me last week claiming 'dishonesty' as the reason, but I'm almost certain they don't have grounds for this. Pretty sure they can't legally fire someone for receiving UI benefits and completing the required job applications! Has anyone dealt with something similar? My biggest concern now is how LONG this OAH hearing process takes. I was denied benefits on May 22nd and immediately filed an appeal. It's been complete silence since then. I called the ESD unemployment office and they told me to contact OAH. When I called OAH, they just said I need to wait for mail with a case number. The waiting is killing me! I'm drowning financially and just want this resolved. My entire life is falling apart over a part-time job I only worked for a month. Any advice on speeding up the OAH process or what to expect?
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Washington ESD work hour limits - how many hours can you work and still get unemployment benefits?
I just started a part-time job that gives me about 15-20 hours per week, but I'm still collecting unemployment from Washington ESD. I want to make sure I'm following the rules correctly. Does anyone know exactly how many hours you can work and still receive UI benefits? I've been reporting my earnings on my weekly claims but I'm worried I might be working too much. The job is temporary and doesn't pay much but I don't want to mess up my unemployment claim.
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This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation and was stressing about the rules. Sounds like as long as you're honest and don't work full-time hours consistently, you should be fine.
Yeah I feel much better about my situation now. The key seems to be transparency with Washington ESD.
Exactly! They're not trying to trick you, they just need accurate information to calculate benefits correctly.
One thing I'd add is to keep detailed records of your work hours and earnings each week. I use a simple spreadsheet to track everything before I file my weekly claim - makes it so much easier to report accurately. Also, don't forget that holiday pay or bonuses from your part-time job need to be reported too. Washington ESD considers all compensation as earnings, not just your regular hourly wages.
Status changed from 'adjudication' to 'approved' but payments still pending - am I good?
Hey everyone - I'm a bit confused about my ESD status. I filed my initial claim about 2 weeks ago and last week my status showed as "adjudication in process" (which had me worried). But when I logged in last night to file my weekly claim, I noticed my status had changed to "approved" and it's showing a weekly benefit amount! All my payments are still listed as "pending" though. Does this status change mean I'm actually approved and will get paid for this week? Or is there still something else that needs to happen before the money comes through? This is my first time on unemployment and I've got rent coming up soon. Thanks for any help!
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did u get paid yet? curious if it went thru ok
Yes! Just wanted to update everyone - the payment switched from pending to paid yesterday and I just checked my bank account and the money is there! Thanks everyone for the help and reassurance.
Great news! The first payment is always the most stressful. It should be smoother sailing from here as long as you keep up with your weekly claims and job search activities.
Congrats on getting your first payment! 🎉 Your experience is really helpful for others going through the same thing. It's reassuring to see that the "approved" status actually means what it says and that the pending payments do process within a reasonable timeframe. Thanks for following up with the outcome - so many people post their questions but never update us on how things turned out. Hope the rest of your unemployment journey goes smoothly!
What is PEUC unemployment Washington ESD - confused about benefit types
I keep seeing references to PEUC when I'm researching unemployment benefits but I'm really confused about what this means. I filed my regular Washington ESD claim last month and I'm wondering if PEUC is something I should be applying for separately? My weekly claims are going through fine but I want to make sure I'm not missing out on additional benefits. Can someone explain what PEUC unemployment is and if it's still available through Washington ESD? I've been unemployed for about 6 weeks now and just want to understand all my options.
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Thanks everyone for clearing this up! I feel much better about my unemployment situation now. Just going to focus on filing my weekly claims and doing my job searches. No need to worry about PEUC or any other programs that don't exist anymore.
Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through the transition from pandemic programs to regular UI. I was on PEUC in 2021 and when it ended, I had to file a new regular Washington ESD claim. The process was actually pretty straightforward - just had to go through the normal application process like anyone else. The confusing part was that my PEUC claim just... stopped, and I had to figure out on my own that I needed to file a new regular claim. Washington ESD could have communicated that transition better, but once I got the new claim going it was much simpler than dealing with all the pandemic program complications.
How long does an employer have to appeal unemployment benefits in Washington?
My former employer is trying to fight my unemployment claim and I'm getting nervous about it. I was let go from my warehouse job two months ago for what they called 'performance issues' but I think it was really because I complained about safety violations. I got approved for benefits and have been collecting for about 6 weeks now. Yesterday I got a notice that my employer is appealing the decision. How long do employers have to file these appeals? I thought there was a deadline but now I'm worried they can just keep challenging it whenever they want. Has anyone dealt with this before? I really need these benefits to keep paying rent.
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For what it's worth, I used Claimyr when I needed to speak with someone at Washington ESD about appeal timelines and they were super helpful. Worth checking out if you need specific information about your case that you can't find online.
Yeah the phone situation with Washington ESD is ridiculous. Claimyr actually got me to someone who could look up my specific case details.
I just checked out that Claimyr video demo someone linked earlier and it actually looks legit. Seems like they handle all the waiting on hold so you don't have to spend hours trying to get through to Washington ESD yourself. Might be worth the cost just for peace of mind about your appeal timeline.
I'm new to this community but dealing with a similar situation. My employer just filed an appeal on what seems like day 29 or 30 - I'm not sure exactly when they received the notice but I've been collecting benefits for about 5 weeks. Reading through all these responses is really helpful, especially knowing that I should continue getting paid during the appeal process. I was panicking thinking the payments would stop immediately. Does anyone know if there's a way to check exactly when the initial determination notice was mailed to my employer? I want to see if they might have missed the 30-day deadline.
Welcome to the community! You can call Washington ESD directly to ask for the mail date of your determination notice, though as others mentioned the phone lines are tough. You could also check if you kept your original determination letter - it should have the mail date on it. That date is what starts the 30-day countdown for your employer. If you've been collecting for 5 weeks and they just filed, there's a good chance they're cutting it very close to the deadline or might even be late. The fact that multiple people here have mentioned using Claimyr to actually reach someone at Washington ESD might be worth considering if you can't get through the regular phone lines.
Thanks for the welcome and helpful info! I did keep my original determination letter and you're right - it has the mail date right at the top. Looking at it now, it was mailed 6 weeks ago, so if my employer just filed their appeal they're definitely pushing right up against that 30-day deadline. That gives me some hope that maybe they're even late. I'm definitely going to look into Claimyr since calling Washington ESD directly seems like a lost cause based on everyone's experiences here. It's reassuring to know the payments should continue during the appeal - that was my biggest worry.
Tyler Lefleur
anyone else notice that hearings are taking longer since they closed that renton office???? my sister had a hearing in like 3 weeks last year but my cousin waited like 2 months last month for the same type of issue. just saying maybe call your state rep too? my cousin did that and suddenly got a hearing date...
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Hunter Edmunds
You've raised a good point. The Renton office consolidation in February 2025 did impact scheduling temporarily. However, contacting your state representative can sometimes help with case visibility. Just be prepared to sign a privacy release form so they can inquire about your case. It's not guaranteed to speed things up, but it's another avenue worth trying when you're stuck in extended delays.
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Royal_GM_Mark
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - what a nightmare situation! I went through something similar last year when my employer found old unemployment paperwork in my desk and questioned me about it. While they didn't fire me for it, the stress was unreal. A few things that might help while you wait: 1. Document EVERYTHING about your termination - emails, texts, witness statements if coworkers heard anything. The more paper trail you have, the better. 2. If you haven't already, request your personnel file from your employer in writing. They have 21 days to provide it under WA law, and sometimes there are notes in there that contradict their official story. 3. Consider reaching out to WorkSource for free employment law guidance - they have advisors who can help you understand your rights and prep for the hearing. The waiting is absolutely brutal, but based on what you've described, you have a strong case. Being fired for following ESD requirements should definitely qualify as a wrongful denial. Hang in there!
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