I'm really sorry to hear about your health struggles, Michael. As others have mentioned, regular unemployment benefits unfortunately don't cover independent contractors like Instacart shoppers. However, I wanted to add a few more resources that might help: 1. Contact 211 (dial 2-1-1) - they can connect you with local emergency assistance programs for utilities, food, and rent 2. Check if your area has a Community Action Agency - they often have emergency assistance funds 3. Look into local food banks to help reduce your grocery expenses while you recover 4. Some churches and community organizations also have emergency assistance funds, even if you're not a member Also, don't forget to reach out to Instacart directly - while they don't provide traditional benefits, they sometimes have hardship programs or resources for shoppers facing emergencies. It's worth asking. Hope you get the help you need and recover quickly!

Hey Michael, I went through something similar about 6 months ago when I was doing DoorDash and had to stop working due to a back injury. The reality is tough - as gig workers we really don't have the same safety net as traditional employees. One thing that really helped me was applying for Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) if you don't already have it - at least that covered my medical expenses while I was out of work. Also, many counties have emergency cash assistance programs that aren't well-publicized but can help with immediate needs like rent and utilities. I'd also suggest checking with local churches and nonprofits even if you're not religious - many have discretionary funds for people in crisis situations, no questions asked. The Salvation Army and Catholic Community Services often have emergency assistance programs too. Hang in there, and definitely pursue all the resources Jessica and others mentioned. It's a frustrating system but there are people and programs out there to help bridge the gap while you recover.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. I'm going to try calling Washington ESD first thing Monday morning to set up withholding, and if that doesn't work I'll check out that Claimyr service. In the meantime I'll start setting aside 20% of my remaining payments.

I'm in the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I've been collecting benefits for about 4 months and completely forgot about the tax implications. Reading about everyone's experiences with owing thousands of dollars is definitely a wake-up call. I'm going to start calling Washington ESD tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp to set up withholding, and if I can't get through after a few days I'll definitely look into that Claimyr service that Maya mentioned. In the meantime, I'm going to immediately start putting aside 20% of each payment into a separate savings account so I don't accidentally spend it. Thanks for sharing your stories - sometimes it takes hearing other people's mistakes to realize you're about to make the same one!

For future reference, Washington ESD usually distributes payments on the same day each week. Mine always shows distributed on Tuesdays and hits my account by Thursday. Once you figure out the pattern, it's less stressful.

I'm new to unemployment and just filed my first weekly claim yesterday. This thread is really helpful because I was wondering what all the different payment statuses mean. It sounds like I should expect to see "distributed" first and then wait a few days for the money to actually show up in my account. Good to know about setting up bank alerts too - I'll definitely do that so I'm not constantly checking my balance!

Bottom line - if you were genuinely trying to follow the rules and report your work, you're probably not looking at criminal charges. The worst case scenario for honest mistakes is usually having to pay back benefits plus some penalties. But definitely try to get in touch with Washington ESD to clarify your situation sooner rather than later.

I went through something similar a few years ago and want to share what I learned. The most important thing is that Washington ESD distinguishes between intentional fraud and honest mistakes. If you were genuinely attempting to report your work but made errors in calculation or reporting, that's treated very differently than someone who deliberately hides employment. I had issues with reporting freelance income correctly and was worried sick about potential consequences. When I finally got through to an agent (took weeks of calling), they walked me through exactly what I should have reported and helped me understand where I went wrong. The key is being proactive - contact them before they contact you. It shows you're trying to make things right rather than hiding anything. Document everything you can about your work and what you reported, and be completely honest when you speak with them.

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions! I found my first paystub in my email (it was sent as a PDF when they first set up direct deposit). For my end date, I checked my bank statements and found the last deposit, then counted back to what would have been my last day based on their pay schedule. I submitted this info to ESD with a note explaining how I determined the dates. The adjudicator called me today and said it matched their records from the employer! My claim has been approved and I should see my first payment next week. Really appreciate all the help from this group!

Congrats on getting it resolved! Your approach of combining the paystub info with bank statement analysis was really smart. It's great that you documented your methodology for ESD too - that probably helped show you were being thorough rather than just guessing. For anyone else reading this thread in the future, this is a perfect example of why it's worth taking the extra time to piece together accurate information rather than estimating. The detective work pays off in the end!