My sister had this EXACT problem last month!!! The payment was late and then when she finally got through to someone they said there was a "system flag" on her account even though nothing showed up online. They had to manually remove it. You NEED to talk to an actual person. Keep calling!!!

Just got off the phone with ESD (finally got through after calling at exactly 7:59am). The representative confirmed they're having both payment processing delays AND phone system problems. She said payments are taking up to 5 business days longer than usual for many claimants. For anyone else experiencing this: she recommended NOT calling multiple times as it's creating additional system load. Instead, check your eServices account daily for updates. If your payment doesn't arrive by next Tuesday, then you should call. The weird UW Library message is a known issue where their test system voice prompts are accidentally playing in the production phone system. They expect to have it fixed by Monday.

one thing i havent seen mentioned here - if your contract has any kind of severance or final project payment coming later, make sure you report that correctly. i messed this up and ended up with an overpayment notice for $2,300 that im still paying back. if ur not sure how to report something call and ask first!!!!

One last piece of advice based on recent experience: When you file, be very careful about the "able and available" questions. ESD has been extra strict about this lately. If you say you're not available for full-time work for ANY reason (childcare issues, school schedule, transportation limitations, etc.) they'll likely deny your claim or at minimum send it to adjudication. Also, make sure you're checking your ESD account messages regularly after applying. Sometimes they request additional information with short deadlines, and if you miss those, your claim gets delayed substantially. I recommend checking daily until you're receiving payments reliably.

Different perspective: I started my coding business while on unemployment and just didn't report the startup hours because I wasn't making money yet. Once I got my first paying client, THEN I started reporting. Never had any issues. Sometimes the rules are more flexible than people make them sound...

Thank you all for the helpful information! After reading everyone's responses, I think I'm going to: 1. Limit my business development to 5-10 hours per week to minimize the impact on my benefits 2. Report ALL hours spent on the business honestly on my weekly claims 3. Continue doing my 3+ job search activities each week 4. Try to reach an ESD agent directly to confirm this approach I might use that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get a definitive answer from ESD. Better to get it right from the start than deal with overpayments later. I'll update this thread once I talk to someone official.

My sister works in HR and she says all they care about is if you had been warned before about the same issue and did it anyway. Single mistakes almost never count as misconduct unless its something super serious like theft or violence. Just make sure when they ask you questions you don't accidentally admit to anything that sounds intentional.

I see a lot of comments here, but I want to clarify something important: Under ESD rules, a single unintentional policy violation typically does NOT constitute misconduct unless it caused significant harm or was extremely negligent. If you're denied benefits, you have 30 days to file an appeal. The appeal hearing is completely fresh - the Administrative Law Judge doesn't consider ESD's previous decision. Based on what you've described, you have a strong case, especially with no prior disciplinary actions. Just be patient with the process and keep documenting everything.

I called at exactly 8:00am and used the option for "questions about an existing claim" instead of the general questions line. Still took forever but at least I got through eventually!

my buddy said they only took like $40 from his check each week and he had a pretty big 401k so maybe it won't be so bad for u!!!

One other thing to check - make sure the IDs you uploaded are clearly legible. If they're blurry or have glare, the verification team might be struggling to read them. If you're worried about that, you can always upload them again (it won't hurt anything). Also, the ESD system actually places regular claims and ID verification in the same 'adjudication' category even though they're handled by different departments.

Update on my situation: I finally got through to ESD this morning after like 30 attempts calling. They said my ID verification was actually completed last week but the system hadn't updated! The agent manually released my payments. might be worth trying to call non-stop if you can.

Update: I called again using a different approach. I asked specifically about my part-time job AND some freelance work I did that was paid via direct deposit (not 1099). The new agent checked and said I might be able to include some of those earnings if I can document them properly! She's sending me a form to submit my bank statements and any contract info. Not getting my hopes up, but there might be a small chance if I can prove I earned enough.

im confused...does this mean once youve used UI once you always need to make 6x the benefit amount to qualify again? or is this just if you try to claim again immediately after a previous claim period ends?

Why is everyone saying to apply for standby?? I thought standby was only for temporary layoffs when you're going back to the SAME employer? This person has a NEW job, not going back to their old one.

Update: I applied for standby yesterday and just got approved! It shows in my eServices account now. Thanks everyone for your help - I'll still keep good records just in case, but it's a relief not to worry about job searches when I'm already set to start my new position.

im dealing with a MUCH BIGGER problem with esd right now!!! they say i owe $7,500 from an overpayment from 2022 but i reported everything correctly!!! the system is completely broken. im fighting it and have a hearing scheduled next month. so frustrating!!!! at least your random $8 is money coming TO you not FROM you lol

This is definitely a retroactive adjustment payment. ESD is required by law to make these payments when they discover an underpayment, no matter how small. You'll receive a determination letter in the mail that explains the specific reason for the adjustment. It typically takes 5-10 business days after the payment for the letter to arrive. The most common reasons are: 1. Wage recalculation after an employer submitted corrected information 2. Interest applied to delayed payments from your original claim 3. Correction of a technical calculation error in your original benefit amount You don't need to do anything - the money is rightfully yours. This happens quite frequently and is a normal part of the unemployment insurance system.

One more thing to consider - if you're dealing with both L&I and a third-party claim (against the other driver), make sure you understand how these interact. If you receive a settlement from the third-party claim, L&I may place a lien on part of that settlement to recover what they paid for your medical treatment. This is standard practice, but many people are surprised by it. Your attorney should be explaining this to you. As for finding a surgeon who takes L&I, ask your claim manager for a list of approved specialists. They should be able to provide you with options within your area that are approved providers.

Based on everything you've shared, here's what I recommend: 1. Contact your L&I claim manager tomorrow and request a list of approved spine surgeons in your area 2. Have your primary doctor submit detailed documentation about why you need a specific surgical approach 3. If your claim manager isn't responsive, contact the L&I Ombuds office 4. Withdraw your ESD application for now to avoid potential overpayment issues 5. Ask your L&I claim manager about getting your time-loss rate reassessed if it's not sufficient Don't agree to pay for the surgery out-of-pocket with the promise of reimbursement later - that's risky and not how the system is supposed to work. L&I should cover approved medical treatment directly.