I just wanted to add my experience for anyone still dealing with this issue. I got the same OSI verification message about 2 months ago and was absolutely terrified. Turned out it was triggered because I had a credit freeze on my account that was blocking their automated verification system from accessing my credit report. The fix was simple once I got through to them - I had to temporarily lift the credit freeze for about 24 hours so their system could verify my identity. Then I could put the freeze back in place. The whole thing was resolved in 2 days after that. I'd recommend checking if you have any credit freezes or fraud alerts on your accounts, as that seems to be a common trigger that people don't think about. Also, if you've recently disputed anything on your credit report or had any banking issues, that might cause verification problems too. Like everyone else said, getting through on the phone is the hardest part, but once you do, they're usually pretty helpful in figuring out exactly what's causing the flag. Don't give up!

I'm currently going through this same verification process after getting that OSI message last week. What really helped me was keeping a detailed log of every call attempt - date, time, and how long I waited before hanging up. This documentation ended up being useful when I finally got through because the agent could see I'd been trying to reach them for days. One thing I learned that might help others: if you get disconnected while on hold (which happened to me twice), don't just immediately call back. Wait about 10-15 minutes because sometimes their system keeps you "in queue" even after disconnection, and calling right back can actually put you at the end of the line again. Also, I found that having a headset or speaker phone ready made the long hold times much more manageable. You can get other things done while waiting instead of holding your phone to your ear for hours. The verification process itself was straightforward once I got through - just had to confirm some employment details and provide a utility bill for address verification. Stay persistent everyone, the system is frustrating but it does work eventually!

I'm dealing with a similar situation and found this thread really helpful! One thing I wanted to add based on my research is that Washington ESD actually has a specific form (Form ESD 847) that they use for pension reporting. If you can get this form filled out by your pension administrator ahead of time, it can really speed up the process. Also, for anyone who might be in a similar boat - if you have multiple small pensions from different jobs (like I do), you need to report ALL of them, even if individually they seem insignificant. Washington ESD will calculate the total impact across all pension income. The good news is that if the combined employer contribution portion is under a certain threshold, the reduction to your UI benefits might be minimal. I'm still waiting to hear back from Washington ESD about my specific case, but at least I feel prepared now thanks to all the advice shared here.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also 62 and was just laid off, but I have a different situation - I'm receiving survivor benefits from my late husband's pension. Does anyone know if survivor pension benefits are treated the same way by Washington ESD as regular retirement pensions? I'm worried about how this might affect my unemployment eligibility since the survivor benefits aren't technically from my own employment history. The monthly amount is similar to what the original poster mentioned, and like them, it doesn't cover all my expenses so I really need the unemployment benefits to bridge the gap while I'm job searching.

I've been collecting unemployment for about two months now and this thread is exactly what I needed! I was getting really stressed about whether I was meeting the requirements correctly. My biggest confusion was around temp agencies - I registered with three different ones when I first became unemployed, but I wasn't sure if I could count follow-up calls to them as separate job contacts or if the initial registration was all that counted. From reading everyone's responses, it sounds like checking in with them about new opportunities definitely counts as additional contacts, which is a huge relief! I've also been attending virtual job fairs through WorkSource but wasn't sure if those counted. Now I know they do, and I should be getting documentation to prove I attended. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to figure out the official guidelines on my own!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm about 3 weeks into collecting unemployment and was really struggling to understand what actually counts for the job search requirements. Reading through everyone's experiences has cleared up so many of my questions. I especially appreciate learning about the importance of detailed record-keeping - I've been pretty casual about tracking my applications, but after seeing the audit stories, I'm definitely going to step up my documentation game. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned much - what about industry-specific job boards or professional association job postings? I'm in healthcare and there are several specialized sites for medical positions. I assume applications through those platforms count the same as Indeed or LinkedIn, but wanted to double-check since they're more niche. Also, does anyone know if attending professional association meetings (even if they're not specifically job-focused) counts as networking activity? My nursing association has monthly meetings that often include informal networking, but the primary purpose isn't job searching. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical advice that's impossible to find in the official guidelines!

I'm on day 2 of adjudication and already feeling anxious after reading through all these experiences! My employer is contesting my layoff claiming "poor performance" when I was actually let go as part of budget cuts that eliminated 30% of our workforce. I have documentation including the company-wide email announcing the layoffs and my performance reviews showing I was meeting expectations. This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding what to expect - the timeline variations are definitely nerve-wracking but it's reassuring to see that people with solid documentation do eventually get approved. I'm planning to try Claimyr this week based on all the positive experiences shared here, and I've already started organizing my evidence chronologically like others suggested. The financial stress is already starting to hit even though it's only been a few days. Thank you to everyone for sharing your stories and advice - knowing there's a community going through the same struggle makes this feel less isolating!

I'm on day 1 of adjudication and already stressed about what's ahead! My employer is claiming I was terminated for attendance issues when I was actually laid off due to company restructuring - they eliminated my entire department of 15 people. I have emails showing the restructuring announcement and my attendance records proving I had no issues. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying - the timeline variations from 2 weeks to 6+ weeks are making me really anxious about my finances. I'm definitely going to try Claimyr based on all the success stories shared here, and I'm organizing all my documentation chronologically like others have suggested. It's disgusting how employers can make false claims to avoid UI tax increases while we struggle financially, but this community gives me hope that people with good evidence do eventually get approved. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space - knowing I'm not alone in this makes the uncertainty a little more bearable!

Tyler, I completely understand your frustration - 6 weeks in adjudication is way too long and the stress of bills piling up while you wait is absolutely brutal. I went through almost the exact same situation last year after being laid off from my HVAC job, and that uncertainty about whether you'll be approved or denied is honestly the worst part. Based on all the excellent advice in this thread, it really sounds like the temporary vs permanent layoff confusion is probably what's causing your delay. This is super common with construction workers because employers often say layoffs are "temporary" initially, even when they don't have a real timeline for calling people back. Here's what I'd prioritize doing immediately: 1. Call your former employer (try corporate HR if possible) and get written confirmation that the layoff is now permanent/indefinite - even just an email saying "no work available for foreseeable future" can resolve this 2. Try the 7:58 AM calling strategy to get through to ESD before the 8:00 AM rush 3. Contact your state representative's office - they have staff who specialize in ESD issues and can escalate stuck claims 4. Keep detailed records of every interaction moving forward The good news is that legitimate construction layoffs almost always get approved once they actually review your case. Keep filing those weekly claims religiously - when this resolves, you'll get all your back pay from day one. You're doing everything right, this is just ESD's broken system. Hang in there!

I just went through this exact same situation - 6 weeks stuck in adjudication after being laid off from my roofing job. The stress is absolutely brutal, especially when you're watching bills pile up and have no idea what's happening. After reading all the great advice in this thread, I wanted to add one thing that finally worked for me: I reached out to my union rep (if you're union) or the local workforce development office. They often have direct contacts at ESD who can check on claim status without you having to sit on hold for hours. My workforce counselor made one phone call and found out my claim was stuck because my employer had marked the separation as "temporary layoff" but never updated it when the job didn't come back. Once they corrected that, I was approved within a week with full back pay. Also, definitely document everything like others have said - when I finally got through, having all my dates and details organized made the conversation way more productive. Construction layoffs are usually straightforward once someone actually looks at your file. Keep filing those weekly claims and don't give up!