If you're still dealing with this, I'd recommend also asking about interest and penalties when you call. Washington ESD sometimes adds these to overpayments and they can significantly increase what you owe over time. When I negotiated my payment plan, I specifically asked them to freeze any additional interest while I was making regular payments, and they agreed to it. Also, if your financial situation changes (job loss, medical emergency, etc.), you can usually modify your payment plan - don't just stop paying without calling them first. The key is maintaining communication so they don't automatically revert to garnishment. Good luck with your situation!

For anyone still reading this thread, I wanted to add that timing really matters when you're dealing with Washington ESD garnishment. I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute to call them, and by then they had already processed the garnishment order to my employer. Even though I was able to eventually get on a payment plan, it took an extra month to stop the garnishment because of the paperwork involved. If you get that initial overpayment notice, don't wait - call them within the first week if possible. Also, if you do end up with garnishment starting before you can negotiate, don't give up. You can still call and potentially reduce future garnishments or switch to a voluntary payment plan. The system is definitely frustrating but there are options if you stay persistent.

The 26 weeks goes by faster than you think. I'm at week 20 and getting nervous. The job market is tough right now and good jobs are taking longer to find than I expected.

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I see a lot of questions here. I filed my claim in December after getting laid off from a tech job I'd held for 3 years. Washington ESD approved me for the full 26 weeks, and my weekly benefit amount was calculated based on my highest earning quarter in the base year. The process took about 3 weeks to get my first payment, but they did backpay to my filing date. One tip - make sure you have all your employment history and wage information ready when you file, including any W2s or pay stubs from the past 18 months. It really speeds up the process if they don't have to request additional documentation from you or your employers.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! The advice you've gotten here is spot on - definitely select 'No' for job search and choose the full-time employment reason. I was also really nervous about messing up my first claim, but it's actually pretty straightforward once you understand the logic. The system is designed to recognize that people who are working full-time that week don't need to be searching for jobs. One thing I wish someone had told me early on is to take screenshots of your weekly claim submissions - it helps if you ever need to reference what you reported. Also, once you start doing job searches next week, the WorkSource website has some good tools for tracking applications that integrate well with ESD's requirements. You've got this!

Hey there! I just went through my first unemployment filing experience last month and had the exact same confusion about the waiting week job search requirements. Everyone here has given you excellent advice - definitely select 'No' for job search and choose the full-time employment reason since you worked 40 hours that week. Just want to add that I found it really helpful to call the ESD customer service line early in the morning (like 8 AM sharp) when they open - the wait times are usually shorter then if you do need to speak with someone. Also, make sure to keep your confirmation numbers from each weekly claim filing. The system will email you a confirmation, but I screenshot those too just to be safe. The hardest part is really just that first claim - once you get the rhythm down, the weekly filings become pretty routine. You're being smart by asking questions upfront rather than guessing. Good luck with your job search starting this week!

I'm in a similar situation and was wondering about the timing - is there any benefit to waiting a certain amount of time between claims, or should you file right away? Also, does having a previous claim affect your benefit duration at all? Like if I collected 20 weeks on my first claim, do I still get the full benefit period on the second claim or does it get reduced?

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! Filed my first claim in February after a layoff, worked for about 6 months, then got let go again in November. I was nervous about filing a second time too, but it was actually pretty straightforward. The online application will ask you about your previous claim, but as long as you worked enough hours between claims (which you definitely did working July-December), you're all set. My second claim was approved within a week and my weekly benefit amount was actually higher because I was making more at the second job. Don't stress about it - just file online as soon as you can!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much more confident about filing my weekly claim now. Going to try the phone system this week.

Just wanted to add that if you're filing by phone and have any earnings to report from part-time work, make sure you have the exact gross amount ready before you call. The automated system will ask for the specific dollar amount you earned during that week, and you can't go back to correct it once you've entered it. I learned this the hard way when I had to call back and file all over again because I accidentally reported my net pay instead of gross pay.