I'm going through the same situation right now! Just got laid off two weeks ago with 6 weeks of severance. After reading all these responses, I'm definitely filing my claim this week. It's so confusing when you're stressed about losing your job and trying to figure out all these rules. Really glad to see so many people confirming that you should file immediately rather than wait. The benefit year clock ticking from your claim date is something I had no idea about - that alone makes it worth filing right away even if benefits are reduced initially.

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - file your claim immediately! I was in your exact situation 8 months ago with 12 weeks severance. The Washington ESD process was actually smoother than I expected once I understood how it works. Your severance will reduce your weekly benefit amount (likely to $0 for the weeks you're receiving severance), but you're still building eligibility and your benefit year starts from your filing date. The key is being completely transparent about your severance on every weekly claim - don't try to hide it or you'll face overpayment issues later. Also keep in mind that even though your UI benefits might be reduced to zero initially, you still need to meet all the other requirements like job searching and being available for work. Once your severance runs out, your full benefits will kick in without any additional waiting period. The worst thing you can do is wait - you'll just be throwing away weeks of potential coverage for no reason.

I went through this exact same confusion when I filed my claim last year! The base period system seems really complicated at first, but once you understand it's just looking at those 4 specific quarters, it makes more sense. Since you worked steadily for 8 months before getting laid off, you should definitely meet the requirements. The employment gaps before that period won't matter at all - Washington ESD only cares about what happened during those 4 base period quarters. I'd recommend filing your claim right away since you were laid off rather than trying to calculate everything yourself. The system will do the math automatically and you'll know for sure within a couple weeks when you get your monetary determination letter.

I was in almost exactly the same situation when I filed my claim - worked about 7-8 months before getting laid off and was super worried about whether it would be enough. The good news is that 8 months of steady work should definitely put you over the minimum wage requirements for the base period. I spent way too much time trying to calculate it myself before realizing I should just file and let Washington ESD's system do the work. Once I filed, I got my monetary determination letter about 10 days later showing I qualified with a decent weekly benefit amount. The earlier employment gaps you mentioned won't matter at all since they only look at that specific 4-quarter base period window. I'd definitely recommend filing as soon as possible since you were laid off - there's no benefit to waiting and you want to get your claim started. The whole process was much less complicated than I expected once I actually went through with it.

I had this exact same issue a couple weeks ago and it was driving me crazy! Turns out I was overthinking it completely. Like others have mentioned, you only need the 4-digit PIN if you want to file your weekly claims by phone through their automated system. If you're comfortable using the online portal (which sounds like you are since you're trying to access your account online), you can just keep filing through your SAW account without ever needing that PIN. I ended up never even bothering to get my PIN reset because the online system works so much better anyway. Don't stress yourself out over it - just file online and you'll meet your deadline no problem!

I just want to echo what everyone else is saying here - you really don't need to stress about the PIN if you can file online! I made the same mistake a few weeks ago and spent way too much time worrying about it. The 4-digit PIN is only for the telephone filing system, which honestly isn't as convenient as the online portal anyway. As long as you can log into your SAW account on the website, you can file your weekly claims there without any PIN required. Save yourself the headache of trying to get through on those phone lines and just stick with online filing. The most important thing is meeting your deadline, and you can absolutely do that through the website!

I went through something similar when my husband got a job offer in Colorado. One thing that really helped my case was getting a letter from HR at my company stating that they had no remote work options or transfer opportunities available. ESD wants to see that you explored all reasonable alternatives before quitting. Since your situation involves family caregiving, you might also want to get documentation from Montana's caregiver program showing that your wife is in the approval process - even if she doesn't have the job yet, it demonstrates this isn't just a casual move. Also, keep in mind that Montana has a lower cost of living than Washington, so if you do get approved, your benefit amount might go further there than it would here.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add something that might help. I work in HR and have dealt with several employees who needed to quit for family caregiving situations. From what I've seen with ESD cases, the timing of your wife's employment status is crucial, but don't overlook the caregiving aspect itself. Washington does recognize family caregiving responsibilities as potential "good cause" for quitting, especially when it involves relocating to care for an elderly parent or in-law who needs assistance. My suggestion would be to gather documentation on multiple fronts: 1) Medical documentation of your mother-in-law's need for care, 2) Official correspondence from Montana's caregiver program showing your wife is in the approval process, 3) A letter from your current employer confirming no remote work or transfer options, and 4) Any timeline information from the Montana program about when approval is expected. Even if your wife doesn't have the job "secured" yet, if you can demonstrate this is a legitimate family caregiving situation with a high likelihood of employment (not just speculation), you might have a stronger case than initially thought. The key is showing ESD this isn't just a voluntary move but a necessary one for family care responsibilities.

I'm new to this community and currently dealing with my first unemployment claim experience. Reading through this entire conversation has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I've been in adjudication for 8 days now and was starting to panic, but seeing @Gianni Serpent's successful resolution after 24 days and hearing from others like @ApolloJackson and @Ella Lewis who are going through the same thing makes me feel so much better. The advice about keeping up with weekly claims, documenting job searches, and taking screenshots is invaluable. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where people can share real experiences and practical tips during what is honestly one of the most stressful times. It's amazing how much anxiety gets reduced just by understanding that this waiting period is normal and that claims do eventually get processed!

As someone who went through adjudication hell for 5 weeks last summer, I want to add a few more tips that helped me stay sane during the wait: 1. Set up a simple spreadsheet to track your job search activities - date, company, position, how you applied, and any follow-up. Makes it way easier if you need to reference them later. 2. If you're really struggling financially, look into local food banks and utility assistance programs while you wait. Many cities have emergency rental assistance too. 3. Don't refresh your ESD account 20 times a day like I did - it just increases anxiety and the status rarely changes more than once per day anyway. The changing date thing is super frustrating because it gives you hope that something is happening, but like others said, it could just be automated system maintenance. My date changed probably 15 times during my 5-week wait with no actual progress being made. Stay strong everyone - the system is slow and frustrating but most claims do eventually get approved!