I've been on unemployment twice in the past few years, and the system has all these weird quirks. The adjudication message disappearing usually means they've reviewed your case and made a determination - most often approval if there are no obvious issues with your claim. Each case is different though! My first time was super smooth, but my second claim had all sorts of weird status changes that gave me anxiety. Yet they both ended up approved. One important tip: check your spam/junk email folder daily! Sometimes ESD emails get filtered there, especially the payment notifications. I missed an important request for additional information because it went to spam, and it delayed my benefits by two weeks.

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know what happened! I finally got through to ESD this morning using that Claimyr service (totally worth it after trying for days on my own). The agent confirmed my claim was approved! The adjudication finished on Monday, but there was a processing delay in updating my online account. She said I should see my first payment by Friday, and the formal approval notice should arrive in my ESD secure inbox within 24 hours. Thanks to everyone who offered advice and shared their experiences! What a relief to finally know what's going on.

Yeah it changed for me too. My friend who works at WorkSource said they're trying to reduce the amount of data they process weekly since most people never get audited anyway. Just make sure you keep your own records!!! My cousin got randomly audited last month and they wanted to see EVERYTHING from the past 8 weeks. She almost got disqualified because she hadn't written down phone numbers for two applications.

I really appreciate everyone's responses! This clears up a lot. I'm going to create a more detailed spreadsheet for my job search activities going forward to make sure I have everything documented properly. It sounds like this is a system improvement, even if it was confusing at first. Thanks again for the help!

This happens periodically when ESD updates their payment processing systems. As a former ESD employee (I left in 2023), I can tell you that agents often don't receive timely information about these technical delays, which is why you were told there are "no issues." From their perspective, your claim is clean - no flags, no adjudication needed, no eligibility problems. The current delay is system-wide and affects thousands of claimants who filed on Sunday. Most payments should process by Friday, though some may roll into early next week. This doesn't affect your eligibility or future payments. If you need emergency funds while waiting, consider: 1. Contacting your local WorkSource office - some have emergency assistance programs 2. Checking with 211 for rent assistance programs 3. If your claim doesn't process by Monday, call ESD again and specifically ask about "emergency hardship acceleration" - not all agents know about this option, but it exists for people at risk of eviction due to payment delays

update - just got my deposit this morning!! check your accounts everyone

Early morning is definitely better - try right when they open at 8:00 AM. However, Tuesdays through Thursdays tend to have slightly lower call volumes than Mondays and Fridays. Also, if you do call, have your claim ID and last 4 of your SSN ready, and be prepared to verify your identity. The more prepared you are, the faster they can assist you once you get through.

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know what happened. One payment finally showed up in my account this morning! It was for the week ending Jan 7th. The other claim is still in processing status. Seems like they're working through the backlog after the holiday. Thanks for all the advice - I'll give the second payment a few more days before trying to contact ESD. At least I can pay part of my rent now!

not to be mean but i think the rules say you cant leave your labor market area while on unemployment... my cousin got caught with this too

If you appeal, GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING from his employer about the work situation!!! I lost my appeal because I didn't have written proof that there was no work available during my time away. The judge was completely unsympathetic even though I was telling the truth. The system is RIGGED against workers!!

Since you mentioned not having taxes withheld, be prepared that unemployment benefits are fully taxable at the federal level. At $850/week, that could be a significant amount depending on your tax bracket. You might want to set aside some money or make an estimated tax payment if possible to avoid a surprise tax bill in April. The 1099-G will show the total amount you received in 2025 that you'll need to report on your federal return.

It's not too late to change your tax withholding preference. Log into your eServices account, go to your claim summary, and look for the option to update your tax withholding preference. The standard withholding is 10% for federal taxes (WA has no income tax). Making this change won't affect what you've already received, but it will help reduce your tax liability for future payments.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to skip filing weekly claims until after my severance payment on 9/15, then reopen my claim around 9/16. Sounds like this is the simplest approach and will save me from doing unnecessary job search activities. I'll make sure to keep documentation of my final regular pay and severance payment in case ESD asks for it during the reopening process.

That's a good plan. Just remember that if your financial situation changes or you have questions during this waiting period, you can always contact ESD for clarification. Good luck with your job search when you begin that process!

my friend works at esd (not supposed to tell anyone lol) but she said they added a bunch of new options to everyone's accounts last month. something about "streamlining the user experience" whatever that means. if u dont have an actual notice u should be fine

I just want to clarify something important about overpayments with ESD, since there seems to be some confusion in this thread: 1. Overpayments are NEVER a surprise - they are always accompanied by a formal written determination that explains why the overpayment occurred, how much you owe, and your appeal rights 2. You would have a specific timeframe (30 days) to appeal the determination 3. The waiver application option is separate from an actual overpayment determination 4. ESD has 3 years from the date of payment to establish an overpayment The system update adding this option to everyone's dashboard is unfortunately causing unnecessary anxiety for many claimants. For future reference, always check your ESD message center and mail for official determinations before worrying about dashboard options.

I just went through this EXACT SAME THING last month!!! It was driving me absolutely INSANE. Called for two weeks straight without getting through. Finally I tried calling right when they opened at 7am on a Tuesday and got through after only 25 minutes on hold. The agent told me that my previous employer had reported my SSN with a typo (they switched two numbers) and that's why the system was giving me that error. They fixed it on their end and I was able to proceed with my application immediately. Keep trying to call at 7am sharp - that seemed to be the magic trick for me.

UPDATE: I finally got through to ESD this morning! For anyone facing this same issue in the future, here's what worked: I used the Claimyr service that someone recommended above, and it got me through to an agent in about 40 minutes. The problem was exactly what many of you suggested - my previous employer had transposed two digits in my SSN when reporting my wages. The agent verified my identity and fixed the mismatch in their system. I was able to continue my application right after the call. Thank you everyone for all your help and suggestions!

hey just wondering did u ever hear back about ur claim??? im in a kinda similar situation (fired for something not related to actual work) and want to know how it went for u

I went through something similar last year and was approved, but it took about 5 weeks total because my employer contested it. My advice: 1. File online immediately 2. When explaining separation reason, stick to facts without emotion 3. If your claim goes to adjudication, prepare a written statement of exactly what happened 4. Gather any evidence showing the firing was unrelated to job performance 5. Remember that being fired for something outside work hours that doesn't affect your job is NOT misconduct If ESD has questions, they'll contact you for a phone interview. Be prepared to clearly explain the situation and why your actions were reasonable. In my case, the adjudicator specifically noted that my off-duty conduct didn't constitute misconduct because it wasn't related to my work responsibilities.