Just finished my training program last month and got hired as a medical assistant. The whole process was worth it even though dealing with Washington ESD was frustrating at times. Stick with it!

I went through the training benefits process about 2 years ago for a nursing program and wanted to share some tips that might help. First, when you call Washington ESD, ask specifically for the "Training Benefits Unit" - don't let them transfer you around to general customer service. Second, have your school acceptance letter and program details ready before you apply. They'll want to know exact start dates, program length, and total costs upfront. Also, if you're considering healthcare, look into programs that have clinical rotations - Washington ESD views these as more likely to lead to employment. The whole process took about 8 weeks for me from application to approval, but it was absolutely worth it. I'm now making $28/hour as an RN compared to the $12/hour I was making in retail before. Don't get discouraged by the bureaucracy - it really can change your life!

Update for anyone still following - I finally got through to Washington ESD and confirmed that I have been paying voluntary contributions through my business. Going to start the application process this week.

Just wanted to add that if you're self-employed and considering applying, make sure you understand the base period requirements. Washington ESD looks at your earnings from 5 quarters ago, not your most recent income. So even if your business just failed recently, they'll be calculating benefits based on what you earned over a year ago. This caught me off guard when I applied - I thought they'd use my recent high-earning quarters, but the system doesn't work that way. It's worth checking what your base period earnings look like before you invest time in the application process.

One more important point: During your appeal hearing, focus exclusively on the facts related to your separation. Many claimants make the mistake of going off on tangents about other workplace issues or how unfair the company was in general. The judge only cares about: 1. The actual reason you were separated 2. Whether that reason constitutes misconduct If the employer claimed you abandoned your job, they need to show you were absent without approval and failed to follow call-in procedures. Your evidence showing a "staff reduction" directly contradicts this. Also, if your claim is initially denied due to the employer's statements, you can still receive all back benefits if you win on appeal. Make sure to continue filing your weekly claims while waiting for the appeal decision!

I went through something very similar last year and it's infuriating when employers outright lie to avoid their UI tax increases. The good news is you have excellent documentation - that termination letter saying "staff reduction" is going to be your strongest piece of evidence. A few things that helped me during my appeal: 1. Create a timeline showing exactly what happened leading up to your termination, including dates of the policy change discussions and your questioning of it 2. Print out those text messages and emails - don't just rely on showing them on your phone during the hearing 3. If you have any witnesses who can verify the real reason (coworkers who were also affected by the hour cuts), consider asking if they'd be willing to testify The fact that your employer is claiming "job abandonment" when you were clearly terminated makes their lie pretty obvious. Job abandonment means you just stopped showing up - but you have a termination letter! That contradiction alone should raise red flags for the adjudicator. Stay calm during the process and stick to the facts. You've got this - employers who lie like this usually get caught when faced with actual documentation.

I'm a former Washington ESD employee and I can tell you that the investigation process is thorough but fair. If you made honest mistakes, especially if you self-report them, they'll work with you. But if they find evidence of intentional deception, they throw the book at you. The fraud detection algorithms are pretty sophisticated now and catch most unreported income within 6-12 months.

Update us on how it goes! I'm sure other people are in similar situations and would benefit from hearing about your experience with the voluntary disclosure process.

Thanks everyone for all the detailed explanations! This thread answered way more questions than I expected. Sounds like the base period is pretty standardized but there are backup options if needed.

This is such a comprehensive thread! I'm in a similar situation where I had some employment gaps and was worried about qualifying. Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like the 4-quarter base period system is actually more flexible than I initially thought. The alternate base period option could be really helpful for people like us who had more recent work. I'm definitely going to gather all my wage information from the past year and a half before I file my claim. Thanks for breaking down all the different scenarios - this is way more helpful than the official Washington ESD website!