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what about taking the job with the dr and then if its really bad just quit after and get unemployment then?? just thinking out loud lol
That would likely disqualify you from unemployment benefits. If you voluntarily accept a new position and then quit without good cause (as defined by ESD), you wouldn't be eligible. The current situation - where the employer can't offer comparable work - is a much clearer path to benefit eligibility.
Yeah, I definitely don't want to risk my unemployment eligibility. Plus, I know enough about how the doctor runs things that I'm 100% sure I don't want to work directly for him. Better to make a clean break and find something that's a better fit.
I worked in HR for years and handled many unemployment claims from the employer side. Make sure you use very specific language in your claim: "Position eliminated due to business restructuring" or "laid off due to contract termination." Never say anything that sounds like you had a choice in the matter. Also, Washington state has pretty worker-friendly unemployment laws compared to many states. As long as you're not fired for misconduct or quitting without good cause, you should be eligible. The situation you described is a textbook case for eligibility.
Thank you for the specific wording advice! That's exactly the kind of guidance I needed. I'll make sure to use those exact phrases when filing.
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MAKE SURE u answer every phone call even from unknown numbers!!!! ESD might call u for fact finding interview and if u miss it they can deny ur claim. And check ur online portal messages DAILY - sometimes they send questions there with deadlines.
Good point - I'll keep my phone with me and answer everything. And I'll check the portal multiple times daily. My anxiety is through the roof thinking about how my employer might try to fight this.
Just wondering did u ever get a new termination letter with these so called performance reasons or is it just stuff they told u verbally? cuz if its just verbal thats sooooo sketchy
No, they never gave me an updated termination letter! It was all verbal after I showed them the prescription. The original termination letter specifically mentions the positive drug test as the sole reason. They just verbally started bringing up other issues when I tried to get my job back after the test was revised to negative.
This detail is extremely important. The fact that your only written termination documentation cites the drug test as the reason will be very compelling to ESD. Employers who change their story during the unemployment process (especially without documentation) typically don't fare well in these cases. Keep that original termination letter safe - it's your strongest piece of evidence.
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Here's my step-by-step advice as someone who worked with the unemployment system for years: 1. Try calling the main line (800-318-6022) at 7:58am - their system sometimes opens slightly before 8. 2. If that fails, try the strategy of calling mid-week (Wed-Thurs) in the late afternoon (3-4pm) when volumes sometimes decrease. 3. When you do reach someone, immediately specify that this is a claim status issue pending for 4+ weeks, as this categorizes it as an urgent issue. 4. Request that they escalate the claim to an adjudicator while you're on the phone. 5. If all else fails, your husband should file a formal complaint through the ESD website under 'Contact Us' and select 'File a Complaint.' These are tracked separately and often receive priority response. I hope this helps get his claim moving forward.
This is all great advice but you forgot to mention that if it's an identity verification issue (which many 'pending' statuses are), you should specifically ask for the identity verification department when you do reach someone. Regular agents can't always help with those issues and will just put you back in another queue.
Thank you for such detailed advice! I really appreciate the tip about calling at 7:58 - we'll definitely try that. And we'll file a formal complaint tonight. At this point we're willing to try every possible avenue.
One other thing nobody has mentioned - make sure your husband checks his spam folder regularly. Sometimes ESD sends emails requesting additional information, and if he doesn't respond within their timeframe (usually 5 business days), it can keep his claim stuck in pending status. They're terrible about communicating this clearly.
Good reminder! Just checked his spam folder and there's nothing from ESD, but I'll make sure he keeps checking it daily. Thanks!
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Does anyone know if there's a way to see if your claim got reset because of this? I've been waiting for 6 weeks and now I'm paranoid that I caused delays by uploading my ID twice (the first scan was blurry).
Unfortunately, there's no way to see this in your online account. The only way to know for sure is to call and speak with an agent who can view your claim's internal status history. They can tell you if your claim was reset and exactly when.
wait so my claim got dinied after I sent them like 6 diffrent emails with attachments bcuz they kept saying they didnt get the stuff....so I basicly shot myself in the foot? THIS IS SO MESSED UP!!!
If your claim was denied, you should immediately file an appeal. Make sure to explain in your appeal that you were attempting to provide the requested documentation multiple times because you weren't sure if it was received. Appeals have a different review process and a human will actually look at your case history. You have 30 days from the date on your denial letter to file the appeal.
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make sure u keep doing ur weekly claims even if theyre not paying u yet! my roommate stopped doing them cuz he thought what was the point if they werent paying and then had to start all over when they finally fixed his account
Definitely not going to make that mistake! I'm filing religiously every Sunday morning. Thanks for the warning though - that would be awful to have to restart the process.
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To address a couple of the comments in this thread about speeding up adjudication: 1. You absolutely CAN request escalation after 5-6 weeks, but you need to talk to a Tier 2 specialist (not the first person who answers) 2. For those facing financial hardship (like potential eviction), there's a hardship escalation process. When you call, specifically mention "financial hardship escalation" and be ready to explain your situation 3. Written documentation is extremely helpful in these cases - ESD adjudicators are overwhelmed and clear evidence can speed up decisions 4. If you've been waiting 6+ weeks with no movement, contacting your state representative's office can sometimes help The system is frustrating but there are pathways to speed things up in legitimate cases.
THANK YOU!!! I'm going to try calling again tomorrow and ask for a Tier 2 specialist and mention the hardship thing. Do I need to provide proof of the eviction notice?
did u get paid for the waiting week too?? i heard thats not a thing anymore but someone else said u still dont get paid for 1st week??
The waiting week is definitely still a thing in Washington in 2025. The first eligible week of your claim serves as your waiting week, and you won't receive benefits for that week. It was temporarily waived during COVID, but that waiver ended years ago. You still need to file a claim for that week though, as it counts toward your eligibility.
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Just to add some important information: if the OAH rules in your favor, ESD has the right to petition for review within 30 days, which could further delay your payment. If they don't petition for review, the decision becomes final and ESD must implement it. You can check if ESD has filed a petition by calling OAH or checking the portal. If you receive a favorable decision, keep a close eye on your ESD account. Sometimes they'll update your claim status before actually releasing payment. Look for status changes from "denied" to "paid" or for the disqualification to be removed. Once you see those changes, payment is usually processed within 3-5 business days.
I didn't even know ESD could appeal! That's terrifying. So even if I win, this nightmare might not be over? It's already been 8 months since my initial claim was denied.
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my cousin had the EXACT same situation last year!!! he was late because of car problems and his boss fired him for it. at his hearing he showed the judge his mechanic bills and texts to his boss and won his case. the judge said being late because of car problems that you told your boss about is NOT misconduct!!!!!
That's really encouraging to hear! I have all my mechanic receipts ready to go. Fingers crossed my judge sees it the same way.
Make sure you call in EARLY for your hearing!!!! I was literally 2 minutes late calling in and the judge marked me as a no-show. Had to appeal AGAIN and wait another month. The system is totally against us.
this happened to my roommate too! he dialed in at exactly the hearing time but there was a queue or something and he was considered late. definitely call in at least 10 min early to be safe
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my cousin works at ESD (not supposed to tell anyone lol) and she says they actually process phone claims first because the system is older and more reliable. the web system has more security checks that slow things down. but don't quote me on that haha
This actually aligns with what an ESD representative told me during a WorkSource appointment last month. The phone system has fewer steps in the verification process because it requires your PIN which is considered a sufficient security measure. The web system has additional identity verification steps running in the background. They're supposedly working on updating both systems in 2025.
UPDATE: Filed by phone again this week (Sunday 12:30am) and got paid Tuesday morning! So it wasn't a one-time fluke. Seems like phone filing is consistently faster for my claim at least. Going to stick with this method for now!
tried phone filing sunday like u suggested and got paid today (tuesday)!! ur right its way faster than online!! thx for the tip!!!
Zara Perez
my cousin works at esd (not sharing any names) but he says theres a HUGE backlog still from all the fraud cases they had during covid. like theyre still dealing with that fallout. not saying its right but thats why everyones waiting forever. good luck tho
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Ezra Collins
•ya but how is that OUR problem?? we still gotta pay rent!! they need to hire more people if they cant handle the workload!!
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Victoria Scott
Since you've been waiting so long, this is a situation where you should request a formal determination through the adjudication department directly. Call 833-572-8400 and use the exact phrase "I need to request a formal determination on my pending claim under WAC 192-04-060." This regulatory reference often gets attention. Also, if your claim involves separation from your employer, check if they've submitted their response. Sometimes claims stall because employers don't respond, and ESD doesn't automatically follow up after the initial request. Keep detailed records of all contact attempts with dates and times for your records.
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Joshua Wood
•This is super helpful, thank you! I'll use that exact phrase and regulation number. My former employer is actually disputing my claim (even though I was laid off), so that might be part of the delay. I'll call first thing tomorrow.
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