Alice, I'm so glad you're finally pursuing this! I was in almost the exact same situation - doing freelance graphic design work when I got laid off 5 months ago, and my HR department told me any "side income" would automatically disqualify me from unemployment benefits. This turned out to be completely false information that cost me months of benefits I was entitled to. I successfully got back pay for all 5 months by filing online at esd.wa.gov and thoroughly documenting the misinformation I received. The key is that Washington ESD recognizes employer misinformation about gig work eligibility as legitimate "good cause" for filing delays. Even though most of my conversations with HR were verbal, I wrote down everything I could remember with dates and names, which they accepted as sufficient documentation. The adjudication process took about 3.5 months, which felt like forever when you're waiting for money you desperately need, but I eventually received a lump sum for all eligible weeks plus some federal supplements. Don't let the potential wait time discourage you - file your initial claim tonight to establish your filing date, then focus on documenting those conversations where you were told you wouldn't qualify. The misinformation about gig work and unemployment is unfortunately very widespread, but that's exactly why ESD has provisions for situations like ours!

I'm new to this community but going through almost the exact same situation right now! I was doing Uber and freelance tutoring when I got laid off from my office job 4 months ago. My manager told me the gig income would "complicate" my unemployment eligibility and that I probably wouldn't qualify - so I never even applied. Just found out from a friend that this was completely wrong information! Reading through all these success stories is giving me hope that I can still get those missed benefits. It's incredible how widespread this misinformation seems to be. I'm planning to file my claim online at esd.wa.gov tonight and document everything I can remember about those conversations with my manager. Has anyone dealt with a situation where they were explicitly told the gig work would "complicate" things rather than outright disqualify? I'm wondering if that kind of vague discouragement counts as misinformation for backdating purposes. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this thread is exactly what I needed to finally take action!

I've been through this exact scenario! Had my original adjudication drag on for weeks, then boom - second one appears when I started doing some delivery driving. The good news is that once they finally got to my case, both issues were resolved within a few days of each other. What really helped was calling my state representative's office after 8 weeks of waiting. They have a constituent services team that can actually get ESD to prioritize your case. I know it sounds intimidating, but they deal with unemployment issues all the time and were super helpful. Also, make sure you keep filing your weekly claims religiously - I almost gave up doing that and it would have cost me weeks of backpay. The system is definitely broken, but most people do eventually get their benefits once the adjudications are complete.

I'm going through something very similar right now - original adjudication started in September, then got a second one last month after I picked up some freelance work. It's such a relief to read all these responses and know this is actually pretty normal! The stress of not knowing what's happening or how long it will take is honestly worse than the financial strain sometimes. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to try calling ESD using those phone tips, gather up all my work documentation proactively, and maybe look into contacting my state rep if this drags on much longer. It's frustrating that the system doesn't communicate better about what's happening, but at least now I understand that the second adjudication for your part-time work is likely just routine verification. Hang in there - sounds like most people do get their backpay eventually!

Another important eligibility issue that hasn't been mentioned much is drug testing. If you're fired for failing a drug test at work, Washington ESD will likely deny your benefits for misconduct. Also, if you're participating in certain state or federal programs that require drug testing and you fail or refuse to take the test, that can affect your unemployment eligibility too. I learned this the hard way when helping my cousin with his claim - he thought his medical marijuana card would protect him, but Washington ESD didn't see it that way for his particular job situation.

One area that often gets overlooked is how union membership affects eligibility. If you're a union member and refuse to cross a picket line during a labor dispute, Washington ESD might deny your benefits even though you're technically "available" for work. Also, if your union provides strike benefits or other financial support during a work stoppage, that could impact your unemployment eligibility. I had a friend who was confused about this when his union went on strike - he thought he'd automatically qualify for unemployment, but it's much more complicated than that. The rules around labor disputes and union activities can be really tricky to navigate.

I'm in a similar situation with a $3,100 overpayment. Reading all these responses is actually making me feel a bit more hopeful that there might be options I didn't know about. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences.

I'm dealing with a similar overpayment situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I want to add is that if you're struggling financially, you might also want to look into free legal aid services in your area. Many legal aid organizations have experience with unemployment overpayment cases and can help you navigate the waiver process or appeals. I found that having someone who understands the system review my paperwork before I submitted it made a huge difference. Also, when you're gathering financial documents for the waiver, include everything that shows your monthly expenses - even things like prescription medications, transportation costs, and childcare. The more complete picture you can paint of your financial situation, the better your chances of approval.

Nathan, congratulations on getting your claim approved! This is such great news and really gives hope to everyone else dealing with similar vague termination reasons. Your experience shows exactly why it's so important to keep filing weekly claims during adjudication - that 6-week backpay must be such a relief right now! I'm currently 2 weeks into adjudication after being terminated for "lack of alignment with company direction" following a management change at my workplace of 3 years. No warnings, no documentation, just suddenly not aligned anymore. Stories like yours help me stay optimistic that these weak employer justifications usually don't hold up under ESD's scrutiny. Thanks for taking the time to update everyone throughout your process - it's incredibly helpful for those of us still waiting to see how these cases typically play out. Enjoy having that financial stress lifted off your shoulders!

Nathan, huge congratulations on getting approved! Your story is exactly what so many of us needed to hear. I'm dealing with a very similar situation - got terminated last month after 4 years for being "no longer the right fit for the role" despite consistently good performance reviews. No warnings, no disciplinary actions, just a new supervisor who apparently wanted someone else. I've been in adjudication for 2.5 weeks now and your experience gives me so much hope that these vague termination reasons will work in our favor. The fact that your employer didn't even bother responding to ESD's requests for information really shows how weak their case was. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service - I've been trying to reach ESD for over a week with no luck. Thanks for sharing your entire journey with updates, it really helps those of us still in limbo to know what to expect and that there's light at the end of the tunnel. Enjoy that well-deserved backpay!