That's awesome that your senator's office responded so quickly! I've been reading through all these responses and it sounds like the state representatives really are the way to go. I'm going to follow your lead and contact both my rep and senator today. For anyone else reading this - it seems like the key is being super detailed about your situation and including all your claim info. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this finally breaks through the ESD wall. Please keep us updated on how it goes!

Just want to add my experience since I went through this exact same nightmare last year. After 8 weeks in adjudication hell, I contacted my state representative AND filed a complaint with the Washington State Ombuds (ombuds.wa.gov). The Ombuds office was actually really helpful - they have a specific process for ESD complaints and can investigate when agencies aren't following proper procedures. They don't resolve claims directly, but they can pressure ESD to follow up on cases that have been sitting too long. I submitted my complaint online and got a response within a week. Between my rep's inquiry and the Ombuds investigation, my claim finally moved forward. The Ombuds route might be worth trying alongside contacting your legislators - gives you multiple avenues of escalation.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in the exact same situation and was worried about the same thing. Now I know I don't need to worry about FICA taxes on my unemployment benefits.

This thread has been a lifesaver! I was just about to file my taxes and was completely confused about the FICA situation with my unemployment benefits. I've been unemployed for most of 2024 after my retail job got cut, and I received around $12,000 in benefits from Washington ESD. My tax software kept asking about FICA and I had no idea what to tell it. Reading through all these responses has made it crystal clear - unemployment benefits are subject to regular federal income tax but NOT FICA taxes. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this so thoroughly, especially the tax preparer who confirmed it. Now I can finish my taxes with confidence!

Try calling right at 8am but if that doesn't work, honestly just use a service like Claimyr. I wasted weeks trying to call myself when I could have just had them do it for me from the start.

I've been dealing with the exact same issue! Washington ESD's phone lines open at 8:00 AM Monday through Friday, but getting through is nearly impossible. I've had some luck calling right at 7:59 AM and hitting redial constantly until I break through the busy signals around 8:02-8:05 AM. Once you're in the queue, expect to wait 1-3 hours on hold, but at least you're making progress. Also avoid Mondays if possible - the call volume is absolutely insane after the weekend. Tuesday through Thursday around 10:30 AM or during lunch hour (12-1 PM) seem to have slightly better odds. Make sure you have all your documents ready - claim number, SSN, employment dates, etc. - because the agents work quickly and might disconnect if you're not prepared.

I've been using handwritten logs for about 6 months now and haven't had any issues! One tip that's helped me a lot is to use a black pen (not blue) when filling out the forms - it scans and photographs much better if you ever need to submit digital copies. Also, I keep mine in a dedicated folder and number each page in case they get mixed up. The ESD website actually has a downloadable PDF version of their job search log that's designed to be printed and filled out by hand, so you're definitely good to go with that approach!

Just want to add that I've been doing a combination approach for the past few months - I keep a handwritten backup log in addition to using the online system when it's working. This way if the website crashes or times out (which happens way too often), I already have everything written down and don't have to scramble to remember what I applied for. I use one of those composition notebooks so the pages can't fall out and get lost. It's a bit of extra work but gives me peace of mind knowing I'm covered either way!

I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. Got fired for "excessive absences" when I had to miss work for a kidney stone, stomach flu, and my kid's emergency surgery. I was terrified I wouldn't qualify for unemployment, but Washington ESD approved my claim after about 2 weeks of review. The key things that helped my case were: 1) I had called in properly each time, 2) I kept text messages showing I notified my supervisor, and 3) I had some medical documentation. Even though I didn't have doctor's notes for everything, the fact that my absences were legitimate medical issues and I followed company protocol made all the difference. File your claim right away and don't worry - genuine illness absences are NOT considered misconduct in Washington state.

I work for a local advocacy group and see cases like this all the time. What happened to you is unfortunately common but you absolutely have grounds for unemployment benefits. Washington state specifically protects workers who miss work due to legitimate illness. The fact that you followed proper call-in procedures each time is crucial - that shows you weren't being negligent or trying to abuse the system. When you file your claim, emphasize that you always notified your supervisor in advance and that your absences were due to actual medical conditions, not personal choice. Don't let your employer's attendance policy scare you - those policies can't override state unemployment law when it comes to genuine illness. I'd recommend filing your claim this week and gathering any documentation you have (texts, pharmacy receipts, anything that shows you were actually sick). You've got a strong case here.