I'm glad you got it figured out! Just FYI - sometimes the website does maintenance on Tuesdays, which can make certain options disappear temporarily. If you ever log in and don't see the option to file a weekly claim when you normally do, try again later that day or the next day before panicking. They rarely announce these maintenance periods which causes so much unnecessary stress!

also dont forget u have to answer NO to the question about if ur able to work if ur sick that week or had to take care of someone. my sister messed that up and it caused her whole claim to get flagged for review and she didnt get paid for like 3 weeks while they sorted it out

Has anyone else noticed that when you DO finally find the weekly claim form, half the questions are different than before???? I'm so paranoid I'm going to answer something wrong and get my benefits stopped!

Update: I managed to find the weekly claim form using the directions from @helpful_guidance above. For anyone else struggling, the key is to look under "My Benefits" NOT "My Account" which seems counterintuitive. Also discovered they've added a mobile app called "WA Unemployment" that actually works better than the website right now. Might be worth downloading if you're having website issues.

To provide some technical context: ESD processes claims using a batch system. The "PAID" status means your payment has been approved and queued for transfer, but there are several steps after that before the money reaches your account: 1. ESD's batch payment system processes the transfer (usually overnight) 2. The ACH network receives and routes the payment 3. Your bank receives the payment instruction 4. Your bank processes and posts the deposit This typically takes 24-48 hours after the "PAID" status appears. Banking holidays can extend this timeline. If you filed on Sunday and it shows PAID already, that's actually quite efficient processing by ESD standards. The money should appear by Wednesday at the latest under normal circumstances.

UPDATE: The money just hit my account this morning! Thanks everyone for the reassurance. It was exactly as you all said - just had to wait for the bank processing part. Glad I didn't waste time trying to call ESD about it!

I work in HR and handle unemployment responses. There's actually a valid reason this happens sometimes - we get TONS of claims and some fall through the cracks, especially if the person who handles them is out of office. It's not always malicious! Also, small companies might not even understand what they're supposed to do with the ESD notices.

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice! I took several of your suggestions - kept detailed records of all my call attempts, continued filing weekly claims, and finally used Claimyr to connect with an ESD agent yesterday. The agent confirmed my employer hadn't responded within the timeframe, and they're moving my claim forward! The status has already changed from 'pending employer response' to 'processing' this morning. Such a relief! I'll update again when/if the payments actually come through.

Had this happen to me and the ESD system is SUCH a mess. My appeal was reversed but then they claimed I didn't have enough work hours in my base year even though the judge SPECIFICALLY addressed that in the decision. Had to appeal AGAIN. Check your eServices account CAREFULLY for any new "issues" they might suddenly discover.

Update: I called ESD this morning at exactly 8:00am and miraculously got through after only a 45 minute wait! The agent confirmed they received my appeal decision and said my payment is being processed now. Should hit my account within 5-7 business days. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

No, they just need basic info to connect the call. Nothing invasive. It was worth it for me since I was about to miss my school registration deadline without the approval.

Once you have Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) status, you're typically exempt from job search requirements while you're in the approved training program. That's one of the main benefits! However, there's an important distinction: until you receive the official approval, you MUST continue doing and documenting your job search activities (normally 3 per week). Don't stop your job search activities until you have written confirmation of your CAT approval. Also, keep in mind that Worker Retraining approval has an end date that aligns with your training program. If you take a quarter off or change programs, you need to notify ESD immediately as it can affect your benefits and exemption status.

Yes, absolutely emphasize that 4 others were laid off simultaneously! That's extremely strong evidence of a restructuring rather than misconduct. Those commendation emails from just before the termination are also gold - they directly contradict the performance issues claim. Regarding documentation they might suddenly produce - if they present new documents at the hearing, you can request time to review them. You can also question when they were created, who created them, and why you never saw them before. As a statistical point, in Washington state, about 30-40% of employee appeals are successful, but that rises to nearly 60% in cases where the employee has documentation contradicting the employer's version of events. Your case sounds like it falls in that category.

Just wanted to add that the hearing will probably be conducted by phone due to the backlog ESD is experiencing. Make sure you're in a quiet place with good reception and have all your documents laid out in front of you. If you have trouble getting connected or get disconnected during the call, contact the Office of Administrative Hearings immediately - don't wait for them to call you back! I learned this the hard way.

For those still struggling to get through to ESD after winning an appeal, remember that timing is critical. The implementation team that processes appeal decisions is separate from regular claims staff, so when you do reach someone, specifically ask to speak with the "appeals implementation team" or your case might get bounced around. Also worth noting that sometimes the status in eServices updates before any payments are released, so don't panic if you see your status change but don't immediately see payments - they typically follow within 48-72 hours.

@profile8 - There are different teams handling different types of appeals, but they all fall under the broader Appeals Implementation Unit. The routing happens internally based on the appeal decision code. That's why it's important to reference your specific appeal decision number when contacting ESD - it helps get your inquiry to the right specialized team. @profile4 - Glad to hear your account updated! That's pretty close to the typical timeframe. For anyone else reading this thread in the future, the 10-15 business day window seems to be fairly standard for appeal implementations in 2025.

PREACH!!! 👏👏👏

While I understand the frustration, I wouldn't say it's designed to be difficult on purpose. ESD has faced unprecedented claim volumes and staffing challenges since the pandemic. The phone systems and older technology infrastructure weren't designed to handle this level of demand. The in-person experience is better because those representatives have direct access to systems and fewer cases to handle simultaneously than call center staff. I do agree they need to improve their technology and communication, though.

Just wanted to chime in again - I've helped my brother and sister both navigate ESD issues in the last year. The most effective approach seems to be a combination of: 1. Persistent calling to ESD (yes, it's awful) 2. Writing to your state representative 3. Contacting the governor's office Do all three at once. Whichever one responds first, great! Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. But be prepared with all your info - claim ID, last 4 of SSN, exact filing date, and a clear timeline of what you've done so far. Also, make sure you keep filing your weekly claims and doing your job search activities even while it's pending. If you miss any weeks, it creates a whole new problem.

Any updates? Were you able to get through to anyone? Curious if Claimyr worked for you.