I just wanted to chime in as someone who's been dealing with Washington ESD for a while now - these website outages unfortunately happen more often than they should, especially during busy periods like holidays or when there are system updates. The good news is that Washington ESD is generally understanding about late filings when it's due to their technical issues. I've learned to always try filing during off-peak hours first (early morning or late evening), and if that doesn't work, I document everything with screenshots showing the error messages and timestamps. It's also worth signing up for their email alerts if you haven't already - they sometimes send notifications about planned maintenance or known issues. Hang in there, and don't stress too much about missing the deadline when it's clearly on their end!

I've been through this exact situation multiple times over the past year. What I've found that works best is trying to access the site very early in the morning (like 5-6 AM) when traffic is lowest. Also, if you're using Chrome, try switching to Firefox or Edge - sometimes different browsers handle their server load better. One more tip: if you get partway through filing and the site crashes, don't start over immediately. Wait about 10-15 minutes and try to resume where you left off, as sometimes the system saves your progress even when it appears to have failed. The stress is real, but I've never actually lost benefits due to their technical problems - they do track when the issues are on their end.

One last tip - if you ever have problems with your weekly claim or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about claim issues, don't waste time trying to call them directly. The wait times are ridiculous and they hang up constantly. Services like Claimyr are worth it when you need actual help.

Just wanted to add that you should also make sure your bank account information is up to date in your Washington ESD profile before filing your first weekly claim. If your direct deposit info is wrong, your payments will get delayed or sent to the wrong account. I had to wait an extra 2 weeks for my first payment because my old bank account was still on file. You can update it in the "Payment Method" section of your account dashboard.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I learned a lot and feel much more confident about reapplying for benefits.

Just wanted to add my experience - I reapplied in October after working temp jobs for a few months and it was pretty smooth. The key thing is making sure you have enough wages from work AFTER your previous claim ended. I had to wait an extra month because my first temp job didn't pay enough to meet the requirements, but once I had sufficient earnings it went through without any issues. The online application took about 30 minutes and I got my first payment two weeks later.

I went through this exact same status last fall and it was nerve-wracking! Mine stayed in "waiting for information on pending issues" for exactly 2 weeks before moving to adjudication. What helped me was creating a daily log of checking my eServices account and documenting any changes (even small ones like new correspondence). Also, don't be afraid to call ESD multiple times - different agents sometimes have different levels of access to information about what's actually causing the delay. In my case, it turned out my employer had submitted their response but there was a system glitch that prevented it from being processed properly. The agent was able to manually push it through once I got the right person on the phone. Keep your chin up Carmen - the waiting is awful but most claims do eventually get resolved!

I'm dealing with this same frustrating status right now - going on 2 weeks of "waiting for information on pending issues" and it's incredibly stressful not knowing what's happening behind the scenes. What's helped me cope is setting up a simple spreadsheet to track my daily account checks and any small changes I notice. I've also been calling every few days rather than every day, which seems less overwhelming for both me and the phone system. One thing I learned from a friend who works in HR is that some employers have automated systems that flag unemployment requests for manual review, which can add several extra days to their response time. It's not fair to us who need the money, but at least it explains some of the delay. Hang in there Carmen - based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like 10-14 days is pretty typical before things start moving.

One last tip - keep detailed records of everything. All your medical clearance paperwork, disability end dates, job search activities, everything. Washington ESD loves documentation.

Just wanted to add that when you do file your claim, make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the last 18 months ready. Washington ESD will ask for specific details about your last employer including dates of employment, reason for separation, and wages earned. Since your job was eliminated while you were on disability, that should actually work in your favor - involuntary job loss is typically straightforward for unemployment eligibility. The fact that you're medically cleared to return to work is the key piece that will help your case.