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To summarize what everyone's said: 1. Online and phone filing are processed at the same speed 2. Job search activities (3 per week) are reported as part of your weekly claim 3. You can file your weekly claim starting Sunday for the previous week 4. You have until the following Saturday to file (but filing early is better) 5. There's no separate 7-day waiting period for job search reporting Hope this helps clarify everything! The ESD system can be confusing at first, but once you get the rhythm down, it's fairly straightforward.
Thank you so much for this clear summary! This is exactly what I needed. I'm going to stick with filing online since it seems easier for record-keeping. I'll file this Sunday for my first full claim week and make sure I've completed all 3 job search activities by then. You've all been so helpful!
Hey GalaxyGuardian! Welcome to the UI club (unfortunately lol). I've been filing online for about 8 months now and can confirm what everyone else is saying - there's absolutely no difference in payment speed between online and phone. The only "faster" thing about calling might be that you get confirmation immediately that your claim went through, but with online you get that confirmation screen too. One tip that saved me a lot of stress: keep screenshots of your confirmation screens when you file online. If there's ever a question about whether you filed on time, you'll have proof. Also, make sure you understand what counts as acceptable job search activities - I learned the hard way that some things I thought counted actually don't according to ESD rules. Good luck with your first payment! Once you get into the routine, it becomes pretty straightforward.
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Bottom line - if it's been more than 10 days since you filed and you haven't heard anything about a contest, you're probably in the clear for now. The employer can still try to contest later but it's much harder for them.
Perfect summary! Thanks everyone for all the helpful information.
Agreed, this has been a really informative discussion.
I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim about 8 days ago and have been anxiously waiting to see if my former employer will contest it. This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding the timeline. It's reassuring to know that most employers don't actually bother to contest unless there's clear misconduct. I left my job due to a disagreement with management about working conditions, so I'm hoping they'll just let it go. The 10-day rule gives me some peace of mind knowing there's a definitive timeframe rather than just waiting indefinitely.
I'm dealing with something similar right now too. Filed my claim 5 days ago after leaving due to what I felt were unsafe working conditions, and the anxiety of waiting to see if they'll contest is real. What's helping me is remembering that employers have to have legitimate grounds to contest - they can't just do it out of spite. Since you left over working conditions, that's actually considered "good cause" under Washington law if the conditions were truly unreasonable. Try to stay positive - you're almost through that critical 10-day window!
I can really relate to your situation! I filed my claim about 3 weeks ago after leaving due to hostile work environment issues, and I was a nervous wreck during those first 10 days. The good news is that "working conditions" disputes often fall under what Washington ESD considers valid reasons for leaving, especially if you tried to address the issues with management first. Since you're already at day 8, you're so close to being through that initial window. Even if they do contest in the next couple days, don't panic - the investigation process is pretty thorough and they'll look at both sides. I'd suggest keeping any documentation you have about the working condition issues handy, just in case. You've got this!
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Yes! It came through this morning around 4am according to my bank app. Just in time for rent payment. Thank you everyone for all your help and advice!
That's awesome news! So glad it worked out for you and you made rent on time. Chase really does seem to be one of the faster banks for ESD deposits. Your experience will definitely help other people who are in the same anxious waiting period - it's such a relief when that money finally hits the account. Thanks for following up to let us know how it turned out!
So happy to hear it worked out for you! This thread is going to be super helpful for others going through the same stress. I remember when I first got on unemployment, the waiting for that first payment was absolutely nerve-wracking. It's really reassuring to see the community come together with actual timelines and bank-specific experiences. Congrats on making your rent payment on time!
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Bottom line: 3 job search activities per week, keep detailed records, make sure your activities are relevant to your field and experience level. Don't overthink it but don't slack off either. Washington ESD is pretty reasonable if you're making a genuine effort.
Perfect summary, thank you! This thread has been super helpful. I feel much more confident about the requirements now.
Agreed, this cleared up a lot of confusion for me too. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences.
Just wanted to add that if you're in a specialized field with limited openings, Washington ESD does understand that finding 3 relevant positions to apply for each week can be challenging. In those cases, you can mix in other activities like reaching out to recruiters, attending industry meetups, or doing informational interviews as others mentioned. I work in a niche tech area and my caseworker was understanding when I explained my situation and showed that I was being proactive in other ways. The key is documenting everything and being able to show you're making a genuine effort to find work in your field.
That's really good to know about specialized fields! I'm in a pretty niche area too and was worried about finding enough relevant positions each week. Did you have to get pre-approval from your caseworker for the alternative activities, or did you just document them and explain during your regular check-ins?
I didn't need pre-approval - I just documented everything thoroughly and explained it during my regular weekly claim filings. When they did eventually review my records (about 3 months in), I was able to show a clear pattern of genuine job search efforts tailored to my field. I kept a spreadsheet with dates, contact names, and detailed descriptions of each activity. The caseworker appreciated that I was being strategic rather than just applying to random jobs I wasn't qualified for.
Demi Lagos
Just wanted to add that when you do apply, make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and bank account info ready for direct deposit setup. The online application is pretty straightforward but having all your documents handy makes it go much faster. Also, they'll ask for your gross wages from each quarter, so dig up those old paystubs or W-2s if you have them. Good luck with your application - sounds like you have a solid case for partial benefits!
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Peyton Clarke
•Thanks for the checklist! I've been gathering all my paperwork while reading through everyone's advice. It's really encouraging to hear from so many people who've been through similar situations. I feel much better prepared to apply now that I understand it's about wages earned during the base period rather than just total hours worked. The partial unemployment option seems perfect for my situation with the reduced hours.
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Ava Thompson
I've been following this thread and it's been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - my restaurant job cut my hours from 35 to about 20 per week due to the slow winter season. I had no idea about partial unemployment benefits until reading these comments. I've been working there for over a year, so I should definitely meet the 680 hours and wage requirements. Does anyone know if tips count toward the wage calculation for Washington ESD? I make most of my income from tips and I'm not sure if those are included when they calculate eligibility.
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Zainab Ahmed
•Yes, tips absolutely count toward your wage calculation for Washington ESD! As long as your employer reports your tips on your W-2 (which they're required to do if you earn more than $20/month in tips), they'll be included in your base period wages. This is actually really important for restaurant workers since tips can make up a huge portion of your total income. Make sure you have your W-2s or paystubs that show both your hourly wages and reported tip income when you apply. The partial unemployment option should work great for your situation too - just remember to report both your hourly wages AND any tips you earn each week when you file your weekly claims.
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