Hope your family situation improves soon OP. The financial stress on top of medical/family issues is really tough to deal with.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. It sounds like I really need to speak with Washington ESD directly about my specific situation rather than trying to figure it out on my own.

That's amazing news about getting your back pay! I'm dealing with a similar situation - my hearing was last week and I just saw "reversed" on my account too. Reading through all these comments really helped me understand what to expect. It's so frustrating that ESD doesn't explain these statuses clearly anywhere. I'm definitely going to keep filing my weekly claims like everyone suggested. Fingers crossed mine processes faster than 5 weeks!

A "reversed" decision is definitely good news - it means the Administrative Law Judge ruled in your favor and overturned ESD's original denial! However, the waiting game isn't over yet unfortunately. From what I've experienced and seen in this community, it typically takes 2-4 weeks for ESD to actually implement the judge's decision and start processing your payments. The most important thing right now is to keep filing your weekly claims during this waiting period - if you don't file for those weeks, you won't get paid for them even though you won your appeal. I know it's incredibly stressful when you're counting on that money, but hang in there! You've cleared the biggest hurdle by winning your hearing.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a junior working part-time at a coffee shop near campus and just found out they're closing permanently next month. I've been hesitant to apply for unemployment because I wasn't sure if my student status would disqualify me, but reading all these experiences has given me confidence to move forward. It sounds like the key is being upfront about my availability and maintaining good documentation of my job search efforts. I especially appreciate the tips about using campus career services for job search activities - I had no idea those networking events and resume workshops would count! Planning to file my claim as soon as I get my final paycheck. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and advice!

I just wanted to echo what others have said about not being discouraged by the student status. I'm a senior at UW working at a local restaurant that had to lay off half their staff due to slow business, and I successfully received unemployment benefits last fall. The process took about 4 weeks from application to first payment, which included a brief adjudication period where they verified my work history and availability. What really helped was being completely transparent about my class schedule and work availability from the start - I included specific days and hours I could work in my initial application. I also made sure to document every single job search activity meticulously, including things like updating my resume through the career center and attending industry networking events. The weekly job search requirement of 3 activities is totally manageable when you realize how many different things count - even LinkedIn networking and informational interviews qualify. One piece of advice: if your claim does go into adjudication (which isn't uncommon for students), don't panic. Just be patient and respond quickly to any requests for additional information. The back pay makes the wait worth it, and you're entitled to these benefits just like any other worker who's been paying into the system.

This is exactly the kind of detailed success story we need more of in this community! I'm currently on week 2 of identity verification (moved states and had to update my address with ESD) and have been getting nowhere with the regular phone line. That Special Investigations Office number is a game-changer - I had no idea that existed. I've been banging my head against the wall calling the main line and getting either busy signals or generic "wait several weeks" responses. Going to call (800)246-9763 first thing tomorrow morning. One thing I'm curious about - did you have to provide any additional documentation beyond what you initially uploaded, or did they just need time to review what you had already submitted? I uploaded my lease agreement, updated driver's license, and a utility bill showing my new address, but I'm wondering if I should add anything else to strengthen my case. Also really appreciate you sharing the timeline breakdown. 18 days is still nerve-wracking when bills are due, but it's so much better than the 5+ weeks some people are reporting. Fingers crossed I have similar luck!

This is incredibly helpful timing for me! I just filed my claim last week and immediately got hit with the identity verification requirement. I was dreading the wait based on all the horror stories I've read here, but your experience gives me hope that it might not take the full 5+ weeks everyone talks about. I'm definitely going to call that Special Investigations Office number - (800)246-9763 - instead of wasting time with the main line. The fact that they can actually confirm they have your documents and give you real timeline estimates sounds so much better than the generic responses. Quick question - when you uploaded your documents, did you upload them all at once or separately? I have my birth certificate, current driver's license, and a recent bank statement, but I wasn't sure if I should submit them as one batch or individual uploads. Also really appreciate you mentioning to check the spam folder for ESD emails - I almost missed an important notice last month because it got filtered. Going to keep a close eye on that during this process. Thanks for taking the time to share your success story and all the specific details. Posts like this are exactly what people in this situation need to see!

Update us once you get through to someone! And definitely keep filing those weekly claims even while you're waiting. I've seen too many people miss a week thinking 'what's the point?' and then have to restart their whole claim when the adjudication finally clears.

Reading through this thread as someone who went through a similar situation last year. The income reporting discrepancy issue is super common - happened to me too when my employer's final payroll summary didn't match what I reported on my application. For anyone else dealing with this, here's what helped me: When you do get through to ESD (whether through calling or using a service like Claimyr), ask the agent to explain exactly what documentation they need to resolve the discrepancy. In my case, I was able to email them my final paystub and W-2 which cleared everything up within a week. Also want to echo what others said about continuing to file weekly claims even during adjudication. I almost stopped filing thinking it was pointless, but my caseworker told me that would have reset my claim date and I would have lost weeks of backpay. The system is definitely frustrating but hang in there - once it's resolved you'll get all your backpay at once. Sounds like you're on the right track now that you know what's causing the delay!