Hope your claim goes smoothly! The first time is always nerve-wracking but once you get into the routine of weekly claims and job searching, it becomes pretty straightforward. Just remember that Washington ESD is there to help, even if the system can be frustrating sometimes.

One more thing that might help - make sure to keep copies of everything you submit. I screenshot every page of my application and save all the confirmation numbers. Washington ESD's system occasionally has glitches and having your own records can save you from having to redo everything. Also, if you get any mail from them, read it carefully and respond by the deadlines. Missing a deadline can cause your benefits to get suspended. Good luck with your filing!

I've been doing both DoorDash and Amazon Flex while on UI for about 8 months now, and I wanted to add some practical advice that might help you succeed with this! **Weekly Planning Strategy:** I actually plan my gig work around my UI benefit amount to maximize total income. If my weekly benefit is $300, I aim to earn around $200-250 from gig work, which still leaves me with partial UI benefits. This way I'm making $450-500 total per week instead of just $300 from UI alone. **App-Specific Tips:** - DoorDash: Use the "Dash Now" feature during dinner rush (5-8pm) and weekend mornings - much better pay per hour - Amazon Flex: The warehouse blocks (not Whole Foods) tend to be more predictable routes and better for gas mileage - Both apps show your gross earnings clearly, which is exactly what you report to ESD **ESD Reporting Reality:** I've never had my claim delayed or put on hold for reporting gig work. The key is consistency - report the same way every single week. The online system handles it automatically as long as you're honest about your earnings and hours. **Birthday Fund Strategy:** Since this is short-term for your daughter's birthday, I'd suggest setting a specific dollar goal and timeframe. If you need an extra $200 and have 3 weeks, that's about $65-70 per week in gig earnings - totally doable with just a few strategic shifts! Your daughter is going to have such a special birthday knowing how hard you're working to make it memorable. The temporary gas costs will be so worth it for those birthday memories! 🎂✨

I've been doing gig work while on UI for about 5 months and wanted to share what's worked best for me since you're dealing with gas concerns! **My Setup:** I focus on Amazon Flex because it's way more gas-efficient than DoorDash - you drive to one location, pick up packages, then deliver in a concentrated route rather than driving all over town between restaurants and customers. **Earnings vs Benefits Balance:** My weekly UI is $265. When I do 2-3 Amazon Flex blocks per week (earning around $180), I still get about $130 in UI benefits. So I end up with roughly $310 total instead of just $265 - that extra $45/week really adds up! **Reporting Process:** Super straightforward - Amazon Flex gives you clear earnings summaries that show exactly what to report. I always report gross earnings for the week I worked, and I've never had any delays or issues with ESD. Just be consistent every week. **Birthday Fund Goal:** For your $100-200 goal, you could easily hit that with just 1-2 weeks of strategic Amazon Flex shifts during busy times (weekends, evenings). Way less wear and tear on your car than DoorDash! **Pro Tip:** Sign up for both platforms but start with Amazon Flex first since it's easier on gas. You can always add DoorDash later if you need to hit higher earnings targets. Your daughter is going to have such an amazing birthday! It's really sweet how you're planning ahead to make it special for her. Good luck with everything! 🎉

I'm in a similar situation - laid off 8 weeks ago but just learned about Washington ESD's retroactive benefits yesterday! Reading through everyone's experiences here is really encouraging. It sounds like the consensus is that I should file my initial claim immediately and then submit weekly claims for all 8 weeks, making sure I have documentation of job search activities for each week. I've been keeping a spreadsheet of applications I submitted and networking calls I made, so hopefully that will be sufficient proof. One question though - if I had a brief consulting gig for 3 days during week 4, does that disqualify me from benefits for that entire week or just affect the amount? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else in this situation - I was in almost the exact same boat as you, Riya! I waited 5 weeks before filing because I thought my severance package meant I couldn't get unemployment. Turns out Washington ESD approved all 5 weeks of retroactive benefits. The key things that helped me: I kept a simple notebook with dates of every job application I submitted (even the ones I applied to online and never heard back from), I saved email confirmations from job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn, and I wrote down any phone calls I made to contacts about potential opportunities. When I finally got through to a Washington ESD representative, they walked me through filing weekly claims for each of those missed weeks. It took about 3 weeks to process everything, but I received the full back pay. Don't stress too much about having "perfect" documentation - they understand that people don't always know to keep detailed records from day one. The important thing is showing you made genuine efforts to find work during those weeks you're claiming.

File your claim TODAY if you haven't already. Every day you wait is money you can't get back. Even if there's adjudication, even if your employer contests it, file now.

Just wanted to add that when you file your claim, make sure to be completely honest about the circumstances of your termination. Washington ESD will investigate anyway, and being upfront about the "performance issues" will work in your favor during adjudication. Also, keep all your termination paperwork - any write-ups, performance reviews, or termination letter. These documents can help prove it wasn't willful misconduct if your employer tries to contest the claim.

Thanks everyone for all the info. This has answered pretty much every question I had about working while on unemployment. Time to sign up for some delivery apps!

Another thing to keep in mind - make sure you understand the difference between gross and net pay when tracking your gig earnings. The apps will show you what you earned before their fees, but for unemployment reporting purposes you want to report what you actually received. So if DoorDash shows $50 in earnings but takes a $5 service fee, you'd report $45. Keep screenshots of your weekly earnings summaries from each app to make filing your claims easier.