I'm currently going through my first unemployment audit with Washington ESD and this thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding what to expect. Like many others here, I wasn't as thorough with my record-keeping as I should have been, but reading about people successfully reconstructing documentation from browser history and email confirmations gives me hope. The stress of potentially owing money back is really getting to me, especially since I was genuinely looking for work but just didn't understand how detailed the documentation needed to be. Has anyone found that Washington ESD auditors are generally reasonable when you can show you were making legitimate efforts to find employment, even if your paperwork isn't perfect? I'm trying to gather as much information as I can before I submit my response to make sure I handle this the right way.

I'm going through my first Washington ESD audit right now and this whole thread has been a lifesaver - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! I got my audit notice about 10 days ago and initially panicked, but reading about how others have successfully navigated this process has really helped calm my nerves. I've been following the advice here about reconstructing documentation from browser history and email confirmations, and I'm amazed at how much I was actually able to recover. Found old job application confirmations in my email trash folder, LinkedIn message threads with recruiters, and even some screenshots I took of interesting job postings. My biggest takeaway from all these stories is that being honest and proactive seems to be the key - the auditors appear to be looking for evidence of good faith effort rather than perfect documentation. I'm putting together a comprehensive response packet with everything I can find plus a cover letter explaining any gaps, and I feel much more confident about the outcome now. For anyone else facing this situation, don't give up hope and start gathering documentation immediately!

Thanks everyone for all this advice! I feel way more confident about managing my work search requirements now. Going to start a spreadsheet today and be more systematic about everything.

I just wanted to share what's been working for me - I created a simple template in Google Docs that I fill out each time I do a work search activity. It has fields for date, company name, position title, method of contact, and a notes section. Then I just copy and paste the info when I file my weekly claim. Having a consistent format makes it so much easier to stay organized and I never forget important details. Plus Google Docs saves everything automatically so I don't have to worry about losing my records.

One last tip from someone who's been through this - be patient with the process but persistent if something seems wrong. Per diem workers have valid claims, but sometimes you need to educate the system about your specific situation.

I'm also a per diem worker (CNA at a few different facilities) and just wanted to add that when you file, make sure you have all your employer information ready - names, addresses, dates you worked there, etc. The application asks for a lot of detail about each job. Also, don't be discouraged if your claim takes a while to process. Mine took about 4 weeks but I did get approved and received back pay for the waiting period. The key is showing that your hours dropped significantly due to circumstances beyond your control. Good luck with your application!

FWIW the official Washington ESD statistics page gets updated around the 15th of each month with the previous month's data. So right now you're looking at November 2024 numbers. December data should be out soon and will probably show the seasonal uptick from holiday layoffs.

I've been following Washington ESD data for a while and can confirm the current numbers are around 87,000-90,000 people receiving regular UI benefits. However, what's frustrating is that this doesn't include the thousands stuck in adjudication like yourself. From what I've observed, construction layoffs in winter often trigger additional review requirements, which explains your 5-week delay. The system treats seasonal layoffs differently than permanent job losses, requiring verification that it's truly temporary. Your wait time is longer than average but not unheard of for seasonal claims. Have you received any correspondence explaining what specific issue is under review?

I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation - workplace injury and complete confusion about which benefits to apply for. My employer's HR department also gave me conflicting information about filing for unemployment alongside my L&I claim. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening! I had no idea that unemployment requires you to be "able and available" for work, which obviously doesn't apply when you're medically unable to work due to injury. The explanation about L&I providing both medical coverage AND time-loss benefits (60-75% of wages) while FMLA just protects your job makes so much sense. I'm definitely going to focus on getting my L&I claim established properly first, keep detailed documentation of everything, and try that early morning calling tip to actually reach someone. The stories about people having to pay back thousands in unemployment benefits they weren't eligible for are exactly the kind of nightmare I want to avoid! Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with workplace injuries in Washington. It's so much clearer now why trying to juggle multiple benefit systems at once is a bad idea.

I'm also dealing with a workplace injury right now and this entire discussion has been a lifesaver! Like so many others here, my supervisor told me to apply for "everything available" which clearly would have been a disaster based on what I'm reading about people owing back thousands in unemployment benefits. What really helped me understand the situation is realizing that these aren't competing programs - they actually work together. L&I handles the financial support and medical coverage for workplace injuries, FMLA protects your job, and unemployment is only for people who CAN work but don't have a job available. Since we're medically unable to work due to our injuries, unemployment doesn't apply. I've already started keeping that detailed log that someone mentioned earlier - documenting every phone call, email, and piece of paperwork. It's already come in handy when L&I claimed they never received a form my doctor's office faxed. Having my own records saved me from starting over. For anyone just starting this process: focus on your L&I claim first, be completely honest with your medical providers about your limitations, keep copies of everything, and don't let anyone pressure you into filing for benefits you're not eligible for. The peace of mind from doing this right the first time is worth way more than trying to rush through multiple applications.