@Derek Olson - You re'definitely not alone in this! I just went through the exact same thing and wanted to share what worked for me since this thread has been such a lifeline. The secure messaging route is absolutely worth trying - I got a response within 48 hours when I couldn t'get through by phone for weeks. When you message them, ask specifically about why your weekly claims show submitted "instead" of processed "and" whether there are any pending verifications holding things up. Also definitely call your former employer ASAP! That was the breakthrough for me - turned out they had received an ESD verification request almost 2 weeks earlier but it was just sitting in someone s'inbox. Once I called and they submitted it that same day, my claims moved to processed "within" 3 business days and I got my first payment with full backpay. It s'so frustrating that we have to be detectives and advocates for our own claims when we re'already stressed about money. But the good news is that once these verification bottlenecks get cleared, payments seem to flow pretty quickly. Hang in there - based on everyone s'experiences here, you re'probably closer to resolution than it feels like! 🙏

@Freya Thomsen - You re'definitely in good company here! I ve'been following this thread closely since I m'dealing with almost the exact same timeline and issues. The submitted "vs" processed "revelation" has been huge for me too - it s'such a small detail but explains so much about why we re'all stuck. I actually tried the secure messaging approach yesterday after reading @Mateo Gonzalez s success'story, and also called my former employer this morning. Turns out they had an ESD wage verification request that had been sitting unread for over a week! My HR person said they d get'it submitted today, so I m cautiously'optimistic that might be the missing piece. The waiting is absolutely brutal, especially when bills are due. But what s giving'me hope is that almost everyone in this thread who tracked down their specific holdup usually employer (verification delays saw their) payments start flowing pretty quickly after that got resolved, usually with full backpay included. Definitely try both approaches - the secure message asking specifically about processing delays, and calling your employer to light a fire under them. Based on everyone s experiences'here, being proactive at both ends seems to be what finally breaks things loose. Keep us posted on your progress! 💪

This is really encouraging to hear from another special ed para! I love the tip about getting HR to clarify the difference between being "separated from employment" versus just "not working" - that's such an important distinction that I never would have thought to ask about. It sounds like that clarity really helped your claim process smoothly. Ten days to start receiving benefits is pretty impressive too! I'm definitely going to call my HR department next week to get that same kind of clear statement about my employment status. The point about childcare centers valuing special needs experience for job searches is brilliant - I hadn't considered that angle but it makes total sense. Thanks for sharing your success story, it's exactly what I needed to hear as I prepare to file my own claim!

As another special ed para, I can confirm that the HR conversation makes a huge difference! I had a similar experience where getting that clear "separated from employment" language helped my claim go through without any delays. One thing I'd add is to also ask HR if they can provide a written statement about your employment status - I kept that letter with all my other documentation just in case Washington ESD needed it later. The childcare center job search tip is spot on too - I actually ended up getting a few days of work at a summer camp specifically because of my special needs experience, which was nice extra income to report on my weekly claims. It's so reassuring to see other special ed paras sharing their success stories here!

How much notice do they give you for an audit?

Usually a couple weeks, but the sooner you respond the better. Shows you're organized and compliant.

That's a great approach! I like the idea of scheduling specific times for job search activities instead of leaving it to the last minute. Do you find that certain times of day work better for applications versus networking activities? I'm trying to figure out the most efficient way to organize my job search efforts.

Welcome Carmen! I'm dealing with the same frustrating situation right now. From everything I've read in this thread, it really does seem like persistence with calling pays off. I've been trying the 8am strategy too but haven't gotten through yet. One thing that's helped my stress level is keeping a detailed log of everything - when I filed claims, what job searches I did, any changes I reported. That way if I do get through to someone, I have all the info ready. The community here has been so helpful in explaining that pending doesn't necessarily mean something's wrong, just that they're reviewing something. Fingers crossed both our situations resolve soon!

Hey Carmen! Welcome to the community - you picked a great thread to jump into since everyone here has shared such helpful experiences. I'm also new to dealing with Washington ESD and the pending status thing is definitely nerve-wracking when you're counting on those payments. From what I've gathered reading through all these responses, it sounds like calling right at 8am is your best bet, but you really do have to be persistent and keep redialing. I tried for about 45 minutes yesterday morning and finally got through - turns out my pending status was just routine verification too. The representative said to expect it to clear up within the next week or two. One thing I learned is to have all your information ready when you call - claim number, recent work history, job search log, etc. Makes the conversation go much smoother. Hang in there, sounds like most people get their back pay once everything gets sorted out!

I'm also brand new to this community and just experienced my first pending status scare! Reading through everyone's stories has been such a relief - I was convinced I'd somehow messed up my entire claim when I saw that pending notification yesterday. Hannah, your breakdown of keeping up with weekly claims is so important - I definitely would have made that mistake without this thread! I'm curious though, for those who've been through this before, do you get any kind of notification when the pending status clears, or do you just have to keep checking your account daily? I've been refreshing my eServices page obsessively and wondering if there's a better way to stay informed about status changes.

Felix, great question about notifications! From my experience, Washington ESD doesn't typically send you an alert when pending status clears - you usually just have to keep checking your eServices account. I found that checking once in the morning and once in the evening was less stressful than constantly refreshing throughout the day. Some people here mentioned getting email notifications for certain things, but I wouldn't rely on that for status changes. When mine finally cleared, I just logged in one morning and saw that the pending had switched to "paid" with all my back payments showing up. The direct deposit hit my account the next business day. I know the waiting and uncertainty is tough, but try not to drive yourself crazy checking constantly - most of these routine reviews do resolve within a few weeks as others have shared!

I'm also brand new to this community but stumbled across this thread while desperately searching for PFML phone solutions! Your experience sounds exactly like what I'm going through - I've been trying for 9 days about my medical leave application and had that same soul-crushing immediate hang-up happen twice after waiting over 45 minutes each time. It's like they're designed to break your spirit! Reading everyone's strategies here has been incredibly valuable though. The 8AM Wednesday/Thursday timing seems to be the magic formula based on all the success stories. I'm going to set multiple alarms tomorrow and have everything perfectly organized - application ID, SSN, written questions, and that crucial opening line about the previous disconnections. It's absolutely absurd that we need to coordinate like we're launching a space mission just to talk to someone about benefits we've earned, but at least this community has figured out what actually works. Your persistence is inspiring - we'll both get through this eventually! Thanks for sharing your experience and adding to this amazing resource thread.