So im kinda confused about this whole thing. If you attended the appointment the next day why are they punishing you? That seems so unfair. Did you try to explain to them that you went the next day? Also what is WorkSource exactly? Do I need to do those appointments too? Ive been on unempoyment for 3 weeks now.

this happened too me to except they didnt let me resechedule and i lost a whole month of benifits not just one week!! your lucky its only one week. i think its better to miss filling a weekly claim than to miss a worksource appt becaus at least with missed weekly claim u can backdate it somtimes but missed appt is automatic disqualifcation for that week

One important thing to note: if your Offer of Compromise is accepted, the forgiven amount may be reported to the IRS as income. Just something to be prepared for if you get a significant reduction.

I just submitted my Offer of Compromise today. I offered to pay 35% immediately if they'll forgive the rest. I included everything - bank statements showing my minimal savings, documentation of my rent increase, medical bills, the whole financial disaster of my life laid bare. Now I just have to wait and see if they'll accept it. I'll update this thread when I hear back in case it helps anyone else in the same situation. Thanks everyone for your advice.

hows your financial situation while waiting? have u contacted DSHS? when i was waiting for my UI i got emergency assistance thru them, might be worth checking out

Has there been any update on your case? I'm curious if the adjudicator has reached out yet.

To directly answer your question: Yes, you can definitely join by phone, and yes, you can leave early. The phone option works through their Webex system - when you dial in, you'll need to enter the meeting number followed by the # sign. For your job search log, make sure to document: - The exact name of the job fair - The date and time you attended - Names of at least 3 employers you interacted with - Any positions you expressed interest in This detailed documentation is important in case ESD has questions about your job search activities later. Since these virtual job fairs count as multiple job search activities, it's worth making the effort to attend even if only for the first hour.

btw when ur there make sure u talk to the healthcare companies they seemed to have the most actual jobs vs just collecting resumes

Make sure you're super clear on your appeal form about why this is wrong. When I had my hearing with the Administrative Law Judge, they specifically asked why I didn't respond to the original notice years ago. Have your answer ready - in your case, that your benefits were exhausted so you reasonably believed no response was needed. Also keep in mind that for the current disqualification, you'll need to address the performance standards issue separately. That's often a difficult basis for approval unless you can show it wasn't your fault or there were mitigating circumstances. The old paperwork issue might be resolved, but you'll still need to overcome the performance-based termination.

Absolutely include those emails about the new metrics! That's exactly the kind of evidence that can help overcome a performance-based disqualification. If you can show the standards were unreasonable or that you weren't given adequate time/training to meet them, you have a much stronger case. For the appeal process, submit both issues: 1) The training benefits form from 2018 was not responded to because benefits were exhausted, and 2) The performance standards that led to your termination were newly implemented with insufficient time to adapt. Make copies of EVERYTHING before you send it in.

pro tip: hit 4 then 2 then 1 then 3 in the phone menu. gets u to a different queue. worked for me last time

Just to follow up - did you get your standby issue resolved? If your employer has submitted the extension request, you should be able to see the updated standby end date in your eServices account under "Summary of Current Claim." If it's been more than 48 hours since they submitted it and you don't see the update, that would be a valid reason to call in as it might indicate a system issue.

I want to add one more important thing: when you file for UI after PFML, you'll need to report that you received PFML benefits when asked about other income during the application. This won't disqualify you, but you need to be honest about it. Also, your UI benefit amount will be calculated based on your highest-earning quarters in your base year, which should include your employment before being fired. So at least your benefit amount should still reflect your full-time wages.

Just wanted to say your employer sounds AWFUL and I'm sorry you're dealing with this while pregnant. The stress is the last thing you need right now. This is why we need better worker protections in this country!! Companies get away with this garbage all the time because they know most people won't have the resources to fight back.

I tried calling ESD for DAYS about a similar issue last month and could never get through. The wait times are insane. I finally used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes. Totally worth it when you need to actually talk to someone. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website is claimyr.com if you end up needing to call about the union status thing.

To directly answer your questions: 1. Yes, file normally: report zero hours/wages, available for work, and answer all questions as usual. 2. You don't need to do anything special since the claim has remained active throughout. 3. Since he maintained an active claim by continuously filing, there will be no waiting week. 4. Verify his union referral status is correctly showing in the system to avoid job search requirements. 5. Payment should process normally as long as there are no new issues with the claim. The key is that by continuously filing even during periods of work, you've maintained the claim's active status, which makes the transition back to receiving benefits seamless.

To answer your follow-up question - yes, you should file your UI claim immediately after your last day of work, even though you're receiving severance. ESD will determine when your benefits actually begin based on your severance amount. In my case, I received my severance as a lump sum payment. I reported this on my UI application, and ESD essentially "allocated" that payment across several weeks (dividing the total by my weekly wage). My actual UI payments began once that period ended. But by filing immediately, I established my claim and didn't lose any potential benefit weeks. Regarding the language in the agreement - it's definitely worth asking HR to change it, but if they refuse, I'd probably still sign for the severance money. Just be completely honest with ESD about the real circumstances of your separation when you file. In most cases, ESD recognizes these corporate tactics.

One more important note: When you have your exit meeting, try to get them to explicitly state the reason for your separation in writing. If they say it's due to "business needs," "reorganization," "position elimination," or similar terms, ask for that in an email or letter. This documentation will be valuable if there's any dispute about your UI eligibility. When you file your claim, you'll have the opportunity to explain the circumstances. Be clear that you were laid off but received severance with certain conditions. The ESD adjudicators are familiar with these situations and will look at the totality of circumstances, not just the language in a severance agreement. As others have mentioned, your severance may delay the start of your benefits, but it won't necessarily make you ineligible altogether. Make sure you're completing all your weekly claims during this time, even if you're not receiving payments yet.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE YOU ON PURPOSE!!! They make it impossible to understand so you miss deadlines and they don't have to pay you. I had 5 different issues on my claim last year and every ESD person told me something different. They're trained to give you the runaround.

Update: I finally got through to ESD this morning after trying for hours! The agent explained that the system glitched because I had multiple issues being processed at once. The disqualification was for a job separation issue, but I can't see the appeal option because the decision letter was just sent yesterday and hasn't updated in the system yet. The other adjudications are for separate weeks where I had reported some part-time hours. She said to watch my mail for the determination letter, which will have appeal instructions. Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions!