After going through this whole process, my advice is to treat Sunday weekly claim filing like paying a bill - same time every week, never skip it, always complete and accurate. Set up whatever reminders you need because the system doesn't forgive missed deadlines easily.

One more thing to add - if you're new to filing weekly claims, don't panic if your first payment seems delayed. Sometimes there's an additional processing period for your very first claim even after you've been approved. As long as you're filing every Sunday on time, you should get all your eligible weeks eventually. I learned this the hard way when I kept calling Washington ESD thinking something was wrong, but my first payment just took an extra few days to process.

Connor, I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and wanted to share what worked for me. I was stuck in ESD review for almost a month with zero income, so I started doing Instacart and it was a lifesaver. Here's what I learned: You can absolutely do gig work during the review period - just make sure you keep filing those weekly claims and report every penny you earn. I kept detailed spreadsheets of my daily Instacart earnings and hours, which saved me when ESD eventually called for fact-finding. The key is understanding that "review period" doesn't mean you can't work - it just means they're verifying your claim details. When they finally approved me, I got full backpay calculated properly based on all my weekly filings, including the weeks where I reported Instacart income. Pro tip: Try to stay around that $200/week mark if your benefit amount allows it (that 25% threshold everyone mentioned). I found that doing grocery deliveries on weekend mornings was the most reliable way to hit consistent earnings without going over. Also, don't stress too much about the review timeline - mine took 4 weeks total, but I've heard of people getting resolved in as little as 10 days. The waiting is brutal but you're doing the right thing by planning ahead and asking these questions. Hang in there!

Hey Connor, I just wanted to chime in with some encouragement since I know how stressful this situation is. I was in almost identical circumstances last year - manufacturing job ended, ESD claim stuck in review, bills piling up. I ended up doing Uber Eats and some odd jobs through Craigslist while waiting. The key things that helped me: 1) Keep meticulous records of everything (I used a simple notebook to track daily earnings and hours), 2) Report ALL income on your weekly claims even if it seems small, and 3) Don't let the gig work distract you from your job search requirements. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - if you have any tools or skills from your manufacturing job, Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor can be goldmines for quick handyman gigs that pay better than delivery work. I made $300 one weekend just helping people move furniture and fix basic stuff around their houses. The review process sucks but hang in there. Mine took about 3 weeks total and when it finally got approved, the backpay covered everything I'd been stressed about. You're asking all the right questions and being responsible about reporting - that's going to work in your favor when they review your claim. Good luck!

I've been with Gesa for unemployment benefits for about 5 months now and I can add another data point - mine consistently shows up Wednesday nights around 11:15pm, almost like clockwork! I think what everyone is saying about Gesa's evening batch processing is spot on. One thing that really helped me was setting up a separate "rent fund" savings account with Gesa that I transfer money into as soon as my unemployment hits. That way I'm not scrambling to make sure the timing works out with my landlord - I just transfer the rent money immediately on Wednesday night and then I know it's there for whenever I need to pay. Gesa's mobile app makes the transfer instant between accounts. For your current situation, I'd definitely go with what others suggested and tell your landlord Thursday to be safe. But based on everyone's experiences here (including mine), you should see it Wednesday night!

I'm new to unemployment benefits and just opened a Gesa account specifically because I heard they were good for direct deposits. This thread is so reassuring! I was worried about timing since I'm also dealing with rent deadlines. Quick question for the Gesa veterans here - does the deposit timing change at all if you're brand new to unemployment? Like, do they hold first-time deposits longer or anything like that? I just filed my first weekly claim on Sunday and ESD shows it as processed, but I want to make sure I have realistic expectations for when it might hit my account. Also, is there any difference between using Gesa's mobile app vs online banking for checking deposits? I want to make sure I'm not missing anything!

I went through something similar in 2023 - the identity verification process is definitely frustrating when it comes after you've already moved on from unemployment. One thing that helped me was also sending the documents via certified mail to create a paper trail, in addition to the fax. The address is Washington State Employment Security Department, PO Box 9046, Olympia, WA 98507-9046. Also, when you call to confirm they received your documents, ask specifically for the reference number they assign to your identity verification case - this makes it much easier to track progress when you call back. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me once they confirmed receipt. Hang in there - it's a pain but it does get resolved eventually!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - filed my claim in January and got hit with an identity verification issue from 2022 that I never knew about. It's so frustrating how they can hold up your current benefits for something that happened years ago when you weren't even actively claiming! I submitted my documents through both the online portal and fax about 10 days ago. Based on what everyone is sharing here, it sounds like I'm looking at another 2-3 weeks of waiting. The financial stress is real - I've already had to ask family for help with rent this month. One thing I learned from calling them (after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned - it really does work!) is that they process identity verification appeals in the order they receive them, so there's no way to expedite unless there's a true emergency situation. The agent also told me to keep detailed records of all my communication attempts in case I need to escalate later. Thanks for sharing your experience - it helps to know I'm not alone in this mess!

I'm going through the same situation right now! Just got laid off two weeks ago with 6 weeks of severance. After reading all these responses, I'm definitely filing my claim this week. It's so confusing when you're stressed about losing your job and trying to figure out all these rules. Really glad to see so many people confirming that you should file immediately rather than wait. The benefit year clock ticking from your claim date is something I had no idea about - that alone makes it worth filing right away even if benefits are reduced initially.

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - file your claim immediately! I was in your exact situation 8 months ago with 12 weeks severance. The Washington ESD process was actually smoother than I expected once I understood how it works. Your severance will reduce your weekly benefit amount (likely to $0 for the weeks you're receiving severance), but you're still building eligibility and your benefit year starts from your filing date. The key is being completely transparent about your severance on every weekly claim - don't try to hide it or you'll face overpayment issues later. Also keep in mind that even though your UI benefits might be reduced to zero initially, you still need to meet all the other requirements like job searching and being available for work. Once your severance runs out, your full benefits will kick in without any additional waiting period. The worst thing you can do is wait - you'll just be throwing away weeks of potential coverage for no reason.