Regarding your severance question - it depends on how your employer reports it. If they report it as a lump sum payment for your past work, it typically won't affect your unemployment eligibility. But if they report it as continuation of wages over several weeks, ESD may consider you still employed during that period. The best practice is to apply immediately after your last working day and report any severance honestly on your application. ESD will determine how it affects your claim. Waiting to apply could cause you to lose benefits since claims aren't backdated unless there's a very good reason for the delay. Also, yes, there is a waiting week in Washington. The first week you're eligible is unpaid but you still need to file a weekly claim for it.

Hey, I just went through this in January. Here's what I learned: the max benefit amount can be misleading because it doesn't account for deductions. I qualified for the maximum but after federal taxes (had them withhold 10%) and healthcare continuation payments, my actual deposit was about 22% less than the gross amount. Also, be prepared for the MyClaims website to crash constantly. I found that logging in very early morning (like 6am) or late evening after 8pm was much more reliable than during business hours. One more tip - even though you have to do 3 job search activities per week, only one needs to be an actual job application. The others can be things like updating your resume, attending a WorkSource workshop, or networking activities. Document everything carefully though!

i had something similar happen but mine was about a former employer contesting my claim not school stuff. did your employer say you shouldnt get benefits? sometimes the 'employer' part of that status means they're resolving something the employer brought up

I went through this exact same thing about 6 months ago! The "Letter ID resolution type employer" status basically means they've finished their investigation and are preparing your decision letter. When the adjudication date changes to today's date, that's actually really good news - it means someone is actively working on finalizing your case right now. Since you mentioned you were laid off due to budget cuts, that should work in your favor. The school hours request is just them making sure you're still "able and available" for work while taking classes. Two online classes shouldn't be a problem at all - just make sure when you upload your schedule that you clearly explain they're flexible and don't interfere with normal work hours. I got my decision letter within 2 days of my adjudication date changing, so hopefully you'll hear something very soon! Hang in there - sounds like you're at the finish line.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! Just to recap what I've learned in case it helps someone else: 1. Keep filing weekly claims until I've had 4 consecutive weeks of earnings above my benefit amount 2. Report all hours and wages earned in the week I'm claiming, even if I haven't been paid yet 3. ESD will automatically mark my claim as "excess earnings" when I earn more than my benefit amount 4. I still need to do job search activities for any week I'm claiming benefits (unless I get standby status) 5. The system will automatically deactivate my claim after 4 weeks of excess earnings This makes so much more sense now. I'll definitely keep filing and reporting accurately. Thanks again everyone!

One thing I'd add is to keep all your documentation from your first weeks of work - pay stubs, timesheets, etc. Even though the system usually works smoothly, having that paperwork can be a lifesaver if there are any questions later about what you earned and when. I've seen people get tripped up because they couldn't prove their exact earnings from their first partial week. Also, if your employer uses a weird pay schedule (like getting paid every two weeks but the pay periods don't align with the weekly claim periods), make sure you're reporting earnings for the correct week you actually worked, not when you got paid. Good luck with the new job!

I'm in a similar situation - applied in early February and still waiting! Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring. I had no idea it came from Department of Revenue instead of ESD, so I've been looking for the wrong thing in my mail too. The 8-16 week timeline that Caleb mentioned gives me hope since I'm right around that mark now. I've been checking the status portal obsessively but it just says "processing" with no updates. At least now I know that's normal and doesn't mean something went wrong with my application. Fingers crossed we all get our checks soon!

I'm also still waiting on mine - applied in early February and getting anxious! This thread has been incredibly helpful though. I had no idea the checks come from Department of Revenue instead of ESD, so I've been watching for the wrong thing in my informed delivery. The timeline everyone's sharing (8-16 weeks) actually makes me feel better since I'm right around week 12 now. It's good to know that "processing" status is normal and doesn't mean something's wrong. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - it helps to know we're all in this together! Hopefully we'll start seeing more of these checks roll out soon.

For tracking gig work hours, I use a simple spreadsheet that tracks: - Time I start the app and make myself available - Active delivery time - Waiting time between orders ESD considers all of this as work time, even when you're waiting for orders. If the app is on and you're available, you're technically working according to their guidelines. This is really important because if you work too many hours, you might not be eligible for benefits that week regardless of how little you earned.

Just wanted to add that if you're using the Instacart Shopper app, there's actually a section in your earnings tab that shows a weekly summary with your name, dates, and total earnings - this is exactly what ESD is looking for! Go to Earnings > Weekly Summary and screenshot that page. It's much cleaner than trying to piece together individual delivery receipts. I've been doing Instacart while on unemployment for 3 months now and this has worked every time I've had to submit documentation.