I had knee surgery last year and I had the same exact problem. I ended up waiting until 2 days after my surgery to file and it went through fine. Make sure you know your first day of missed work too because they'll ask for that exact date. Also my doctor's office was really familiar with the certification form and had it ready for me when I asked.

I'm going through something similar right now! I filed my PFML claim about 6 weeks before my scheduled hip replacement surgery and got denied for the same reason - no qualifying event yet. It's so frustrating because the whole process feels backwards. Reading through everyone's responses here has been really helpful. I'm definitely going to wait until after my surgery (scheduled for next month) and then file a completely new claim. It sounds like the key is getting that Certification of Serious Health Condition form filled out properly by your doctor. One question though - has anyone had issues with their doctor's office not being familiar with the Washington PFML forms? I'm worried my surgeon's office might not know what they're doing since they see patients from multiple states.

I'm in the exact same boat as you Diego! Just got laid off from my Portland job last Friday while living in Vancouver. Been reading through all this advice and it's super helpful - definitely filing with Oregon tomorrow morning around 7 AM like everyone suggests. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from calling around today: if you worked for a larger company, try to get a copy of your termination letter before you file. HR told me Oregon sometimes asks for it during their verification process, and it's easier to get it now while you still have contacts at the company versus trying to track it down weeks later. Also wanted to say thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here - makes this whole cross-state filing thing feel way less intimidating when you know so many people in our area have successfully gone through it. The Vancouver-Portland commuter struggle is real, but at least the unemployment process is manageable once you know what to expect! Good luck with your filing Diego - sounds like we'll both be navigating Oregon's system this week!

I went through this exact situation about 4 months ago - worked in Portland, lived in Vancouver, got laid off suddenly. You absolutely need to file with Oregon since that's where your employer paid unemployment taxes. I know their system is frustrating, but here's what worked for me: File early morning (around 6:30 AM worked best for me) on a desktop computer, not mobile. Have your Social Security number, last pay stub with exact gross wages, employer's full legal name and address, and your termination date ready. When it asks for Oregon driver's license, just leave it blank - the system accepts out-of-state residents. The key thing that saved me time was setting up direct deposit during the initial application rather than waiting for their debit card. My Washington bank account worked fine with their system. Also, register with Oregon's iMatchSkills system separately for job searches - don't try to use Washington's WorkSource or you'll get flagged. One heads up: Oregon still has a waiting week (unlike WA), so budget for that extra week without benefits. But once you get through the initial setup, the weekly certifications are pretty straightforward. Their 5 job searches per week requirement sounds scary but they count networking, job fairs, even LinkedIn outreach. You've got this! The cross-border thing is super common in our area and Oregon handles it routinely.

The good news is once you get everything set up, the weekly claims only take a few minutes each week. Just don't forget to do them or you won't get paid!

Hey there! I went through this exact same thing last year when I got laid off. The online system at esd.wa.gov is definitely the way to go - it's way easier than trying to call or visit an office. Just make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months ready before you start. The whole application took me about 45 minutes, and most of that was just gathering my employer information. Don't stress too much about getting every detail perfect - they'll verify everything with your employers anyway. The key thing is to file as soon as possible since your benefit week starts when you file, not when you lost your job. Good luck!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to thank everyone for creating such an incredibly supportive environment! As someone who's been lurking and reading through this amazing thread, I'm blown away by how generous everyone has been with sharing their real WorkSource experiences and practical advice. I have my first appointment coming up in a couple weeks after being laid off from my accounting job, and honestly, this thread has been more valuable than any official resource I've found online. The transformation from Paolo's initial anxiety to all the positive experiences shared here really shows how much our fears about these appointments are often based on not knowing what to expect. What I love most about this community is how people have turned a potentially scary requirement into genuine opportunities for career growth and support. The stories about networking groups, hidden job markets, certification programs, and direct employer connections have completely reframed how I'm thinking about my upcoming appointment. Instead of dreading a compliance check, I'm actually excited about the potential resources and professional guidance that might be available. The practical tips shared here - organized documentation, career summary preparation, specific questions about training opportunities - have given me such a clear roadmap for success. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating unemployment feel so much less isolating and overwhelming. Thank you all for being so willing to help fellow job seekers succeed!

I'm new to this community and just had my WorkSource appointment in Everett yesterday! I wanted to share my experience since this thread has been so incredibly helpful for so many people preparing for their first appointments. Like many others here, I was really nervous going in - even after reading all the positive experiences shared in this thread, I still had that underlying anxiety about whether I was doing enough or had the right documentation. But honestly, it was even better than I expected! My specialist was fantastic - we spent about an hour going through my background in customer service and she helped me identify skills I could highlight for administrative and coordination roles. She also showed me their job matching system that sends personalized alerts based on your specific experience and salary requirements, which I had no idea existed. One thing that really stood out was their "soft skills workshop" series - apparently they offer free sessions on interview techniques, workplace communication, and even LinkedIn networking strategies. I'm signed up for three different workshops over the next month, all completely free through WorkSource. The documentation everyone mentioned was definitely important - I brought my job search log printouts and a few application confirmations in a simple folder, which was exactly what they needed to see. But the focus really was on "how can we help you succeed" rather than checking boxes. To anyone still feeling nervous about their upcoming appointment: this community's advice is absolutely spot-on. Go in prepared with your documentation and specific questions about your field, but also be ready to discover resources you didn't even know existed. These specialists really do know the local job market and genuinely want to help you find work!

Bottom line - keep all your documentation, claim the deduction on Schedule 1, and don't let Washington ESD push you around if you think the overpayment is wrong. You have rights in this process.

I'm going through something similar right now - Washington ESD says I owe back $1,650 from benefits I received in 2023. Reading through all these comments has been super helpful, especially learning about the Schedule 1 deduction. It's frustrating that ESD doesn't clearly explain the tax implications when they send these overpayment notices. I had no idea I could deduct the repayment until I found this thread. Going to make sure I keep every piece of documentation they send me!