Final reminder for OP - file your claim on February 16th, report your severance during weekly claims, keep your job search log updated, and don't hesitate to reach out for help if you run into issues. Washington ESD can be challenging to navigate but the benefits are worth it.

Just want to add that when you file your initial claim, make sure you have your employer's information handy including their federal employer identification number (FEIN) if possible. Washington ESD will need details about your job separation and having all the info ready will make the process smoother. Also, if you worked for multiple employers in the past 18 months, you'll need employment dates and wages from all of them. The more complete your initial application, the less likely you'll face delays or need to provide additional documentation later.

Just following up - were you able to make any progress with your claim? The technical support line suggestion from @profile1 is excellent advice. Also, if you're still stuck, there's a lesser-known option: the ESD Office of Administrative Hearings can sometimes help with claims that have been pending for more than 30 days, even without a formal determination. You can request this by specifically mentioning "OAH assistance with delayed claim" in your eServices message.

That's such great news Derek! I'm going through the exact same thing right now - been stuck in ID verification limbo for 4 weeks. Your update gives me hope that there's actually a solution. I'm definitely going to try calling that technical support line first thing Monday morning. It's so frustrating that the system can get stuck like that even when everything is properly verified. Really appreciate you coming back to share what worked - posts like yours are what make this community so valuable for people dealing with ESD nightmares!

This is such a common and stressful situation! I went through something similar a few months ago where my payment was delayed by almost a week. What helped me was creating a little checklist to work through systematically: 1) Check eServices payment history for any status changes, 2) Call your bank to see if they're holding the deposit, 3) Verify all your profile info (address, bank details) is current in the system, and 4) Check Washington ESD's website for any system maintenance announcements. In my case it ended up being a combination of a system update on their end plus my bank being extra cautious about a larger-than-usual deposit. The waiting is awful when you're counting on that money, but in most cases the payment does eventually come through. Hang in there!

I've been dealing with Washington ESD payment delays on and off for over a year now, and what I've learned is that persistence is key. When this happens, I always start by checking three things in this order: first, log into eServices and look at your payment history - not just the main dashboard but actually click into the payment details to see if there are any status codes or notes you might have missed. Second, if it shows as "paid" on their end, call your bank immediately - don't wait. Banks can hold ACH deposits for all sorts of reasons (address changes, new account activity, fraud prevention, etc.) and they can usually tell you right away if that's what's happening. Third, if your bank says they haven't received anything, then you know it's definitely a Washington ESD processing issue and you'll need to contact them directly. The Claimyr service mentioned earlier in this thread actually does work - I've used it twice when I absolutely needed to get through to an agent quickly. Yes it costs money, but when you're facing rent deadlines, sometimes it's worth it to avoid hours of busy signals. The key thing to remember is that these delays are usually temporary processing issues, not permanent problems with your claim. Stay calm and work through the steps systematically!

After my appeal, I had to wait nearly 3 weeks for payment, but a friend of mine got hers in just 8 days, so it really varies. I think it depends on: 1. How complicated your case was 2. Whether your employer contests the judge's decision 3. Current ESD workload 4. If you have any other issues on your claim The most frustrating part is there's no good way to check the status during this waiting period. The online system just shows your original disqualification until suddenly it updates all at once when they process it.

Hey Malik! I just went through this exact same process about 2 months ago. Had my hearing on a Tuesday and was super nervous about the timeline too since my rent was due soon. Here's what happened in my case: Got the decision letter exactly 14 days after the hearing (it was favorable!), and then ESD took another 6 days to actually update my claim and release the payments. So total time from hearing to money in my account was 20 days. The backpay was automatic for all the weeks I had filed during the appeal - didn't have to do anything special for that. Just make sure you keep filing every single week like others have said! One tip: I set up text alerts on my bank account so I'd know immediately when the deposit hit. The ESD website updated the same day but I saw the money first. Good luck, sounds like your hearing went really well!

One more important thing: even if you have to report the full UI amount, make sure you're claiming all possible deductions on your DSHS application. Housing costs, utilities, childcare expenses, and medical expenses can all help you qualify for more benefits even with higher income. Don't leave any deductions on the table!

I went through a similar situation with ESD overpayment recovery a few months ago. Just wanted to add that when you call ESD to request a hardship reduction, be prepared with specific documentation of your monthly expenses - rent, utilities, food costs, etc. They'll likely ask for proof that the current recovery rate is causing genuine financial hardship. Also, if you qualify for reduced recovery, make sure to get the new rate in writing through your eServices account. The process took about 3 weeks for me, but I was able to get my recovery rate reduced from 25% to 15%, which made a huge difference in my ability to cover basic expenses while still paying back the overpayment.