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Just remember to keep applying for jobs while you're collecting benefits. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and they do check on it.
Based on your $52k salary, you should expect somewhere in the $500-600 range weekly. I was making almost exactly the same amount and got $547 per week. The key thing is they look at your highest earning quarter from your base period, not your annual salary. So if you had overtime or bonuses in one quarter that could bump it up. Make sure to apply soon if you haven't already - there's a waiting week before benefits start and the sooner you get in the system the better.
No, the status didn't change yet after uploading. The letter said it could take 1-2 weeks for an adjudicator to review the new documents. The online status still shows disqualified, but I'm trying to be patient based on everyone's experiences here!
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently on week 3 of "disqualified" status after being laid off from my warehouse job due to company downsizing. I was starting to panic thinking I'd never get benefits, but reading everyone's experiences gives me hope. I've been keeping up with my weekly claims and job search activities, so hopefully it's just a matter of waiting it out. Thanks especially to @be5caa622891 for the detailed breakdown of what ESD is actually doing during these investigations - that really helped me understand the process better!
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.
Good luck! The waiting is hard but try not to stress too much. In my experience, they're actually reasonable if you've provided good documentation. One tip: if you don't hear anything after 4 weeks, call them for a status update. Sometimes applications need a little nudge to keep moving through their system.
I'm in a similar situation with a $9,800 overpayment from 2020. Reading through all these responses gives me some hope that the Offer of Compromise might actually work. @Sofia Torres - really hoping your application gets approved! Can you keep us updated on how long the review process takes? I'm still gathering all my financial documents but this thread has been super helpful in understanding what to include. The detail about potential tax implications on forgiven debt is something I hadn't considered - thanks @Zainab Omar for that heads up. It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops for what were mostly honest mistakes during such a chaotic time.
Bottom line - being fired doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment benefits in Washington. File your claim, be honest about what happened, and let Washington ESD make the determination. You've got a good chance of being approved if it was truly about performance and not misconduct.
I went through something very similar about 8 months ago. Got let go for "not meeting expectations" but I suspect they just wanted to restructure my position. Filed for unemployment immediately and was approved after about 3 weeks of adjudication. The investigator was actually really fair during the phone interview - they asked both me and my employer detailed questions about the circumstances. My advice: file right away, keep detailed notes about what happened at your job, and don't stress too much about the outcome. Washington ESD really does look at each case individually and performance issues rarely count as disqualifying misconduct unless there was willful negligence involved.
Sean O'Donnell
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.
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Omar Fawaz
•I had no idea waiting time counted! This is really helpful, I'm going to start tracking everything more carefully. I really appreciate everyone's advice here!
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Mei Zhang
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.
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Liam McGuire
•This is exactly what I needed to know! I was stressing about having to compile a bunch of different screenshots, but having it all in one clean weekly summary makes so much sense. Thank you for sharing your experience - it's reassuring to know this approach has worked consistently for you over several months!
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