I just wanted to follow up on my earlier comment. If your husband's employer is contesting the separation reason (layoff vs. quit), that is almost certainly the cause of the delay. This type of dispute requires an adjudicator to review documents from both sides and potentially conduct fact-finding interviews. However, 15 weeks is still far too long. The challenge right now is that you need to: 1) Get someone at ESD to confirm this is the actual issue, and 2) Get an adjudicator assigned to make a determination. Did you submit a copy of any layoff notice, separation letter, or email communication about the project ending? These documents are critical in these types of disputes. Also, if other employees were laid off at the same time, statements from them can be helpful evidence. One other thought: Is your husband continuing to file weekly claims during this wait? This is absolutely crucial. Even with the adjudication pending, he needs to file every week without fail to receive backpay once the issue is resolved.

This is absolutely ridiculous and I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare. 15 weeks with that level of documentation is completely unacceptable. I went through something similar last year (though only 8 weeks) and what finally broke it loose was filing a complaint with the Washington State Auditor's office in addition to everything else people have mentioned here. They have a whistleblower/complaint portal specifically for government agency failures, and ESD apparently takes those very seriously because it affects their federal funding compliance. You can file online at sao.wa.gov. Also, if you haven't already, document EVERYTHING - every phone call, every time you were disconnected, every document you submitted. Screenshot your eServices account showing the weeks of "adjudication in progress" with dates. This will be important if you end up needing to escalate further or file any kind of formal complaint. The fact that you have clear documentation of a layoff and they're still dragging this out suggests either gross incompetence or a system malfunction. Either way, someone needs to be held accountable. Hang in there!

This whole thread has been really helpful. I had no idea there were so many options for dealing with overpayments. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. Washington ESD sent me an overpayment notice for $3,200 because I miscalculated my part-time earnings during several weeks. The notice was pretty scary at first, but I called them right away and was able to set up a $200/month payment plan. The key things I learned: 1) Don't ignore the notice - you have 30 days to respond, 2) Be honest about your financial situation when you call, 3) Keep all documentation from your conversations with them. It took about 3 months to get through on the phone (their system is terrible), but once I talked to someone they were actually reasonable to work with. The monthly payments are manageable and I should have it paid off by next year. The stress was way worse than the actual process.

Last tip - screenshot everything during your application process and keep records of all your communications with Washington ESD. If there are any issues later, you'll want that documentation for appeals or clarifications.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago - got fired from my retail job for what they called "customer service issues" but I knew they were just cutting hours across the board. Filed my claim the very next day and I'm so glad I did. The whole process took about 5 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, but they backdated everything to my filing date so I didn't lose any money by applying immediately. My employer did contest it initially, but after the fact-finding interview where I explained my side of the story, Washington ESD ruled in my favor. Don't let being "fired" scare you - they really do look at whether it was actual misconduct or just performance/business reasons. The worst case is they deny you, but if you don't apply at all you're guaranteed to get nothing. Go file tonight!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel like I have a much better understanding of how pensions affect unemployment benefits. I'll definitely report my pension but I'm optimistic it won't reduce my benefits since it's from an old employer.

I went through this exact same situation when I got laid off from Microsoft last year. Since your pension is from 5 years ago, it's almost certainly outside your base period and won't reduce your unemployment benefits. Washington ESD uses the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters to determine your base period, so a pension from 5 years ago definitely wouldn't fall within that timeframe. You'll still need to report it every week on your claims (I report mine as "other income"), but it shouldn't affect your benefit amount at all. The key is just being honest and reporting everything - Washington ESD will verify your income sources anyway, so transparency is always the best approach.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with the same login issues right now and it's so reassuring to see that others have figured it out. I'm going to try the SAW account recovery route first since that seems to have worked for a few people here. Quick question though - when you go through the account recovery process, does it immediately unlock your account or do you have to wait? I'm hoping to get this sorted today if possible since I'm also worried about missing something time-sensitive.

I'm having the exact same issue! Got the email notification yesterday and have been trying to log in ever since with no luck. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - I had no idea about the SAW account potentially being locked separately from just resetting the ESD password. I'm definitely going to try going directly to the SecureAccess Washington site first like @Lilah Brooks suggested. It's so frustrating when you know there's something waiting for you but the system won't let you in! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions.