Just want to add that even if your employer has documentation of policy violations, you can still win if you can show the violations weren't willful or if there were extenuating circumstances. Don't give up hope!

I went through a similar misconduct appeal last year and won! The key thing that helped me was focusing on Washington's specific definition of misconduct - it has to be willful and deliberate disregard of employer interests. If you were genuinely trying to do your job but made mistakes or struggled with performance, that's not misconduct. Make sure you have a clear timeline of events, any documentation showing you tried to improve or asked for help, and evidence that policies weren't clearly communicated or consistently enforced. Also, practice telling your story concisely - the hearing officer needs to understand your perspective quickly. You mentioned medical documentation for tardiness - that could be really strong evidence that your actions weren't willful. Good luck with your hearing!

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I'm going to call Washington ESD tomorrow morning to set up a payment plan. Feel much better knowing I have options and that 30-day deadline to work with.

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone, try calling right when they open at 8 AM. I found the lines are usually less busy first thing in the morning. Also, have all your information ready including your Social Security number, the overpayment notice, and a rough idea of what you might be able to afford monthly for a payment plan. This will help speed up the process once you do get connected with an agent.

One last thing - if you ever need to appeal your unemployment tax rate, you have to do it within 30 days of getting the rate notice. Don't wait if you think there's an error.

As someone who just went through this process last year, I'd recommend setting up a simple spreadsheet to track your quarterly payments and deadlines. It really helps stay organized, especially when you're juggling multiple state requirements. Also, if you're planning to grow your team, keep in mind that your experience rating will start kicking in after year three, so maintaining good employee relations and documentation becomes even more important for keeping those rates low long-term.

I've been claiming for about 2 months now and can confirm the 2-3 day timeline is pretty reliable. One thing I'd add is that if you're ever unsure about your payment status, you can also check the "Payment Information" section in your Washington ESD online account - it shows if your payment is "Paid" or "Pending" which helps you know if it's processing normally or if there might be an issue that needs attention.

I've been on unemployment for about 3 months and the timing has been pretty consistent - usually Tuesday morning for me with Wells Fargo. One tip I'd add is to make sure you complete your weekly claim submission before noon on Sunday if possible. I noticed when I filed later in the day, sometimes it would push my deposit to Wednesday instead of Tuesday. Also, if you ever have questions about a specific payment, the automated phone system (1-800-318-6022) can actually give you payment status without having to talk to an agent - just have your Social Security number ready.

After you get through to someone, ask them to flag your account for expedited processing due to financial hardship. I did this and mentioned I was facing possible eviction (which was true). The agent added notes to my claim and it was resolved within 48 hours after weeks of waiting. They don't advertise this option but it exists for emergency situations.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - 6 weeks in adjudication with the same "employment verification" and "able and available" pending issues. It's absolutely maddening! I've also uploaded everything they asked for multiple times and can't get through to anyone. What's really frustrating is that there's no transparency about what's actually happening or how long it might take. I've been keeping a spreadsheet of every call attempt, every document uploaded, every weekly claim filed - just in case I need to escalate this somehow. The stress of not knowing when (or if) this will get resolved while bills keep piling up is honestly worse than being unemployed itself. Thanks for posting this - at least now I know I'm not the only one stuck in this nightmare.