One last thought - if anyone else is struggling to get through to Washington ESD about their church employment questions, that Claimyr service at claimyr.com really is worth checking out. Sometimes you just need to actually talk to someone who can look up your specific employer's status instead of guessing.

I went through this exact situation two years ago when I lost my job at a small Lutheran church where I worked as a music director. Like others have said, the key is to file the claim anyway - you might be surprised. In my case, the church had actually opted into the system about 5 years earlier when they hired their first full-time pastor, but nobody on staff knew about it. I only found out when Washington ESD approved my claim. Even if you think there's only a 10% chance, it's worth the 20 minutes to file online. The worst case is you get a denial letter, but the best case is you get the benefits you've earned. Don't let assumptions stop you from trying!

Final thought - keep documenting everything. Take screenshots of your account showing the correspondence issue date, note when you tried to call, etc. If there are any problems later, you'll have proof that you were trying to resolve the issue.

I just went through this exact same situation last month! The correspondence issue date showed up on my account but I waited almost 2 weeks for a letter that never came. Turned out Washington ESD had a backlog in their mail processing system. When I finally got through to them (took forever on the phone), they were able to tell me what the letter was about and even email me a copy. Don't wait too long - if it's been more than 10 business days since that issue date, definitely try to contact them. In my case, it was just a routine request for wage verification, but the delay was stressing me out thinking I'd missed something important.

UPDATE: You guys were right! I checked the portal this morning (about 36 hours after filing by phone) and now it shows my claim was processed correctly. The status finally updated and no longer shows I need to file. Thanks everyone for preventing me from filing twice and causing problems for myself!

This is such a common source of anxiety for new claimants! I remember my first few weeks dealing with ESD and panicking over every little system quirk. The key thing to remember is that these legacy government systems just aren't built for real-time updates like we're used to with modern apps. For anyone else reading this - always keep those confirmation numbers from phone filings! I screenshot them or write them down with the date/time. It's saved me from stress multiple times when the portal was being slow to update. The system works, it's just... vintage 😅 Great job coming back with the update too - it really helps the community when people follow up on resolved issues!

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation and had the same confusion about unemployment vs underemployment terminology. Glad to know partial unemployment is an option for people working reduced hours.

Just want to emphasize that you should definitely apply ASAP since there's often a waiting period before benefits start. When I was in your exact situation (laid off from full-time, working part-time retail), I wish I had applied sooner. Washington ESD backdates benefits to when you first became eligible, but it's better to get the process started right away. Also, keep detailed records of your part-time hours and earnings - you'll need to report these accurately every week when you file your continued claims.

thanks everyone for all the info in this thread. feeling a lot more prepared for what might happen when my benefits run out

I'm in a similar situation at week 22 and this whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea that Extended Benefits weren't guaranteed or that they depended on unemployment rate triggers. The Washington ESD website really doesn't explain this clearly at all. I've been assuming there would be some kind of automatic extension, but now I realize I need to start preparing for my benefits to just end. Going to look into SNAP and other DSHS programs this week, and maybe try that Claimyr service if I need to get through to someone at Washington ESD. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's scary but at least now I know what I'm facing.