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I just want to echo what everyone else has said - you absolutely can collect Washington unemployment benefits while living in another state! I went through this exact situation when I moved from Olympia to Nevada while on benefits. The process was actually much smoother than I expected. Washington ESD really doesn't care where you live, only where you worked and paid into the system. Just make sure to update your mailing address in SecureAccess Washington so you don't miss any important notices. One thing I'd add is that it's actually kind of nice to have Washington benefits while living in a lower cost-of-living state - your benefits go further! The only slightly annoying part is explaining to people why you're getting benefits from a different state, but most folks understand once you explain the work history connection. Good luck with your move to Oregon - having family support during a job search is invaluable!
That's such a great point about the benefits going further in lower cost-of-living states! I hadn't even thought about that advantage. It's really reassuring to hear from so many people who have successfully navigated this situation. The whole explaining-to-people thing is something I was worried about too, but you're right that most folks understand once you explain the work history connection. Thanks for sharing your experience moving from Olympia to Nevada - it gives me a lot more confidence about potentially making a similar move. This thread has been absolutely invaluable!
This thread has been so incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a very similar situation right now - I've been working in Seattle for the past year and a half, but I'm thinking about moving back to my home state of Michigan to be closer to family and take advantage of the lower cost of living while I look for my next opportunity. I was really stressed about potentially losing my Washington unemployment benefits if I needed to file a claim, but reading everyone's experiences here has put my mind at ease. It makes total sense that benefits follow where you worked, not where you live - I just never really thought about it that way before. The tip about updating your address in SecureAccess Washington is definitely something I'll remember. Has anyone had experience with how long mail forwarding typically works if you forget to update your address right away? I'm always paranoid about missing important government correspondence!
@Lauren Johnson I totally understand that paranoia about missing important mail! When I moved from Tacoma to Colorado, I set up mail forwarding with USPS for a full year just to be safe, even though I updated my address with Washington ESD right away. Mail forwarding typically lasts for 12 months for first-class mail which (includes government correspondence ,)but I d'definitely recommend updating your address in SecureAccess Washington as soon as you know your new address rather than relying on forwarding. That way you won t'have any delays or potential issues with important notices. The lower cost of living in Michigan will definitely help stretch those benefits further if you do end up needing to file a claim! Michigan also has some great opportunities, especially if you re'open to remote work. Having family support during a job transition makes such a huge difference too.
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Thanks for all the detailed info everyone! Based on what I'm reading, with my $52k salary I should expect somewhere in the $600-700 range weekly, which is actually better than I thought. The one week waiting period is good to know too. I'm hoping I won't need to file but it's reassuring to understand how it all works. Definitely going to bookmark this thread in case I need to reference the Claimyr service or appeal process later. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!
Glad this thread was helpful! One thing I'd add is to keep all your pay stubs and employment records organized before you file, just in case there are any discrepancies with what ESD has on file from your employers. I had a situation where one of my previous employers reported my wages incorrectly and having my own documentation made the correction process much smoother. Also, if you do end up filing, don't stress too much about the initial calculation - you can always request a redetermination if something looks off. The system isn't perfect but Washington generally does right by people once you get through to the right person.
Just want to add that if you're concerned about the waiting period, you should file your claim on Sunday night/Monday morning to start the week off right. I made the mistake of filing mid-week and it pushed everything back. Also, make sure you have your Social Security card and driver's license handy when you apply - the system will ask for those numbers and it's faster if you don't have to hunt them down. One more tip: screenshot or write down your confirmation numbers for everything. The system can be glitchy and having those reference numbers saved me when I had to call customer service.
That's really smart advice about filing on Sunday/Monday! I never would have thought about the timing affecting when benefits start. The tip about screenshotting confirmation numbers is gold too - I've had issues with other government websites where things just disappeared. Quick question though - when you say "start the week off right," does that mean the benefit week runs Sunday to Saturday? I want to make sure I understand the timing correctly if I do end up needing to file.
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Good luck with your claim! The system isn't perfect but it does work. Just be patient and persistent.
Thank you so much everyone! This has been incredibly helpful. I'm going to file my claim tonight.
You've got this! Feel free to ask if you run into any issues.
Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble with the online system, try clearing your browser cache and cookies first - that fixed a lot of freezing issues I was having. Also, make sure you're using a supported browser (Chrome or Firefox work best). The system can be really finicky but these basic troubleshooting steps often help before you get too frustrated with it.
That's really helpful! I was wondering about technical issues since I've heard the Washington ESD site can be glitchy. I'll definitely try those browser tips if I run into problems. Should I avoid using Safari or Edge then?
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I had knee surgery last year and I had the same exact problem. I ended up waiting until 2 days after my surgery to file and it went through fine. Make sure you know your first day of missed work too because they'll ask for that exact date. Also my doctor's office was really familiar with the certification form and had it ready for me when I asked.
I'm going through something similar right now! I filed my PFML claim about 6 weeks before my scheduled hip replacement surgery and got denied for the same reason - no qualifying event yet. It's so frustrating because the whole process feels backwards. Reading through everyone's responses here has been really helpful. I'm definitely going to wait until after my surgery (scheduled for next month) and then file a completely new claim. It sounds like the key is getting that Certification of Serious Health Condition form filled out properly by your doctor. One question though - has anyone had issues with their doctor's office not being familiar with the Washington PFML forms? I'm worried my surgeon's office might not know what they're doing since they see patients from multiple states.
I had the same concern about my doctor's office not being familiar with the forms! What I did was call ESD directly and asked them to email me the Certification of Serious Health Condition form ahead of time. Then I brought it to my pre-surgery appointment and explained what it was. My surgeon's office hadn't seen it before but they were able to figure it out pretty easily since it's mostly just asking for medical details they already have in my file. You might want to download the form from the ESD website and bring it to your pre-op appointment so they can get familiar with it before your surgery date.
Isabella Silva
Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm currently in week 3 of a "pending" status after my employer contested my layoff claim (they're saying I was fired for misconduct when I was actually part of a reduction in force). I filed my appeal 10 days ago with HR emails showing the RIF announcement and my termination letter clearly stating "layoff due to business needs." Seeing @Toot-n-Mighty's success story and all the helpful advice from @DeShawn Washington and @Aiden O'Connor about checking correspondence daily has really helped me understand what to expect. I've been religiously checking my eServices account and just found a questionnaire that was posted yesterday asking for more details about my job duties and the circumstances of my separation. The timeline variations are definitely nerve-wracking - from @Mei-Ling Chen's 3 weeks to @Sofía Rodríguez's 4+ months - but it seems like having solid documentation really makes a difference. Thanks to this community for sharing so much valuable information. It's made navigating this confusing system so much more manageable!
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QuantumQuest
•@Isabella Silva Your documentation sounds really strong - having HR emails about the RIF announcement plus a termination letter stating layoff "due to business needs should" definitely work in your favor! That s'exactly the kind of official evidence that contradicts your employer s'misconduct claim. It s'great that you found that questionnaire so quickly - responding promptly to those requests can really help speed up the process. Based on what others have shared here, cases with clear documentation like yours tend to resolve faster than more ambiguous situations. The fact that you re'already in pending status with solid evidence is really encouraging. Keep filing those weekly claims and hopefully you ll'see movement soon!
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Chloe Taylor
I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been going through a very similar situation - my employer is claiming I resigned when I was actually laid off as part of company-wide cost cutting measures. My status has been "disqualified" for the past 6 weeks, but after reading everyone's experiences here, I'm feeling more hopeful about filing an appeal. @Toot-n-Mighty, congratulations on getting your appeal approved! Your success story is exactly what I needed to hear. I have emails from management about the layoffs and my termination paperwork clearly states "position eliminated due to budget constraints," so hopefully that documentation will help my case like it did for others here. The advice about checking the correspondence tab daily and continuing to file weekly claims is so valuable. I had no idea about some of these nuances of the system. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community has already been incredibly helpful in understanding what to expect from this process!
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Freya Andersen
•@Chloe Taylor Welcome to the community! Your documentation sounds really solid - emails from management about layoffs plus termination paperwork stating position "eliminated due to budget constraints should" provide strong evidence for your appeal. Based on all the experiences shared in this thread, it seems like having that kind of official written proof really makes a difference in both the outcome and timeline. Don t'lose hope about those 6 weeks of disqualification - several people here have seen their status change from disqualified to pending after filing appeals, and many have ultimately been successful. Make sure to upload all that documentation when you file your appeal and then check your correspondence tab religiously. You ve'got this!
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