I had this exact same situation happen to me about 4 months ago! The "Able and Available For Work -Hours" adjudication appeared on my account and I panicked thinking my benefits would be cut off, but like your husband, I kept receiving my full weekly payments throughout the entire process. In my case, it was triggered because I had mentioned in one of my weekly claims that I couldn't do job search activities on a particular day due to a family emergency. The ESD system automatically flagged this for review even though it was just a one-time thing. I ended up uploading a simple one-page letter explaining my general work availability (full-time, flexible hours, willing to work any shift) and clarifying that the situation I mentioned was a temporary emergency that wouldn't impact my ability to accept employment. The adjudication status stayed on my account for about 6 weeks total, but then it just disappeared and I never heard anything more about it. The key thing I learned is that as long as you're still getting paid, it's really just a routine review. But definitely upload that explanation letter - it shows you're being responsible and proactive about addressing their concerns. Keep it simple and honest about his availability for IT work.

I'm currently dealing with this exact same issue! My "Able and Available For Work -Hours" adjudication has been pending for about 5 weeks now, but thankfully I'm still receiving my weekly benefits just like your husband. From what I've gathered through research and talking to others in similar situations, this type of review is incredibly common and usually gets triggered by the most innocent things - like mentioning a doctor's appointment, having to pick up kids from school, or even just indicating you weren't available for a few hours on a particular day. The fact that payments are continuing is the key indicator that this isn't a serious issue. ESD classifies these as "routine eligibility reviews" that don't require immediate payment suspension. However, I'd definitely recommend uploading that explanatory letter sooner rather than later. I submitted mine about 2 weeks ago and while the status is still showing, I feel much better knowing I was proactive about addressing it. For the letter, I included my normal work availability (full-time, any shift), emphasized that I'm actively job searching, and clarified that any scheduling limitations mentioned in my claims were temporary situations that wouldn't prevent me from accepting suitable employment. Keep it straightforward and professional - they just want confirmation that he meets the basic "able and available" requirement for unemployment benefits. It's frustrating that the system doesn't provide clearer explanations of what they're looking for, but based on everyone's experiences here, it seems like this resolves itself once they complete their review!

Thank you all for the helpful information! After reading everyone's responses, I think I'm going to: 1. Limit my business development to 5-10 hours per week to minimize the impact on my benefits 2. Report ALL hours spent on the business honestly on my weekly claims 3. Continue doing my 3+ job search activities each week 4. Try to reach an ESD agent directly to confirm this approach I might use that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get a definitive answer from ESD. Better to get it right from the start than deal with overpayments later. I'll update this thread once I talk to someone official.

I went through this exact situation last year when I started my freelance graphic design business while on unemployment. Here's what I learned from experience and speaking with an ESD agent: You MUST report all hours worked on your business, even without income. ESD defines "work" as any activity intended to generate income, including business planning, website building, client outreach, etc. The benefit reduction formula is roughly: (Hours worked ÷ 40) × Weekly Benefit Amount. So if you work 8 hours and your WBA is $600, you'd lose about $120 that week. Key tips: - Keep detailed time logs of ALL business activities - Report hours honestly on weekly claims - Continue job search requirements (3+ activities weekly) - Stay "able and available" for full-time work I'd recommend starting very part-time (5-8 hours max per week) to minimize benefit impact while you test the waters. Once you have steady income, you can transition off unemployment properly. The good news is starting a business while on unemployment is totally legal - just be transparent about it from day one.

Hope some of these suggestions help! The unemployment system is frustrating but don't give up. Keep trying different approaches until something works.

I've been dealing with Washington ESD for over a year now and can confirm there's really no direct email for unemployment claims. The secure messaging system through eServices is your only "official" option, but it's basically broken - I've sent multiple messages over the past few months and maybe got one actual response. The phone system is equally terrible, but I've found that persistence is key. Set aside entire mornings to call repeatedly starting right at 8 AM. Also, don't overlook reaching out to your state legislators - their constituent services staff can sometimes push your case through when normal channels fail. It shouldn't be this hard to get basic help with unemployment benefits, but unfortunately that's the reality we're dealing with right now.

Bottom line: yes you pay federal taxes on unemployment, no you don't pay Washington state taxes on it, and yes you should have received a 1099-G showing the amount. File your taxes on time even if you can't pay immediately.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago. One thing that really helped me was setting aside about 20% of each unemployment payment for taxes - I know it's hard when money is tight, but it saved me from a huge shock at tax time. Also, if you're doing your own taxes, make sure to double-check that the 1099-G amount matches what you actually received. I had a discrepancy where they included a week that was later denied, and it took forever to get corrected. The tax software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA handles unemployment income pretty well and will walk you through it step by step.

I went through this exact same situation last year. The key is being persistent and having your story straight. I was able to get 5 weeks backdated by explaining that I was overwhelmed after my layoff and didn't know unemployment was available immediately. Make sure you document everything - job search activities, any conversations with former employers, even LinkedIn searches count as job seeking activity. Also, when you do get through to someone, ask them to note in your file exactly what you discussed and get a reference number if possible. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me but I eventually got those backdated payments. Don't give up!

Just wanted to add that when you call Washington ESD, be prepared to wait on hold for a really long time - sometimes hours. I'd suggest calling early in the morning and having a hands-free setup so you can do other things while waiting. Also, if you get disconnected (which happens a lot), don't get discouraged - just call back. The representatives are generally helpful once you actually get through to someone. Make sure you have a pen and paper ready to write down any important information they give you, including claim numbers, next steps, and deadlines. Good luck with your backdating request!