Former ESD employee here. One thing that might help your situation is to specifically request a "hardship escalation" when you do get through to someone. You'll need to clearly explain your financial hardship (rent due, etc.) and they can flag your claim for expedited review. This won't guarantee immediate resolution, but it can move you up in the queue. Also, check your online correspondence section carefully. Sometimes adjudicators send requests for additional information that don't trigger notifications, and your claim could be stalled simply because they're waiting for you to respond to something you don't know about.

I'm dealing with the same adjudication nightmare right now - going on 5 weeks with no movement. One thing that helped me get more information was filing a complaint with the Washington State Auditor's office. They have a whistleblower program that accepts complaints about government inefficiency. While it won't directly resolve your claim, it creates a paper trail and sometimes ESD gets more responsive when they know there's external oversight involved. You can file online at their website. Also, document EVERYTHING - every call attempt, every email, every interaction. If this drags on much longer, you might have grounds for a formal appeal based on unreasonable delay. Hang in there!

Great point about the wait time. ESD's current processing time for overpayment waivers is 10-12 weeks according to their website, but in reality it can take longer. It's important to follow up regularly if it goes beyond that timeframe.

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this process about 6 months ago. One thing that really helped me was organizing all my documents before even starting the form. I made a spreadsheet with all my monthly expenses and gathered 3 months of bank statements, pay stubs, and bills. The form itself is about 8 pages long and asks for really detailed breakdowns of your finances. A few specific tips: 1) They ask for your household size and income of everyone in your household, not just you. 2) For expenses, they want exact amounts - don't estimate. 3) There's a section where you write a personal statement explaining your situation - this is super important! Be detailed about why the mistake happened and how paying back would affect your ability to meet basic needs like housing and food. Also, make copies of EVERYTHING before you submit. I had to resubmit some documents when they claimed they didn't receive part of my application. The whole process was stressful but getting that $4,200 waived was such a relief. Hang in there!

Good luck OP. The system isn't perfect but there are protections for people in bad situations. Just make sure you understand the process before you make your move.

I just wanted to add that if you do end up quitting and applying for benefits, make sure you keep copies of everything you submit to Washington ESD. I've heard of cases where paperwork gets lost in their system and you have to resubmit documentation. Also, if you're dealing with mental health impacts from your work situation, consider getting documentation from a healthcare provider - that can sometimes strengthen your case for good cause. The whole process can be stressful but don't give up if you truly believe you have valid reasons for leaving.

One last tip - if your claim gets stuck in adjudication for some reason, don't panic. It happens sometimes but usually gets resolved. That Claimyr service people mentioned can help if you need to talk to someone about the status.

This is exactly the kind of situation where documenting everything pays off! Since your employer terminated you before your notice period ended, you're definitely looking at involuntary separation. The fact that you have text messages from your boss telling you not to come back is perfect evidence. Washington ESD will see this as them ending the employment relationship, not you quitting. Just be thorough when filling out your application - mention when you gave notice, when they terminated you, and that you have a job starting in a few weeks. The timing actually works out well since there's usually a waiting week anyway. You should be able to get benefits for those gap weeks without any issues.

I need a extension on my unemployment

@Bruce Jones - Unfortunately, Washington state doesn't have automatic extensions like some other states do. Your regular unemployment benefits are limited to 26 weeks maximum. However, there are sometimes federal extension programs during economic downturns or emergencies. I'd recommend calling Washington ESD directly to ask about any current extension programs, or check their website at esd.wa.gov for updates. You might also want to look into other assistance programs like SNAP or local food banks while you continue your job search.