Bottom line is Washington ESD has a lot of rules and they're not always clear about them upfront. The best advice is to be completely honest on your application and weekly claims, keep detailed records of everything, and don't hesitate to ask questions if you're unsure about something. Getting disqualified is way worse than getting clarification beforehand.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the base year earnings requirement. You need to have earned at least $1,000 in your base year to even qualify for benefits in the first place. Also, if you're collecting Social Security Disability, that can affect your eligibility since you're essentially saying you can't work. Washington ESD considers this when determining if you're "able and available" for employment. The appeals process is also worth understanding - you have 30 days to appeal any disqualification decision, and having documentation ready can make a huge difference in your hearing.

Bottom line - with $900/week earnings you should get close to maximum benefits. File immediately after your last day, keep detailed job search records, and don't stress too much about the process. Washington's system works pretty well once you understand it.

I went through something similar last year when my company downsized. With your $900/week income, you should definitely qualify for close to the maximum weekly benefit. One tip that really helped me - start gathering all your employment documentation now (pay stubs, tax forms, employer contact info) so you're ready to file immediately if the layoff happens. Also, I'd recommend checking your wage history on the ESD website periodically to make sure everything looks accurate. The whole process was less stressful than I expected once I had all my paperwork organized. Hope it works out and you don't actually need to file, but at least you'll be prepared!

For anyone else encountering this issue, I recommend documenting everything when you call. Get the agent's ID number or name, ask for a reference number for the call, and request they send you an email confirmation of any changes they make. ESD can be disorganized, and having documentation has saved me multiple times when issues weren't properly resolved the first time. Also, if calling doesn't work, remember you can submit a secure message through your eServices account. It takes longer to get a response, but creates a paper trail and sometimes works when the phone lines are impossible.

I'm glad you got this resolved, Jamal! Your experience really highlights how frustrating these system glitches can be. I'm dealing with a similar issue right now - been getting benefits for 5 weeks and suddenly got disqualified yesterday with no explanation in my pending issues. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like calling is really the only way to get answers. I'm dreading the phone marathon, but it's reassuring to know that most people are getting their issues fixed once they actually talk to someone. Thanks for sharing the update about the quarterly review flag - that's probably exactly what happened to me too since I'm right around that timeframe.

Update: I managed to get through to ESD yesterday! The agent confirmed that properly structured SUB Program payments under Revenue Ruling 90-72 are NOT reportable as income for UI purposes in Washington State. However, she emphasized that the program must meet all the requirements: 1. Payments can't be in a lump sum 2. Payments must be linked to UI eligibility 3. The program must be properly registered with the state She advised me to get written confirmation from my employer that their program meets these criteria and to keep it for my records. She also noted this in my claim file. Thank you all for your help! For anyone else facing this situation, definitely try to get an official answer directly from ESD rather than relying on secondhand information.

Thanks for sharing your update! This is really helpful for others who might face the same situation. I'm glad you were able to get official confirmation from ESD directly - that's exactly what I would have recommended. Your experience highlights how important it is to get answers straight from the source rather than relying on conflicting information from different representatives. The fact that the agent noted it in your claim file is huge - that documentation could save you a lot of headaches if any questions come up during a future audit or review. For anyone else reading this thread, Anastasia's approach is the gold standard: get written confirmation from your employer about the program structure, get official guidance from ESD (preferably documented), and keep everything for your records. SUB programs are uncommon enough that not all reps will be familiar with them, so persistence in reaching the right person really pays off.

Good luck! The waiting is definitely the worst part of this whole process. Once you actually talk to someone it usually gets resolved pretty quickly.

Hang in there! I know it's stressful but you'll get through this. The adjudication process sucks but most people do get approved eventually if they qualified for benefits in the first place.