The bottom line is Washington ESD wants to see that you're actively looking for work. Whether they verify every single application isn't really the point - it's about demonstrating good faith effort to find employment. Keep doing what you're doing and don't stress about things outside your control.

I've been collecting unemployment for about 6 months and went through an audit earlier this year. What helped me was keeping a simple Excel spreadsheet with columns for date, company name, position, how I applied, and any confirmation numbers or emails I received. When they audited me, I was able to provide everything they needed within a few days. The audit letter was pretty straightforward - they just wanted verification for about 8 specific job searches from certain weeks. None of the employers were actually contacted in my case, they just reviewed my documentation. As long as you're genuinely applying to real jobs and can show proof, you should be fine. The job market is tough right now so don't feel bad about the lack of responses - that's unfortunately normal.

Final thought - if you do end up needing to contact Washington ESD directly about your partial unemployment claim, I'd recommend trying Claimyr to help you get through. I used them last month when I had questions about my wage reporting and it was so much easier than trying to call on my own. The wait times to reach an agent are usually much shorter.

This is such valuable information! I'm a newcomer here but have been lurking and learning so much from everyone's experiences. I'm actually in a very similar boat - working part-time at a coffee shop and my manager just warned us that hours are getting cut significantly starting in January due to slower winter business. Reading through all these responses has given me so much clarity on how partial unemployment works in Washington. I had no idea you could still qualify for benefits while working reduced hours. The breakdown of the earnings formula and the emphasis on reporting everything accurately is really helpful. I'm bookmarking this thread for when I need to file next month. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

To address the confusion about how to report severance: The correct method is to report severance for the week you RECEIVE the payment. If you receive a lump sum covering multiple weeks, you report the entire amount for that week only. If your HR department specifically instructed you to allocate the payment across weeks, that would be a unique situation, but ESD's standard procedure is to report based on when payment is received, not when it's earned. This is different from how wages are reported (which are reported for the week worked, regardless of when paid). That's why severance reporting causes so much confusion.

Hey Riya! I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago when I got laid off from my tech job. The advice you're getting here is spot on - definitely answer NO to the notice period question since severance is completely different. One thing I wish someone had told me early on: create a simple spreadsheet to track all your severance payments, dates received, and what you reported to ESD each week. It saved me so much headache when I had questions later. Also, if your severance payments are substantial like mine were, don't be surprised if you get $0 benefits for several weeks - that's totally normal and expected. The most important thing is to keep filing those weekly claims religiously, even when you're getting nothing. I made the mistake of skipping a few weeks thinking "what's the point if I'm getting $0" and it created issues when I tried to restart later. Just keep filing and everything will smooth out once your severance period ends in March!

One more thing - if you do get your online access disabled, make sure you keep records of your unemployment history somewhere else. You might need it for mortgage applications or other financial stuff later.

Final thought - you could also contact the Washington State Privacy Office if you want more information about your rights regarding personal data held by state agencies. They might have more detailed info about data retention and deletion policies.

I used Claimyr when I had questions about my eligibility and it was a game changer. Instead of spending hours trying to get through to Washington ESD, I was connected to an agent who could actually help me understand my situation. The peace of mind was worth it.

Based on everything I've read here, it sounds like you should definitely qualify for unemployment benefits. You were laid off (not fired for misconduct), worked for 8 months which should meet the wage requirements, and you're actively looking for work. The key eligibility factors are: 1) Being unemployed through no fault of your own (✓ you were laid off), 2) Having sufficient wages during your base period (✓ 8 months full-time should cover this), 3) Being able and available for work (✓), and 4) Actively seeking work (✓). Don't wait any longer - file your claim online as soon as possible since you can't get benefits for weeks before you file. The worst they can say is no, but from what you've described, you should be approved.