Just wanted to add my support - you handled this situation exactly right! As someone who works in disability advocacy, I see too many parents who don't realize they have legal protections when they need to quit for caregiving. The fact that you documented everything (school calls, accommodation requests, medical needs) shows you understand the burden of proof required. Judge Ray has a reputation for being thorough but fair when people come prepared with proper documentation. The waiting period is stressful but try to focus on the fact that you presented a textbook case of "good cause" under Washington law. Your children are lucky to have such a dedicated advocate fighting for them. Hoping for positive news in your mailbox soon!

Darcy, I've been following your journey and I'm so glad your hearing went well! As a parent of a child with autism myself, I know how incredibly challenging it is to balance work demands with the intensive care our kids need. It sounds like you did everything possible to make it work with your employer before making the difficult decision to quit. The fact that Judge Ray seemed sympathetic and that you were so well-prepared with all the medical documentation and evidence of accommodation requests gives me a lot of hope for your outcome. The 10-14 day wait is going to feel like forever, but you should feel proud that you advocated so strongly for your children's needs. Please keep us posted when you get the decision - there are probably other parents in similar situations who could really benefit from hearing how this turns out. Sending positive thoughts your way!

As someone who works in HR and deals with unemployment claims regularly, I wanted to add some insights from the employer side that might be helpful. When companies make offers, they typically don't report declined offers to ESD immediately - usually only if specifically asked during an investigation. However, you're absolutely right to be transparent about it on your weekly claims. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that you can also negotiate with Company A if they do make an offer. Since you mentioned they only "hinted" at lower pay, there might be room to discuss salary, especially if you can demonstrate your value. Sometimes companies start with a lower number to see if you'll accept it, but have flexibility to go higher. Also, regarding the skill mismatch - document specific examples of how the client management duties differ from your data analytics background. For instance, if your previous role was focused on SQL queries, data visualization, and statistical analysis, but this new role requires sales presentations, customer relationship management, and conflict resolution, those are distinctly different skill sets that ESD would likely recognize as unsuitable work. The 4-week mark works in your favor since you're still in that initial period where ESD expects you to find work similar to your previous role. Good luck with Company B tomorrow!

Coming from someone who just went through a similar situation 3 months ago - your timing and approach sound really smart! The fact that Company B was willing to expedite their process when you mentioned the competing offer shows they're genuinely interested, which is always a good sign. One additional thing to consider if Company A does make an offer: you could also ask about remote work options or professional development opportunities that might offset the lower salary. Sometimes companies that can't budge on base pay have flexibility in other areas like work-from-home days, training budgets, or faster advancement tracks. But honestly, given that Company B is offering better pay AND is a better skill match, it sounds like they're worth waiting for if their timeline isn't too extended. The stress of potentially declining an offer is real, but taking the wrong job just for immediate security can sometimes cost more in the long run - both financially and career-wise. Really hoping tomorrow's interview seals the deal with Company B! Keep us updated on how it goes.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add one more resource that really helped me during my unemployment stint last year - your local WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) office often hosts job fairs and career workshops that are open to everyone, not just WIC participants. I found out about several restaurant openings through their community bulletin board, and attending their "soft skills for hospitality workers" workshop counted as professional development. Also, don't forget that researching minimum wage laws and tip reporting requirements for different cities/counties counts as job search preparation! I spent time learning about how tip pooling works at different types of establishments, and when I got audited, ESD accepted this as legitimate research since it showed I was preparing to work in various restaurant formats. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - if you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, researching restaurants that specialize in accommodating those needs (and would value your personal experience) counts as employer research. For example, if you're gluten-free, reaching out to restaurants that specifically cater to gluten-free diners shows targeted job searching. The unemployment process can feel overwhelming at first, but you're asking all the right questions and clearly taking it seriously. With your 3 years of restaurant experience, you're going to be a very attractive candidate once you start applying. Hang in there!

Another tip that saved me during my unemployment period - keep track of your mileage if you're driving to any job search activities like interviews, job fairs, or networking events. While the mileage itself doesn't count as a separate activity, having detailed records shows ESD that you're genuinely putting in effort and spending resources on your job search. Also, I found it really helpful to set up job alerts on multiple platforms (Indeed, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, etc.) and save the confirmation emails. Each platform where you set up alerts counts as one job search activity, and the alerts help you stay on top of new postings without having to manually search every day. One more thing for restaurant workers specifically - if you're bilingual, make sure to research restaurants that serve cuisine from cultures where you speak the language. Even if you don't apply immediately, documenting your research into these establishments (their hiring needs, menu style, target clientele) counts as employer research and could lead to opportunities where your language skills are a major asset. The unemployment system can seem intimidating at first, but once you get into a rhythm of documenting everything properly, it becomes much more manageable. You've got this!

I'm going through this exact situation right now too! My payment was marked as "paid" on Tuesday but went to my old credit union account that I closed in February. After reading everyone's advice here, I called ESD first thing this morning at 8 AM and actually got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The agent confirmed that my payment was indeed rejected by the bank yesterday and the funds are now back in their system. She was able to see my updated banking information that I had entered last week and said she's putting in a request to reissue the payment to my new account. She told me to expect it within 3-5 business days. For anyone else dealing with this - definitely call as early as possible and ask specifically for "Payment Services" when you get through the initial menu. Having your claim number and the exact payment date ready really did speed things up. Also, the agent mentioned that they're seeing a lot of these closed account issues lately, so you're definitely not alone if this happens to you!

I had this happen to me about 6 months ago when I closed my old Wells Fargo account but forgot to update ESD right away. The good news is that the bank will definitely reject the payment since the account is closed - usually within 2-3 business days. The bad news is that ESD won't automatically know about the rejection or reprocess it without you contacting them. Here's what worked for me: I called ESD the day after I realized what happened (don't wait for the rejection to process first). When I got through, the agent was able to put a note on my account about the closed bank situation. Then once the funds were returned to ESD a few days later, they already had my updated banking info and the note about the issue, so they reprocessed it pretty quickly. The key is being proactive - if you wait for ESD to figure it out on their own, you could be waiting weeks or even months. Also, take screenshots of your updated banking information in the portal as proof you made the change, just in case there are any disputes later. Good luck getting through on the phones!

Don't worry! This is totally normal. I'm on my second month of unemployment and here's my experience: ESD shows "paid" on Wednesday but the money doesn't hit my account until Friday morning almost EVERY WEEK. It's just how their system works. Their "paid" status just means they've approved it, not that they've actually sent the money that exact day. Banks also don't process ACH transfers on weekends, so if tomorrow is Friday, I bet you'll see it then!

glad u got ur $$$! one less thing to stress about!