FINAL UPDATE: My claim was approved! Benefits should start next week. For anyone else going through an Amazon Pivot or similar situation, definitely select "laid off due to lack of work" and then provide the exact language from your separation paperwork in the explanation. Thanks again everyone for your help during this stressful time.

Congratulations on getting your claim approved! This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding how to navigate the Amazon Pivot situation. I'm actually going through something similar right now - was part of a "workforce optimization" at my tech company last month. They gave us the same kind of confusing language about it being a "mutual decision" but really our entire department was eliminated. Reading through everyone's advice here, I'm feeling much more confident about selecting "laid off due to lack of work" on my ESD claim. It's reassuring to see that being truthful about involuntary separation due to business reorganization is the right approach. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of peer support makes such a difference when you're dealing with unemployment stress!

Bottom line: be honest about your availability and job search. The system is designed to catch fraud, not to punish people for filing from different locations while legitimately unemployed.

I've been in a similar situation and can share some peace of mind. I'm a freelance consultant who travels frequently and have been filing my Washington unemployment claims from various locations without any issues. The key thing to remember is that Washington ESD cares about your work availability and job search compliance, not your physical location when clicking "submit." I've filed from Oregon, California, and even from a coffee shop in Montana - never had a single problem. Just make sure you're honest about being available for work opportunities in Washington and keep doing your required job search activities. The location permission your browser asks for is standard web functionality, not some tracking system. Don't overthink it!

good luck! the waiting is the absolute worst part. keep filing those weekly claims no matter what!

UPDATE: My claim was approved!! Three days after submitting that questionnaire I missed, my status changed from 'adjudication' to 'paid' and I received all my back payments at once. Thank you everyone for the advice - especially about checking the message center. That was the key issue all along.

One last thing - if you ever get confused about something or make a mistake on your weekly claim, you can usually call and get it corrected. Don't panic if you realize you reported something wrong, just contact them as soon as possible to fix it.

I've been in a similar situation and can confirm that $200-300 per week should be totally fine with your $487 weekly benefit amount. The key thing to remember is that Washington uses a "disregard" system where they subtract $5 from your weekly benefit amount to get your earnings threshold. So you can earn up to $482 before any deductions kick in. Since your freelance work is projected at $200-300, you'd still receive your full $487 benefit plus keep all your freelance income. When you file your weekly claim, there's a clear section asking "Did you work or earn money?" - just answer honestly with the gross amount you earned and the dates you worked. The system will automatically calculate everything for you. I'd definitely take the freelance opportunity - it's a great way to keep your skills sharp while job hunting and the extra income helps a lot!

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I feel much better knowing I don't have any tax obligations from my FMLA period. Definitely learned a valuable lesson about Washington's PFML program though - I'll be sure to apply for that if I ever need medical leave again. Really wish my HR department had mentioned this as an option!

This is such a common confusion! I went through the same thing when I took leave for my father's care last year. The key thing to remember is that FMLA and PFML are two separate programs that can work together: - FMLA = Federal job protection (unpaid) - PFML = Washington state income replacement (paid) Since you didn't receive any income during your leave, there's nothing to tax. But I'd recommend bookmarking the ESD PFML page for future reference - it's really generous coverage (up to 90% of your wages) and you pay into it through small payroll deductions anyway, so you might as well use it if you ever need leave again. Also, don't feel bad about not knowing - a lot of employers don't proactively inform employees about PFML benefits. It's relatively new (started in 2020) so many HR departments are still learning about it themselves.