I'm going through something very similar right now. Filed my appeal in September after being wrongly denied for "job abandonment" when I was actually terminated. My hearing was in early October and went well - I had documentation showing I was let go, not that I quit. But it's been over 8 weeks now and still no decision. The financial stress is really getting to me. Seeing everyone mention claimyr.com is encouraging though - I think I'll try that tomorrow to see if I can get any updates. Thanks for sharing your experience, it helps to know I'm not the only one dealing with these ridiculous delays.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation. Filed my appeal in late September after being denied for "voluntary quit" when I was actually laid off due to company downsizing. Had my hearing in November and it went really well - provided all my layoff paperwork and the judge seemed convinced. My former employer also didn't participate in the hearing. It's been about 7 weeks now and I'm still waiting for the decision. The uncertainty is killing me financially and emotionally. I've been continuing to file my weekly claims but getting $0 each week. Reading through all these responses is both reassuring and frustrating - reassuring to know the timeline I'm experiencing is unfortunately normal, but frustrating that the system is so backed up. I think I'm going to try that claimyr service everyone's mentioning to see if I can at least get a status update. Thanks for posting this - it really helps to know others are going through the same ordeal.

Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and nerve-wracking as someone who just started this process! I'm currently on day 3 of adjudication for a separation issue where my employer is claiming I resigned when I was actually terminated as part of budget cuts. The financial anxiety is already starting to hit, and seeing timelines ranging from 2-6+ weeks is honestly terrifying. I'm taking notes on all the advice shared here - definitely planning to try Claimyr based on the overwhelmingly positive experiences people have had getting through to actual ESD agents. The tip about organizing documentation chronologically with summary sheets is brilliant, and I'm going to set up that spreadsheet tracking system that @Carmen Ortiz mentioned. It's infuriating how many employers seem to contest legitimate layoffs just to protect their UI tax rates while leaving us in financial limbo. But this community has shown me I'm not alone in dealing with this broken system. The support and practical advice from everyone who's been through this is invaluable - from emergency assistance resources to the importance of continuing weekly claims during adjudication. Thank you all for sharing your stories and creating this space where we can help each other navigate such a stressful and opaque process. I'll keep you posted on how my case progresses!

I'm currently on day 16 of adjudication and this thread has been such a lifeline during this stressful time! My case involves a separation dispute where my employer claimed I was fired for performance issues when I was actually laid off due to company restructuring. Like so many others here, I've been dealing with the financial stress of waiting while bills pile up. I finally used Claimyr yesterday after seeing all the recommendations here and it was absolutely worth it. Got connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes who was able to tell me that my case is actively being reviewed by an adjudicator and that all my documentation looks good. She couldn't give me an exact timeline but said contested separation cases typically take 3-4 weeks, so I'm hopefully getting close to a resolution. For anyone new to this process, the advice in this thread is gold - keep filing weekly claims religiously, document everything, and don't hesitate to use services like Claimyr to get real information instead of just obsessively checking the website. I also applied for emergency assistance through my county's social services department which has helped bridge the gap while waiting. The uncertainty is brutal but reading everyone's experiences here shows that people with solid documentation do eventually get approved. Hang in there everyone - we'll get through this together! I'll update when I hear anything definitive about my case.

I'm currently going through this exact situation and wanted to share what I've learned so far. After reading through all these responses, I called ESD yesterday and spoke with a really knowledgeable rep who explained a few things that might help: 1. There's actually a provision for "partial unemployment" if you can work limited hours due to medical restrictions. The key is having your doctor specify what you CAN do rather than just what you can't do. Even if it's just 10-15 hours per week of sedentary work, that might qualify you for partial benefits. 2. The rep mentioned something called "good cause" exceptions where they can waive the typical work search requirements if you have a definite return-to-work date with your current employer. This doesn't solve the "able and available" issue, but it's one less hurdle if you can get past that first one. 3. She also told me that if your employer laid you off instead of holding your position (which some do when PFML runs out), you'd definitely qualify for full unemployment. Obviously this isn't ideal since you'd lose your job, but it's worth knowing your options. I'm planning to have a honest conversation with my doctor about drafting a more specific work capacity assessment. Maybe we can find a middle ground that keeps the door open for some kind of benefits while I finish recovering. Will update if I learn anything else useful!

I'm going through this exact situation right now and it's been such a stressful process! My PFML ended two weeks ago and I'm still waiting to hear back on my unemployment application. One thing that's helped me while navigating this is documenting EVERYTHING - every phone call, every form submitted, every medical note. I created a simple spreadsheet with dates, who I spoke with, and what they told me. This has been invaluable when different reps give me conflicting information. Also, I wanted to mention that some community health centers offer financial counseling services for free. Mine helped me create a bare-bones budget for the gap period and connected me with a local nonprofit that helps with utility bills. It's not income replacement, but every little bit helps when you're trying to stretch whatever savings you have. The system really does seem designed to make you give up rather than get help. But reading everyone's experiences here gives me hope that there might be a path forward. Keep advocating for yourself - you deserve support during your recovery!

I was in a very similar situation recently! My benefits ended in August, I worked part-time for about 4 months, then got my hours drastically reduced in December. Filed a new claim in January and it was actually pretty straightforward. Since you've been working since your last claim ended, you'll definitely need to file a completely new claim - don't try to reopen the old one. The Washington ESD website has gotten much better lately, and the whole application took me about 20 minutes. Make sure you have your recent pay stubs, employer contact info, and any separation paperwork ready before you start. My new claim was approved within about 10 days, which was way faster than I expected. One thing that helped me was using the eligibility tool on the ESD website first to make sure I was on the right track. Don't delay filing - every week you wait is potential money lost if you do qualify. Good luck!

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago! After my claim ended, I worked part-time for about 6 months before getting laid off again. You absolutely can reapply - no waiting period needed since you've been working. The key is to file a NEW claim, not reopen your old one. Since you worked after your benefit year ended, Washington ESD will look at your recent wages to calculate your new benefits. I actually ended up with a higher weekly benefit amount because I was earning more at my recent job than when I first filed years ago. The online application is pretty straightforward - just have all your recent employer info, pay stubs, and separation notice ready. It took me about 25 minutes to complete and my claim was approved in about a week and a half. Don't stress too much about it - layoffs due to reduced hours are usually processed quickly since the reason for separation is clear cut.

Wow, this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same "additional information needed" status and have been going crazy trying to figure out what ESD wants from me. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to try: 1. Calling that Olympia direct line (360-902-9500) tomorrow morning around 10am 2. Checking my eServices "Correspondence" section more thoroughly 3. Updating my address since I also moved recently and didn't think to change it in my claim A couple questions for the group: - Has anyone had success with the messaging system in eServices? I'm curious if that's actually faster than calling - For those who went through work search audits, how specific did the documentation need to be? I save confirmation emails from applications but don't always screenshot the actual application pages Thank you all for sharing your experiences and phone numbers - this community is literally saving my sanity right now! 🙏

Just wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! I was stuck with that dreaded "additional information needed" status for almost 3 weeks and tried every number listed here. What finally worked was a combination of approaches: 1. Called the Olympia direct line (360-902-9500) at exactly 10:15am and got through in 22 minutes 2. Sent a message through eServices the same day asking for specific details about what they needed 3. Updated my address in eServices (turns out this was part of my issue too!) The agent told me I was flagged for both identity verification AND work search audit. Apparently when you move and don't update your claim address right away, it can trigger multiple review flags. She had me upload my new driver's license, a utility bill, and documentation for 3 specific job applications from random weeks they selected. One thing nobody mentioned yet - if you're dealing with multiple flags, each one has to clear separately. So even if you resolve the identity verification, you might still be stuck on work search audit. The agent put detailed notes in my file and gave me a reference number for my case, which made follow-up calls much smoother. My payments released exactly 6 business days after uploading all the requested documents. Hang in there everyone - the system is broken but persistence really does pay off! 💪