This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just filed my claim and was completely baffled by the waiting week concept. From reading everyone's explanations, it sounds like the key things to remember are: 1) You still file your weekly claim during the waiting week but don't get paid for it, 2) You still have to do all your job search requirements and meet all eligibility criteria, and 3) It's basically like a one-week penalty that everyone has to serve before benefits kick in. I really appreciate how this community breaks down these confusing ESD processes in plain language - the official website makes everything sound so much more complicated than it needs to be!

This has been such a helpful thread! I'm a newcomer to the unemployment system and was completely lost about the waiting week requirement. Reading through everyone's explanations, I finally understand that it's essentially a one-week unpaid period where you do everything normal (file weekly claims, job searches, etc.) but don't receive payment. It's frustrating that Washington ESD doesn't explain this clearly upfront - I spent way too much time on their confusing website trying to figure out what this meant. The analogy comparing it to an insurance deductible or waiting for your first paycheck at a new job really helps put it in perspective. Thanks to everyone who took the time to break this down in plain English!

UPDATE: Found it! It was on my bank statement like someone suggested. The automatic payment to Washington ESD had my account number in the transaction details. Thanks everyone for the help!

That's such a relief that you found it! I'm actually going through the exact same thing right now - trying to track down my business unemployment account number for a contractor application. I've been putting off dealing with it because I was dreading having to call Washington ESD. Definitely going to check my bank statements first based on your success story. Thanks for sharing the update!

Quick update question - have you checked your "Wage Verification" form on your ESD account? It should show exactly which employers and how many hours ESD has on record for you. That would tell you immediately if there's an employer missing or if hours are underreported. You can find this in your eServices account under "View my UI claim information," then look for "wage verification.

This is a classic case of an employer not reporting wages to ESD! Since your warehouse job from January-March 2025 isn't showing up at all on your wage verification, that employer definitely failed to report your employment. This happens more often than you'd think, especially with smaller companies or those that don't handle payroll properly. Here's what I'd do in your situation: 1. Contact your warehouse employer ASAP and ask them to verify they reported your wages to the state 2. If they didn't report (which seems likely), they need to file a corrected report immediately 3. File your appeal within the 30-day deadline regardless - don't wait for the employer to fix their mistake 4. Include copies of all your warehouse paystubs, W-2, and any other proof of employment with your appeal The missing 30 hours from your restaurant job could be a reporting error too, or maybe they miscounted hours vs. different pay periods. Bring that up in your appeal as well. Since you have 791 hours total and only need 680, even if the restaurant discrepancy doesn't get fixed, getting your warehouse job properly reported should put you well over the minimum. Good luck with Claimyr - that tool really does help cut through ESD's phone system!

I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with this! As someone who's been on unemployment for a few months now, I was also considering doing some gig work but was worried about the reporting requirements. It's clear from all the responses that honesty is the best policy with Washington ESD. I'm going to start doing some Instacart deliveries and make sure to keep detailed records of all my earnings. Better to lose a small portion of my benefits than risk getting in trouble for not reporting. Thanks for all the helpful advice - this community has been invaluable during this tough time!

I just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been doing multiple gig apps while on Washington ESD benefits for the past 4 months. I do DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub, and I report ALL earnings from each platform every week. What I've learned is that you can actually do quite well with the partial benefit system - even after Washington ESD reduces my benefits by 75% of my gig earnings over $5, I'm still bringing in more total money than just unemployment alone. The key is being strategic about how much you work each week to maximize your total income (benefits + gig work). I keep a detailed log in Google Sheets with separate columns for each app, and I report the combined total as self-employment income on my weekly claim. Never had any issues with Washington ESD as long as everything is reported accurately and on time. For anyone hesitant about starting gig work while on unemployment - just do it, but do it right!

i think alot of people r getting these overpayment notices lately... saw like 3 other posts about it this week. seems like ESD is doing some kinda audit or something??

Emma, I went through this exact situation last year and know how overwhelming it feels. Here are some key things that helped me: For the hardship waiver form, be as thorough as possible with your financial documentation. Include 3-6 months of bank statements, not just current ones - they want to see patterns, not just a snapshot. List EVERY expense, even small ones like streaming services, because they add up and show your true financial picture. I submitted mine through eServices (upload documents section) rather than mail - much faster and you get confirmation it was received. Took about 4-5 weeks for a decision. Most importantly: call ESD immediately to request they pause all collection activities while your waiver is under review. This prevents them from taking tax refunds or garnishing wages. Get the representative's name and a case number for this request. One thing that really helped my case was getting a letter from my childcare provider confirming monthly costs and a brief statement from my doctor about any medical expenses. These third-party validations seemed to carry weight. Don't panic about the 30-day deadline - as long as you submit SOMETHING within 30 days (even if incomplete), you can usually add supporting documents later. The key is showing you're responding in good faith. You've got this! The waiver process works for people in genuine hardship situations.