To clarify what others have said with the official ESD guidelines: 1. Yes, continue filing weekly claims until you've been at your new job for at least 2-3 weeks 2. Report ALL hours worked in the week you work them (not when paid) 3. If your earnings exceed your weekly benefit amount + $5, you'll receive $0 that week 4. After 2-3 consecutive weeks of reporting full-time work, you can stop filing 5. Keep documentation of your last claim in case there are any questions later This approach ensures you receive any benefits you're entitled to during transition periods (like if you only work part-time initially) while properly documenting your return to work in the ESD system.

My friend got in BIG trouble because she stopped claiming as soon as she got hired, then got laid off during her probation period and tried to restart benefits. ESD flagged her account and she had to go through this whole investigation thing. Just keep filing and be honest about hours!!

You don't need to upload the job search log unless specifically requested, but you do need to keep detailed records. ESD can audit your job search activities up to one year after you receive benefits, so document everything - job title, company, application date, contact information, application method, etc. The WorkSource job search log template is helpful for this.

just wanted to say hang in there buddy. the waiting is the worst part, i know. it WILL get resolved eventually

Thank you everyone for the great advice! I just filed my claim with WA ESD and made sure to clearly indicate I've moved to Colorado. There was indeed a specific section about residence that I paid extra attention to. I also reached out to my former HR department who confirmed they were still paying unemployment taxes to Washington for me (they said they typically don't switch for employees who move unless they're staying with the company long-term). Now I'm just waiting for the claim to process and hoping there are no issues!

btw anyone know if OP will get paid the WA benefit amount or the Colorado amount? cuz WA benefits are wayyy better than most states! thats the one good thing about filing with WA!

I went through this exact nightmare in January. The claim was stuck in what they call "identity verification purgatory" and wouldn't show in my account. Here's what worked for me: 1. I contacted my state representative's office (find yours at leg.wa.gov) 2. Filled out their constituent services form explaining the situation 3. They contacted ESD on my behalf 4. My claim suddenly appeared in the system 2 days later State reps have special channels to ESD that regular claimants don't have access to. It's ridiculous that we have to go to these lengths, but it works.

Wait I'm confused about something... are you talking about your ESD unemployment claim or your tax refund from Washington state? Your post title mentions ESD but your description sounds like you might be waiting on a tax refund. Those are completely different systems.

Does anyone know if online classes are better for Training Benefits? My program has both online and in-person options. Would one make it easier to get approved?

Thank you everyone for all the information! Based on all your advice, I'm going to: 1. Apply for CAT first and continue job searches until I get written approval 2. Make sure I have documentation showing nursing is in-demand 3. Wait until I have CAT approval before starting any classes 4. Then apply for the Training Benefits extension 5. Keep detailed records of all communication with ESD I'll update this thread when I have news about my application process in case it helps others.

ESD is a JOKE! I had almost the exact situation last year. They told me to keep filing during the penalty weeks too but then when the time came to actually pay me, suddenly there was a "new issue" they discovered. Took another MONTH to resolve. Don't trust that it'll automatically start paying!

just wondering but did u get any severance from the job that fired u? my friend got denied cuz of severance even tho she was fired

To respond to your follow-up question: Yes, you should absolutely file every week even when receiving $0. Your claim will NOT expire as long as you continue filing weekly claims without interruption. The benefit year lasts 52 weeks from your application date. What happens is your total benefit entitlement (typically 26 weeks worth) remains available to you throughout your benefit year. The weeks when your benefits are reduced to $0 by severance don't count against your 26 weeks of benefits - they're essentially paused. So if you have 12 weeks of severance and file claims during that entire period (getting $0), you'll still have your full 26 weeks of benefits available to use during the remainder of your benefit year.

Boeing employee here - just went through this in December. Make sure you attend the layoff information session HR provides. They'll give you a packet that explains exactly how to handle unemployment with the severance. There's actually a specific code Boeing gives ESD for our layoffs that helps them process everything correctly. Don't skip that meeting!

Just to add some clarity here - VA benefits and workers comp are reported differently on your taxes too. VA disability is usually tax-free while workers comp can affect your unemployment calculation. Thats why ESD asks about them seperately and why its important to answer accurately on which benefits your getting.

Update: I was able to get through to ESD this morning! The agent told me that VA benefits are definitely NOT considered workers compensation, and she helped me correct my weekly claim. She said this is actually a pretty common mistake, especially for veterans who are filing unemployment for the first time. My payment should process normally now with the correction. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

I've been on UI since November and I've noticed the payment timing is really inconsistent lately. Sometimes it's next day, sometimes it's 4-5 days. If your banking info is correct and you don't have any alerts or messages about issues with your claim, it's probably just in the processing queue. Also, remember that even though it shows as 'paid' on 1/27, that was a Friday, so the bank processing likely didn't start until Monday (1/30). Then add 1-3 business days for ACH processing. I'd expect it to arrive by tomorrow or Thursday at the latest.

UPDATE: The money finally hit my account this morning! So it took exactly 5 business days from when the status changed to 'paid'. Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance. For anyone else experiencing this - it seems like ESD payments are definitely taking longer than they used to.

I HATE how they do this to people!!!! 10 WEEKS is CRIMINAL when rent is due NOW. The whole system is designed to wear us down so we give up. I had a determination that took 2 months and it was just because my former employer contested it with totally FALSE information. Even after I was approved, they held my payments for "verification" for another 3 weeks!!!! Don't get your hopes up with these people. They're totally incompetent and don't care if we end up homeless while they take their sweet time.

I can clarify a few things about what you're seeing in your account: 1. A determination dated today means a decision has been finalized on your claim 2. The "waiting week" status for your first week is significant - this is only established for claims that are approved (denied claims don't set up a waiting week) 3. The "processing" status on subsequent weeks suggests the system is preparing to issue payment It's very likely you've been approved based on these indicators. The determination letters typically appear in your online account within 24 hours of the decision date. ESD does indeed run most of their system updates overnight between approximately 11pm-3am. Once your claim is approved, the payment process typically takes 2-3 business days. Continue filing your weekly claims during this period.