I went through something very similar a few months ago and was absolutely panicking! Like others have said, the key is calling ESD as soon as possible to correct it. When I finally got through (took me about 4 tries over 2 days), the agent was actually really understanding and said they see this mistake constantly. One thing that helped me was having my work schedule/timesheet ready when I called, so I could give them the exact dates and hours. They were able to make the correction on the spot and it didn't affect my benefits since I was still under the threshold. For stopping your claim when you go back to work full-time, you really can just stop filing - no formal closure needed. Your claim will automatically go inactive after 4 weeks of not claiming, but it stays open for the full year in case your employment situation changes. Congrats on the new job and don't stress too much about this - you're doing the right thing by fixing it proactively!

I just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact same thing about 6 months ago! I was reporting income based on when I got paid instead of when I worked, and I was terrified when I realized my mistake. What really helped me was calling first thing in the morning (around 8:05 AM) right when the lines opened - I got through on my second try that way instead of calling during peak hours. The agent was super helpful and explained that this is literally one of the most common mistakes they see, especially for people new to unemployment. She fixed my previous weeks on the spot and even explained the rule more clearly: you report hours for the Sunday-Saturday week you actually performed the work, regardless of when the paycheck arrives. Simple once you know it, but definitely confusing at first! The whole call took maybe 15 minutes and saved me weeks of stress. Definitely call ASAP though - they told me that self-reporting mistakes early shows good faith and makes the whole process much smoother.

I went through almost the exact same thing two years ago - fired 5 days after returning from maternity leave for alleged "performance issues" that were never mentioned before I left. Washington ESD approved my claim and my former employer's contest was denied at the hearing. The administrative law judge basically said the timing was too suspicious and they couldn't provide any evidence of actual performance problems prior to my leave. It took about 8 weeks total but I got full benefits plus backpay. The stress was awful with a new baby, but don't let them intimidate you - this kind of retaliation is exactly what unemployment insurance is designed to protect against. Your case sounds even stronger than mine was since you were only out 3 days before they fired you. Stay strong and keep fighting!

This is absolutely outrageous but unfortunately all too common. Employers think they can get away with FMLA retaliation because they assume people won't know their rights or will be too overwhelmed to fight back. The fact that you were terminated just 3 days after returning from leave is textbook retaliation - no legitimate employer fires someone for "performance issues" that suddenly developed while they were on protected leave. You should definitely be eligible for unemployment benefits, and I'd also strongly encourage you to file a complaint with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division about the FMLA violation. Document everything, keep all your paperwork, and don't let them gaslight you into thinking this is legitimate. You did nothing wrong by taking leave to care for your newborn, and they're the ones who broke the law here.

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago. Here's what I wish I had known earlier: 1) Apply for SNAP and any local assistance programs NOW, not when your benefits end - there's often a processing delay. 2) Reach out to your state representative's office - they sometimes have emergency assistance funds or can connect you with resources you didn't know existed. 3) Check with local churches and nonprofits even if you're not religious - many have emergency assistance programs with no strings attached. 4) Look into plasma donation if you're eligible - it's not much but can provide some regular income while job hunting. The transition off unemployment is scary but you'll get through it. Start applying these backup plans now so they're in place when you need them.

One thing that might help is checking if your employer offered any severance package that included career transition services - sometimes these include job placement assistance or even temporary income support that people forget about. Also, look into your local library's career services - many have free resume help, computer access, and sometimes even job search workshops. The librarians often know about community resources that aren't well advertised. If you have any professional certifications in accounting, check if the certifying body has any member assistance programs or job placement services. And don't overlook freelance bookkeeping work - with tax season coming up, many small businesses need temporary help and it could provide some income while you search for permanent positions.

Just wanted to follow up and say thanks to everyone for the advice. I ended up using Claimyr to talk to someone at Washington ESD and they confirmed the upload feature is having issues. They walked me through the manual entry process and it's actually not that bad. Also learned about some other features in the system I didn't know about.

I've been having similar issues with the upload feature - it's definitely frustrating when you have everything organized in a spreadsheet but can't get it into the system. From what I've been reading here, it sounds like manual entry might be the most reliable option right now. @Liam McConnell, have you tried creating a template with just the basic four columns (Employer Name, Position Applied For, Date of Contact, Contact Method) and making sure the date format is MM/DD/YYYY? That seems to work for some people. If that still doesn't work, the Claimyr service that @Fatima Al-Maktoum mentioned sounds like a great way to get direct help from Washington ESD staff without the long hold times.

That's correct. Your 4 weeks of severance would be allocated to the first 4 weeks after separation, so UI benefits wouldn't begin until after that period - assuming your claim is approved. But you absolutely need to file weekly claims during those 4 weeks anyway, even though you won't receive payment for them. You'll report your severance and ESD will allocate it accordingly. As others have mentioned, the email documentation you have is very important. If your claim does go to adjudication and you have trouble reaching someone at ESD (which is unfortunately common), don't give up. Keep calling early in the morning when the queue is shorter. Use the online message center in your eServices account as backup. Document all your attempts to contact them.

I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. My employer gave me the exact same choice - resign with severance or be terminated without it. I was terrified I'd lose my unemployment benefits, but ESD approved my claim after about 3 weeks in adjudication. The key thing that helped me was having clear documentation (like you do with that email) showing the employer initiated the separation. During my fact-finding interview, I just explained exactly what happened - that I was given an ultimatum and chose the option that provided some financial cushion. The adjudicator understood that this wasn't a voluntary quit in the traditional sense. My advice is to stay calm, be completely honest if they interview you, and keep filing those weekly claims even while waiting. You've got good documentation on your side!