Just wanted to add my support - you handled this situation exactly right! As someone who works in disability advocacy, I see too many parents who don't realize they have legal protections when they need to quit for caregiving. The fact that you documented everything (school calls, accommodation requests, medical needs) shows you understand the burden of proof required. Judge Ray has a reputation for being thorough but fair when people come prepared with proper documentation. The waiting period is stressful but try to focus on the fact that you presented a textbook case of "good cause" under Washington law. Your children are lucky to have such a dedicated advocate fighting for them. Hoping for positive news in your mailbox soon!

Darcy, I've been following your journey and I'm so glad your hearing went well! As a parent of a child with autism myself, I know how incredibly challenging it is to balance work demands with the intensive care our kids need. It sounds like you did everything possible to make it work with your employer before making the difficult decision to quit. The fact that Judge Ray seemed sympathetic and that you were so well-prepared with all the medical documentation and evidence of accommodation requests gives me a lot of hope for your outcome. The 10-14 day wait is going to feel like forever, but you should feel proud that you advocated so strongly for your children's needs. Please keep us posted when you get the decision - there are probably other parents in similar situations who could really benefit from hearing how this turns out. Sending positive thoughts your way!

I'm on week 6 of pending status and feeling completely defeated. Reading through everyone's experiences here has given me some hope though - knowing that people are eventually getting through and getting their backpay is keeping me going. I tried the "payment status" option this morning at exactly 8am and actually got into a queue! Unfortunately after waiting 2 hours and 15 minutes, the call just disconnected. I nearly threw my phone across the room. But I also checked my Notices/Letters section after seeing that tip here and found a request for wage verification from 2 weeks ago that I somehow missed. I've uploaded everything they asked for and crossing my fingers this helps move things along. For anyone still fighting this battle - one thing that's helped my sanity is keeping a detailed log of every attempt I make (calls, messages, uploads, etc.) with dates and times. If nothing else, it makes me feel like I'm doing something productive, and I figure it might be useful when I finally do get through to someone. This system is absolutely broken, but seeing everyone here supporting each other and sharing what works gives me hope. We shouldn't have to become experts in gaming a dysfunctional system just to get the benefits we're entitled to, but here we are. Keep fighting everyone!

I'm currently on week 4 of pending status and this thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for sharing your experiences and tips! I've been doing the daily 8am call routine with no luck, but after reading through everyone's advice I'm going to try several new approaches: 1. Switching to "payment status" instead of "claim status" when calling 2. Checking my Notices/Letters section thoroughly (haven't looked there in weeks) 3. Reaching out to my state representative 4. Trying the 7:58am call timing trick The most valuable thing I'm taking from this discussion is that I need to be more proactive about checking for missing documentation requests. It seems like a lot of people discover they missed some critical notice that was holding up their entire claim. It's both reassuring and frustrating to see that this is such a widespread problem. We're all just trying to get the benefits we've paid into and are legally entitled to. The fact that we have to become amateur detectives and develop elaborate strategies just to access basic unemployment services is completely ridiculous. For anyone else reading this who's stuck in pending hell - keep filing those weekly claims no matter what, and don't give up. Based on what I'm seeing here, persistence and trying multiple approaches eventually pays off. We'll get through this!

Bottom line: yes you pay federal taxes on unemployment, no you don't pay Washington state taxes on it, and yes you should have received a 1099-G showing the amount. File your taxes on time even if you can't pay immediately.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago. One thing that really helped me was setting aside about 20% of each unemployment payment for taxes - I know it's hard when money is tight, but it saved me from a huge shock at tax time. Also, if you're doing your own taxes, make sure to double-check that the 1099-G amount matches what you actually received. I had a discrepancy where they included a week that was later denied, and it took forever to get corrected. The tax software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA handles unemployment income pretty well and will walk you through it step by step.

wait dont u have to do 3 job search activities each week now? did u forget to log those maybe? that got me flagged once

Just want to add one important piece of advice - document EVERYTHING. Keep a log of all your calls, messages, and attempts to contact ESD. Note dates, times, and any reference numbers. If you do manage to speak with someone, write down their name and what they told you. If this drags on and you need to escalate to the unemployment law judge or request a hearing, having detailed documentation will significantly help your case. I went through a similar situation last year and my meticulous notes were crucial when I finally got a hearing. Also, check if there are any documents in your eServices account that need your response. Sometimes ESD sends questionnaires that trigger adjudication until they're completed, but the notification can be easy to miss.

Final thought - if you ever need to speak directly with Washington ESD about your specific benefit calculation or have complex questions, remember that Claimyr service I mentioned can save you hours of phone frustration. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get clear answers.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just got approved and seeing $289 as my weekly benefit amount. One thing I wanted to add for anyone reading is that Washington ESD also has different payment methods available. You can get benefits through direct deposit, the ReliaCard debit card, or even paper checks (though that takes longer). I set up direct deposit and usually get my payment within 1-2 business days after filing my weekly claim. Just make sure to file your weekly claim every week even if you worked some hours - the system will calculate the partial benefits for you automatically based on what you report.