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im confused, if you already quit why would you get unemployment at all? aren't you only supposed to get it if you're laid off? not trying to be rude just don't understand how this works
The key detail here is that OP gave notice (planning to work 2 more weeks) but the employer cut them off immediately. In that specific scenario, ESD treats it as a discharge, not a quit, because the employer chose to end the employment before the employee's intended end date. It's a bit of a technical distinction but important for unemployment purposes.
make sure when u file ur weekly claims that u say ur able and available to work even tho u have a job lined up. if u say no to either question u wont get paid
I've been through THREE adjudications and two appeals (different issues over 2 years). Here's what happens if they appeal: 1. You'll get a notice from OAH with hearing date/time 2. Prepare your evidence BEFORE the hearing 3. During the phone hearing, a judge will ask both sides questions 4. BE HONEST - don't exaggerate anything 5. The judge usually decides within 1-2 weeks It's stressful but not terrible if you're prepared. And if they mentioned you had "excusable" absences, that's ESD language for "you didn't do anything wrong" so that's a good sign!
Wat RCW/WAC codes did they break? Just curious cuz my employer is also pulling some shady stuff
One more thing to be aware of - if your overpayment was due to fraud (like if someone else filed using your information), those are NOT eligible for waivers. But if it was a legitimate mistake or ESD's error, you should be good. Also, make sure you respond to any requests for additional information immediately - they only give you 5 business days to respond before potentially denying the waiver.
That's good to know. Mine wasn't fraud - they originally approved me when I was laid off, then a year later decided I didn't qualify for some technical reason I never fully understood. I'll keep checking my portal and mail daily to make sure I don't miss anything.
my cousin had this exact same thing happen and he ended up having to wait 3 months total! but he did eventually get ALL the back pay. so at least you'll eventually get a big chunk of money all at once... small consolation i know when bills are due now
Since your employer is contesting your claim, you should prepare for a possible appeal if your claim is denied. Washington has a process where you can appeal a determination within 30 days. Document everything related to your layoff, and if possible, get statements from former coworkers who can confirm you were part of a workforce reduction. In the meantime, you might want to inquire about hardship assistance through DSHS or local community organizations while you wait for your unemployment benefits to come through. Many counties have emergency rental assistance programs that can help bridge the gap.
That's a good idea about the hardship assistance. I'll look into that tomorrow. I really hope it doesn't come to an appeal, but I'll start gathering everything just in case. This whole process is so exhausting.
dont waste ur time with CAT! my cousin did it and then had to pay back all his benefits when ESD randomly decided his program wasnt eligible anymore. just do the job search requirements its easier
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to submit my CAT application this week for the Data Analytics program. I'll make sure to include job postings and labor market info as suggested. Will update this thread once I hear back from ESD about the approval. Crossing fingers!
Hang in there! My hearing took about 6 weeks to get scheduled after I filed the appeal. The waiting is really stressful, but it's worth fighting if you believe ESD made a mistake. Hope your hearing goes well!
UPDATE: Got through to ESD this morning! Used the Claimyr service that someone suggested and it worked perfectly - got connected in about 20 minutes. The agent confirmed they received my appeal decision and said the system shows my payment should process in 5-7 business days. She also verified all my weekly claims were in the system correctly. The relief is real! Thanks everyone for your help and advice. I'll update again when the money actually hits my account.
One more thing to try - send a message through your eServices account specifically asking about the status of your identity verification. Sometimes that can flag your account for review. Just be super specific in the subject line like "Urgent - Identity Verification Hold - 5 Weeks Without Benefits" - that helped in my case!
Just did that right now! I'm trying everything at this point. This whole process is so frustrating.
i hate to say this but my claim was stuck for almost 3 months!! i called every day for weeks. then i contacted my state representative's office and suddenly my claim was fixed in 2 days. might be worth trying if nothing else works
This is actually excellent advice. Your state representatives have liaisons who can directly contact ESD on your behalf. This is particularly helpful for claims stuck in identity verification or adjudication for extended periods. Just visit your state legislature's website to find your representatives and their contact information.
if the decision was mailed 2day how long til u actually get paid tho?? my bills are due next week n im panicking
depends. sometimes its super fast like 3-5 days but mine took almost 2 weeks cause they had to calculate all the back pay from when i was denied. might want to call and ask for a hardship expedite if ur bills are due
For future reference for anyone reading this thread - always request a copy of your complete case file if you're going through an appeal. The full decision letter (usually 3-5 pages) will have a section called "Conclusions of Law" that explains the reversal in detail and specifically states whether benefits are allowed or denied. That's much clearer than just looking at the "Reversed" header. You're entitled to this information as part of your appeal rights.
This is really helpful. I actually do have the full letter and there is a Conclusions section - I just got stuck on the 'Reversed' part and panicked. I'll read through it more carefully now. Thank you!
CONGRATS!!! It's so ridiculous we have to jump through all these hoops just to get what we're entitled to. Glad you got it resolved!
Reina Salazar
I checked back to see if you'd had any progress. Based on your latest comments, you have a strong case for a quick resolution IF your employer moves quickly and you can get through to ESD. Since you're still working reduced hours, this should qualify as a partial unemployment claim. Make sure you're accurately reporting your part-time earnings each week when you file. Have you had any luck getting through to ESD by phone yet?
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Pedro Sawyer
•Not yet, I've tried calling ESD 12 times in the last 3 days! Either get the message that call volume is too high or get disconnected after waiting on hold. I'm going to check out that Claimyr service you mentioned. My employer's HR did say they're preparing a letter today, so at least that part is moving forward. Thanks for checking back!
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Dallas Villalobos
I used Claimyr last month when I had an adjudication issue and it worked really well. Got connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of trying for days. The agent was able to see notes on my account that weren't visible to me online and fixed my issue while I was on the phone. Definitely worth it when you're in a time-critical situation like this.
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Pedro Sawyer
•That's good to hear! I'm planning to try it tomorrow once I have the letter from my employer so I can reference it when I talk to ESD. Fingers crossed I can get this resolved without waiting months for a hearing.
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