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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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I'm new to unemployment benefits and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just started my claim last week and haven't run into any issues yet, but reading everyone's experiences with the "able and available" questionnaires is making me realize I should be more careful about how I answer my weekly certifications. It sounds like even innocent things like doctor appointments or car repairs can trigger these reviews if you're not careful about how you report them. Should I be marking "yes" to being available even if I have a brief appointment during the week? I don't want to lie, but I also don't want to accidentally flag myself for review over a routine dentist visit or something. Also, seeing all the tips about keeping documentation and framing responses positively - that's really smart advice I wouldn't have thought of. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences, especially NebulaNova for the update that it worked out! This community is so helpful for navigating this confusing system.
Great question about how to handle weekly certifications! From what I've learned lurking in this community, the key is being honest but strategic about how you report things. For routine appointments like dentist visits, most people seem to mark "yes" for being available as long as the appointment was brief and you were available for work the rest of the week. The problems usually arise when people mark "no" for availability or mention specific limitations in the comments section. If you do need to report something, keep it simple and focus on the fact that you remained available for work opportunities during your normal hours. And definitely start keeping copies of appointment confirmations now - so much easier than scrambling for documentation later if you do get flagged! This thread has been a real eye-opener for me too about how detailed ESD's monitoring can be.
This whole thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently dealing with my first "able and available" questionnaire after mentioning I had to leave work early one day for a family emergency (my sister was in a car accident and needed someone to pick up her kids from school). Reading through everyone's experiences, especially the advice about framing it as "compelling family circumstances" and emphasizing that it was a one-time emergency situation, has really helped me figure out how to respond. I was initially just going to say "family emergency" but now I understand I should be more specific about why it was necessary and unavoidable. The tips about including job search activities and keeping documentation are gold too. I actually have text messages from my sister about the accident, so I'll upload those as supporting evidence. And I'll make sure to mention the three job applications I submitted that same week to show I remained focused on finding employment. Thanks especially to Haley Bennett for the info about "compelling family circumstances" - that legal framework makes me feel much more confident about my situation. Fingers crossed mine resolves as quickly as NebulaNova's did!
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I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I received a performance bonus in January and wasn't sure if it should be included in my gross income reporting. After reading all these responses, it's clear I need to include it. One thing I'm wondering about though - if the bonus pushes me into a higher benefit calculation, does that mean I might actually get MORE weekly benefits? It seems counterintuitive but based on what Aria mentioned about using your highest-earning quarters, maybe including bonuses could actually work in your favor depending on the timing?
Yes, you're absolutely right! Including bonuses can actually increase your weekly benefit amount if they fall in your highest-earning quarters during your base year. ESD calculates your weekly benefit based on your highest quarter of earnings, so if your bonus pushes one of those quarters higher, you'll get a larger weekly payment. It's one of the few silver linings to having to report everything - at least it might work in your favor benefit-wise, even though it feels scary to report higher numbers initially.
I just went through this same situation a few months ago! I had a year-end bonus of about $6,000 and was terrified to include it because I thought it would hurt my benefits somehow. But after talking to an ESD rep (and reading horror stories about overpayments), I included everything. Turns out it actually helped me because the bonus fell in my highest quarter and bumped up my weekly benefit amount by about $15. The key thing to remember is that ESD will cross-check your reported income with what your employer reports anyway, so there's really no hiding it. Better to be upfront from the start than deal with the nightmare of overpayment notices and appeals later. Include that full $75,700 - you'll sleep better knowing you did it right!
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One last thing - keep copies or screenshots of your filed weekly claims. If there's ever a dispute about what you reported, having your own records can really help resolve things quickly.
Thank you everyone! This has been incredibly helpful. I feel much more confident about filing my first weekly claim now.
You've got this! It gets easier each week. Don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions.
Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble with the SecureAccess Washington login, make sure you're using the right website - it's secure.esd.wa.gov, not the general ESD site. I made that mistake my first week and couldn't figure out why I couldn't find the weekly claim option! Also, the system does maintenance on Sunday mornings sometimes, so if you can't get in right away on Sunday, try again in a few hours.
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Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to ESD? What did they say about your situation?
I finally got through yesterday using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. The agent said I can still apply for Training Benefits because I'm within 10 days of exhaustion! Apparently there is a short grace period. I've submitted my application and now I'm waiting to hear back. They said it could take 2-3 weeks for approval, and if approved, I'd get the additional benefits starting after that. Fingers crossed!
That's great news! Thanks for the update - it's really helpful to know there is a grace period. I'm glad you were able to get through and that you still have options. Please keep us posted on how the approval process goes. Your experience will definitely help others who might find themselves in a similar situation. Good luck with the IT certification program!
This is really encouraging to hear about the 10-day grace period! I had no idea that existed. For anyone else reading this thread, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1. You CAN still apply for Training Benefits within 10 days of your regular UI exhausting 2. Using a service like Claimyr can help you actually get through to ESD (their phone system is brutal) 3. Make sure your training program is on the approved in-demand occupations list 4. The approval process takes 2-3 weeks, so apply ASAP if you're in this situation @Amara Nnamani - really hope your Training Benefits get approved! Your situation will definitely help others who find themselves in the same boat. It's frustrating that this grace period isn't better publicized, but at least there are options for people who miss the deadline by just a few days.
This is such valuable information - thank you for summarizing everything so clearly! I had no idea about the 10-day grace period either. It really shows how important it is to keep pushing and asking questions even when you think you've missed a deadline. The fact that this grace period isn't widely advertised is concerning, but I'm so glad @Amara Nnamani was persistent and found a way to get help. This thread should definitely be bookmarked for anyone dealing with UI exhaustion and training programs. Wishing you the best with your certification program, Amara!
Misterclamation Skyblue
I had the same confusion when I first started! One thing that helped me was creating a simple calendar reminder that says "File UI weekly claim for [previous week dates]" every Sunday. Also, if you ever miss a week by accident, don't panic - just file as soon as you remember and call Washington ESD to explain. They're usually understanding about honest mistakes as long as you don't make it a habit.
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PaulineW
•That's such a smart idea about including the specific dates in the reminder! I was just going to set a generic "file unemployment" reminder but adding the actual week dates would definitely help avoid confusion about which period I'm reporting for. And good to know they're understanding about honest mistakes - that takes some of the stress away.
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Natalie Wang
One more tip that really helped me - Washington ESD's mobile app actually makes filing weekly claims super easy once you get the hang of the timing. I was struggling with the desktop site at first but the app is more straightforward. You can also check your claim status and payment history right from your phone. Just make sure you're still filing every Sunday for the previous week (Sunday through Saturday) like everyone mentioned. The app will show you exactly which week you're certifying for so there's less confusion about the dates.
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Oliver Brown
•Oh wow, I didn't even know there was a mobile app! I've been struggling with the desktop website this whole time. Is it called something specific when you search for it in the app store? And does it have all the same features as the website? This could make filing so much easier, especially since I'm usually more on my phone anyway. Thanks for the tip!
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