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The best advice I can give is to be patient but proactive. Check your online account daily, respond immediately to any requests for information, and keep detailed records of everything. And yeah, if you need to talk to someone, that Claimyr service is legit - I used it when my claim got stuck.
One thing nobody mentioned - make sure you're doing your work search activities even while waiting for approval. Washington ESD requires job search efforts and you don't want to get dinged for not looking for work during your waiting period.
Pro tip: if you're unsure about qualifying, the Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator that can give you an estimate. Not perfect but better than guessing.
I'm still having trouble reaching anyone at Washington ESD to verify my benefit amount. The automated system keeps saying all agents are busy and then hangs up. It's so frustrating when you just need to ask one quick question.
Is it legit though? I'm always skeptical of services that charge to do something you should be able to do yourself.
For anyone wondering about part-time work while collecting benefits - you can work and still collect partial benefits as long as you report your earnings. They reduce your benefit by a portion of what you earn, but you don't lose benefits dollar for dollar.
In Washington, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 before they start reducing your benefits. So if your weekly benefit is $500, you can earn up to $495 without any reduction.
That's great! Remember to keep checking your online account regularly for any updates or requests for additional information. And don't forget to file your weekly claims even while you're waiting for the initial decision.
Chloe Robinson
Remember that seasonal work patterns can affect your work search requirements. If you're in an industry with defined seasons (like landscaping or tourism), Washington ESD may have different expectations during off-seasons.
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Diego Flores
•Does this apply to teachers too? I'm on summer break but collecting unemployment.
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Chloe Robinson
•Teachers have special rules - you might not need to do work search during reasonable assurance periods. Check with Washington ESD about your specific situation.
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Anastasia Kozlov
The key thing everyone should remember is that Washington ESD can and will audit your work search activities. I know someone who got hit with a $4,000 overpayment because they couldn't prove they did their required activities for several weeks. Document everything!
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Anastasia Kozlov
•Random audit. They requested documentation for a 3-month period and my friend couldn't provide adequate proof for multiple weeks.
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Ava Thompson
•This thread has been so helpful. Definitely going to be extra careful about documenting everything from now on.
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