Nalani, I completely understand that panic feeling when you see an unfamiliar status! I'm still pretty new to all this unemployment stuff myself, and this thread has been such a lifesaver for understanding what's actually happening. It's really reassuring to see how many people have dealt with the same "Processing-IVR" status and that it's just a normal part of the system when you use the phone instead of the website. Sofia's story really shows how important it is to stay on top of things if payments get delayed - I never would have thought to look for hidden employer issues like that! This community is amazing for helping people like us figure out this confusing system. Hope your claim processes smoothly and you don't have to deal with any of the more complicated issues that others have faced!

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I feel much more prepared to tackle this now.

Good luck! Remember that most issues do get resolved eventually, even if it takes longer than it should.

That's such a great idea! I was just thinking about how I might forget to file since I'm not used to this routine yet. Setting up a recurring reminder sounds perfect - I'll probably do mine for Sunday morning too so I can get it done early in the week like others suggested. Thanks for the tip!

Welcome to the community, Jamal! Your $75k salary should definitely put you in a good position for benefits - you're right that you'll probably land somewhere in that $700-800 range rather than the full maximum. Just to add to what others have said about the 1099 work - it won't help your benefit calculation, but make sure you understand the reporting requirements if you continue doing any freelance work while collecting. You'll need to report all earnings on your weekly claims, and there's a specific formula they use to reduce your benefits based on what you earn. One thing I'd suggest is creating an account on the Washington ESD website before you actually need to file - it can save time later and you can access tools like the wage history lookup to double-check what earnings they have on file for you. Sometimes employers make reporting errors that can affect your benefit amount. The Claimyr recommendation is solid - I used it myself when I had questions about my base period calculation and it was worth every penny to actually talk to someone who could explain the specifics of my situation. Way better than the endless busy signals! Best of luck with both the claim process and your job search in marketing. The benefits should definitely help take some pressure off while you find your next role.

Welcome to the community, Jamal! Your situation sounds very similar to what I went through recently. With a $75k salary, you should definitely qualify for a solid benefit amount - probably right in that range you estimated. Just to add some practical advice - when you file your claim, make sure you have your most recent pay stubs handy. Sometimes there can be delays if Washington ESD needs to verify your wages with your employer, so having documentation ready can help speed things up. Regarding the 1099 consulting work, unfortunately that won't boost your benefit calculation since only W-2 wages count toward your base period. But definitely keep track of any ongoing freelance income because you'll need to report it on your weekly claims if you continue doing consulting work while collecting benefits. One thing I learned from this thread is to really pay attention to your monetary determination letter when you get it. It will show exactly which quarters they used and how they calculated your benefit amount. If something looks off, you can appeal within 30 days. Hope your job search in marketing goes well! The benefits should definitely help take some of the stress off while you're looking for the right opportunity.

Hey Muhammad! Welcome to the community! Your $92k salary should definitely put you in a great position for benefits - you'll likely qualify for very close to the maximum $999 weekly amount. The good news about your October raise is that Washington ESD automatically evaluates both the standard and alternate base periods and uses whichever calculation gives you the higher benefit. Since your raise was so recent, there's a really strong chance they'll use the alternate base period to capture those higher quarterly earnings, which should work in your favor. I actually went through something similar when I filed - got a promotion with a significant salary bump partway through the year and was worried the timing would hurt my calculation. Turns out they automatically used the alternate base period and I ended up with a much higher weekly benefit than I initially expected. When you get your monetary determination letter, just double-check that the quarterly earnings match up with your actual pay history. If something looks off or if they didn't capture your higher recent earnings, that's definitely when Claimyr becomes worth it to actually talk to someone who can walk through your specific situation. The job search requirements really aren't too intimidating once you get into a routine - networking calls, LinkedIn updates, and actual applications all count toward your three weekly activities. With the tech market being so challenging right now, having solid unemployment benefits should give you the financial cushion to be strategic about your next role instead of feeling pressured to take the first offer that comes along. Best of luck with your claim process and job search!

Hey Muhammad! Welcome to the community! Your $92k salary should definitely put you very close to that maximum $999 weekly benefit. The timing of your October raise actually works in your favor - Washington ESD automatically evaluates both the standard and alternate base periods and will use whichever gives you the higher amount. Since your raise was so recent, they'll almost certainly use the alternate base period to capture those higher quarterly earnings. I was in a similar situation with a mid-year promotion and ended up getting much more than I initially calculated because they used the more recent quarters. The system is designed to give you the best possible outcome automatically - you don't need to request anything special. Just make sure to review your monetary determination letter carefully when it arrives to confirm the quarterly wages match your actual pay history. If anything looks off, that's when Claimyr becomes really valuable for getting through to discuss your specific wage calculation with an agent. The tech layoffs have been brutal lately, but having solid unemployment benefits should give you breathing room to be selective about your next opportunity instead of feeling pressured to jump at the first offer. The three weekly job search activities are totally manageable - networking and LinkedIn updates count, so it's stuff you'd probably be doing anyway while job hunting. Good luck with your claim and job search!

Let us know how it goes! I'm sure you'll find it much easier than the website.

Good luck! The phone system really is reliable once you try it.

This is such valuable information! I wish someone had told me this earlier. I've been doing gig work occasionally and wasn't sure how to report those earnings properly. Do you know if tips or cash payments need to be reported too, or just the amounts that show up on official pay stubs?

All income needs to be reported, including tips and cash payments! Even if it's not on an official pay stub, you're required to report any money you earned during that week. This includes gig work, freelance jobs, cash under-the-table work, tips - basically anything where you received payment for work performed. The key is to be honest and report the gross amount before any taxes or fees were taken out. If you're unsure about specific situations, it's better to call the customer service line and ask rather than guess.