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One last tip from someone who's been through this multiple times - start your job search immediately even while waiting for benefits to kick in. The job search requirements are real and they do check up on people. Plus the sooner you find work, the better for your finances obviously.
Absolutely. I'm already updating my resume and LinkedIn profile just in case. Better to be prepared than scrambling later.
Smart approach. The job market is pretty competitive right now so giving yourself extra time is definitely wise.
Yeah and if you run into problems reaching ESD when you need help, definitely check out that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked great when I needed to resolve an issue with my weekly claim certification.
I bookmarked their website just in case. Hopefully I won't need it but good to have as a backup option.
Exactly. Better to know about it ahead of time than discover it when you're already frustrated and desperate.
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Hope you get your payment soon! The waiting is the hardest part but it usually works out in the end.
Thank you for all the support everyone. This thread has been really helpful and reassuring.
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One more thing - make sure you understand how your part-time earnings will affect your weekly benefit amount. There's a formula they use and you'll still get some benefits as long as your earnings are below a certain threshold. Don't assume you won't qualify just because you're still working some hours.
Nope, that's exactly what partial unemployment is for! It's designed to help people whose hours have been reduced.
Awesome, thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. I'm going to apply this week and see what happens.
Smart move applying sooner rather than later. The worst thing that can happen is they say you don't qualify, but at least you'll know for sure rather than wondering. And if you do qualify, you'll start getting benefits right away instead of missing out on weeks of payments.
Exactly my thinking. Better to try and find out than assume I don't qualify and miss out.
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The job search requirements are something to keep in mind too. Even if you're working part-time, you still need to be actively looking for work and document your job search activities.
How many job searches do I need to do per week?
I think it's 3 job search activities per week, but check the current requirements on the Washington ESD website. They can change.
Just be prepared for the system to be slow and frustrating. I qualified easily but it took forever to actually get my first payment. Don't let it discourage you though - you deserve the benefits if you meet the requirements.
Did you have to wait the full waiting week plus processing time?
Yeah, there's a one week waiting period for regular UI claims, then processing time on top of that. Plan for at least 3-4 weeks before your first payment.
Liam Fitzgerald
I'd definitely recommend talking to someone at Washington ESD directly about your situation before filing, just to make sure you understand all the requirements. Better to get clarity upfront than deal with problems later.
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Amara Nnamani
•Good advice, though like others mentioned, actually reaching Washington ESD by phone is really challenging. I ended up using Claimyr after trying for days to get through. They connected me with an agent who could answer my specific questions about eligibility requirements.
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Giovanni Mancini
Just want to add that you should also check with your workers comp carrier if this was a work injury. Sometimes there are coordination issues between workers comp, unemployment, and disability benefits that you need to be aware of.
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Chloe Anderson
•Good point! I do have an open workers comp claim too. This is getting complicated with all these different systems potentially overlapping.
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Giovanni Mancini
•Yeah, definitely worth getting professional advice when you have multiple benefit programs involved. Each one has different rules and they don't always play nice together.
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