This whole quarter system was so confusing to me when I first filed too! What really helped me understand it was thinking of it like this: imagine your work year is divided into four 3-month "buckets" - that's what quarters are. Washington ESD looks at these buckets from your recent work history to see how much you earned in each period. They need to see that you worked consistently (earnings in at least 2 buckets) and they use your best earning period to help calculate your weekly benefit. It's their way of making sure you have a solid work history before qualifying for benefits. Once I understood it was just a systematic way to review my earnings over time, the whole process made way more sense!

This is such a helpful thread! I was in the same boat when I first applied - kept seeing "quarters" everywhere and had no idea what it meant. What really helped me was logging into my Washington ESD account and looking at the "Monetary Determination" section that Tony mentioned earlier. You can actually see a chart that shows each quarter (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) with your exact earnings for each 3-month period. It's like a visual timeline of your work history that makes the whole system much clearer. For anyone still confused, I'd definitely recommend checking that section of your account - seeing your actual numbers laid out by quarter makes everything click!

Really appreciate all the detailed explanations here. Way more helpful than trying to navigate the Washington ESD website alone.

I went through this exact same situation last year when my regular UI benefits were ending. The most important thing is to keep filing your weekly claims even after your 26 weeks are up - don't stop! Washington ESD will automatically review your eligibility for Extended Benefits if they're available based on the state's unemployment rate. You'll get a letter in the mail within a couple weeks letting you know if you qualify. In my case, I was able to get an additional 13 weeks of EB. Just make sure you're still doing all your job search requirements through WorkSourceWA because those don't change whether you're on regular UI or extensions. The waiting period is nerve-wracking but they do communicate with you about what happens next.

Great! Make sure to save copies of all communication with your HR department about this, just in case ESD has questions later. Once your standby is approved, you can check your claim status on eServices to confirm the correct end date is showing. If anything looks wrong, address it immediately rather than waiting.

Just want to add from my experience - when you submit your standby request through eServices, make sure to be very specific in the comments section. I included my exact return date, mentioned that my employer had pre-arranged the extended 8-week period, and provided the HR contact name and date they spoke with ESD. The more details you can provide upfront, the smoother the approval process tends to go. Also, don't panic if it takes a few days to get approved - mine took about 5 business days but was backdated to when I first requested it. Good luck!

I went through something similar with Washington ESD about 8 months ago. One thing that really helped me was calling early in the morning (like right when they open at 8am) - the wait times were much shorter than calling during peak hours. Also, when you do get through to someone, ask them to email you a confirmation of whatever action they take on your claim. I learned this the hard way when there was some confusion later about whether my withdrawal request had actually been processed. Having that email documentation saved me a lot of headaches. Given that your employer is just "considering" bringing you back, I'd personally lean toward keeping the claim open but inactive until you have something more concrete from them.

I'm currently dealing with a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Based on what everyone's shared, it seems like the consensus is to keep your claim open but just stop filing weekly certifications until you get something concrete from your employer. That way you're not actively collecting benefits but you maintain your place in the system in case things fall through. I'd definitely recommend getting that early morning call strategy a try - calling right at 8am when Washington ESD opens. And if you do end up needing to talk to them about your specific situation, make sure to ask for email confirmation of whatever they tell you. It's really reassuring to see so many people who've navigated this successfully!

I've been lurking on this thread for a while and finally decided to create an account because I'm dealing with the exact same "able and available" review nightmare! I've been stuck for almost 4 weeks now and it's getting desperate. Reading everyone's experiences has been both frustrating (knowing how broken the system is) and hopeful (seeing that people actually do get through eventually). I'm going to try the Spanish line transfer method that Emma and Evelyn mentioned tomorrow morning - seems like that's been the most successful approach based on what I'm reading here. I also submitted the Contact Us form on the website after reading Taylor's success story. One question for those who got through - when they cleared your flag, did your pending payments get released automatically or did you have to do anything else? I have 3 weeks of payments stuck in pending status and I'm worried there might be additional steps needed to actually get the money released. Thanks to everyone sharing their strategies and experiences. It really helps to know we're not alone in this mess!

I just wanted to jump in here as someone who successfully got through to ESD last week after dealing with a similar nightmare! Reading through this thread brings back all the frustration I felt, but I'm happy to report there is hope. I tried the Spanish line transfer method that several people mentioned and it absolutely works - got through in about 30 minutes on a Wednesday morning at exactly 8:00 AM. The agent was super helpful and explained that these "able and available" flags are often triggered by the most random things - in my case, it was because I had logged into my eServices account from a different computer than usual (I was at the library). She cleared the flag immediately and all my pending payments were released within 24 hours. For anyone still struggling, here's my step-by-step approach that worked: 1) Call the main ESD number at exactly 8:00 AM, 2) Select the Spanish language option, 3) When someone answers, politely explain you need English assistance, 4) They'll transfer you to an English-speaking agent. The wait time on the Spanish line is SO much shorter than the main English line. Also, make sure you have your Social Security number, claim confirmation number, and the specific week that got flagged ready when you call. The more details you can provide, the faster they can resolve it. Don't give up - these flags really are just system glitches most of the time and the actual people at ESD do want to help once you can reach them!