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Just make sure you have all your documentation ready when you file. Besides the 1099-G from Washington ESD, you'll need any W-2s from jobs you had during the year. Keep copies of everything for your records.
One more resource - WorkSource has career counselors who can help you with job search strategies and sometimes connect you to training programs that might come with financial assistance while you're learning new skills.
Thanks everyone for all this advice! I'm going to start with requesting the alternate base period calculation and see what happens. If that doesn't work I'll look into the appeal process and other assistance programs. Really appreciate all the help!
And remember if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD, that Claimyr service can save you a lot of time and frustration with the phone system.
Just remember that if she runs into issues with her claim or has questions, getting through to Washington ESD can be really frustrating. I ended up using Claimyr to help me get connected when I had problems with my claim status. Way easier than trying to call directly.
Several people have mentioned Claimyr now. I'll keep that in mind if she runs into problems.
Bottom line: unemployment benefits are earned insurance that provides temporary income replacement while you search for work. Nothing more complicated than that. Your sister earned this benefit by working and paying into the system.
One more thing to check - make sure your direct deposit info is still correct in your account. Sometimes banks change routing numbers and Washington ESD doesn't notify you when deposits bounce back.
My friend had this happen and it was because she put 'N/A' instead of leaving a field blank on her job search log. The system flagged it as incomplete even though she had done 3 job searches that week. Such a stupid reason to hold up payments.
Keisha Taylor
Good luck with your claim! The process seems overwhelming at first but once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims it becomes pretty straightforward. Just remember to stay on top of your job search requirements and file every week on time.
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Andre Lefebvre
•Thanks everyone for all the help! I'm going to file my claim today and hopefully everything goes smoothly.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•You've got this! Feel free to come back here if you run into any issues during the process.
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Paolo Longo
Just to circle back on the Claimyr thing - I was skeptical at first too but ended up using them when my identity verification got stuck. Normally takes weeks to get through to Washington ESD but they got me connected same day. Really saved me a lot of stress and lost benefits. The video demo someone mentioned earlier really shows how it works if you're curious.
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Amina Bah
•I might need to try that if I run into problems. The horror stories about trying to reach Washington ESD by phone are pretty scary.
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Paolo Longo
•Yeah, I spent literally hours on hold getting disconnected over and over. Sometimes it's worth paying for help when you're already not getting income.
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