I'm also working two part-time jobs and dealing with major hour cuts - this thread has been such a lifesaver! I work at a coffee shop (reduced from 28 to 16 hours) and do evening shifts at a tutoring center (cut from 15 to 8 hours). Like so many others here, I had no idea partial unemployment was even possible while still working. The explanations about Washington's earnings disregard and how they handle multiple employers have been incredibly helpful. I've already started the spreadsheet that several people recommended to track my hours and pay from both jobs. What really stands out to me is how many of us have been waiting weeks hoping our hours would return to normal - I've been doing the same thing for almost two months now! Reading everyone's experiences has convinced me to stop waiting and apply online this week. It's both reassuring and frustrating to see we're all dealing with similar situations, but at least now I know there might be some financial relief available. Thank you all for sharing your stories and practical advice!

I'm working at a small bakery (cut from 24 to 14 hours) and also do night shifts stocking shelves at a drugstore (reduced from 16 to 9 hours). This entire thread has been absolutely incredible - I genuinely had no clue that partial unemployment benefits were even a thing while still working! The detailed explanations about how Washington calculates benefits across multiple employers and the earnings disregard have made everything so much clearer. I've been struggling for about 6 weeks now, just hoping my managers would restore my hours, but reading everyone's experiences here has really opened my eyes. I'm definitely going to start that spreadsheet system tonight to track everything properly and apply online tomorrow. It's honestly both comforting and eye-opening to see how many of us are in nearly identical situations - multiple part-time jobs with significant hour cuts, not knowing about partial benefits, and waiting around hoping things would improve. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and practical tips - this thread has given me hope that there might actually be some financial assistance available while I'm dealing with these reduced schedules!

I just wanted to add my experience for anyone still dealing with this issue. I got the same OSI verification message about 2 months ago and was absolutely terrified. Turned out it was triggered because I had a credit freeze on my account that was blocking their automated verification system from accessing my credit report. The fix was simple once I got through to them - I had to temporarily lift the credit freeze for about 24 hours so their system could verify my identity. Then I could put the freeze back in place. The whole thing was resolved in 2 days after that. I'd recommend checking if you have any credit freezes or fraud alerts on your accounts, as that seems to be a common trigger that people don't think about. Also, if you've recently disputed anything on your credit report or had any banking issues, that might cause verification problems too. Like everyone else said, getting through on the phone is the hardest part, but once you do, they're usually pretty helpful in figuring out exactly what's causing the flag. Don't give up!

I'm currently going through this same verification process after getting that OSI message last week. What really helped me was keeping a detailed log of every call attempt - date, time, and how long I waited before hanging up. This documentation ended up being useful when I finally got through because the agent could see I'd been trying to reach them for days. One thing I learned that might help others: if you get disconnected while on hold (which happened to me twice), don't just immediately call back. Wait about 10-15 minutes because sometimes their system keeps you "in queue" even after disconnection, and calling right back can actually put you at the end of the line again. Also, I found that having a headset or speaker phone ready made the long hold times much more manageable. You can get other things done while waiting instead of holding your phone to your ear for hours. The verification process itself was straightforward once I got through - just had to confirm some employment details and provide a utility bill for address verification. Stay persistent everyone, the system is frustrating but it does work eventually!

Hope your surgery goes well and recovery is smooth! The unemployment stuff will work itself out once you're healthy again.

I work as a benefits coordinator and see this situation frequently. While you're waiting for medical clearance, make sure to keep detailed records of all communications with your employer about your leave status and any mentions of job security. Also consider reaching out to your HR department to understand exactly what your company's medical leave policy states - sometimes there are protections you might not be aware of. The key thing to remember is that Washington ESD's "able and available" requirement is pretty strict, but once you have proper medical documentation showing you can return to work, your case should process normally if the job loss was involuntary due to the medical situation.

This entire discussion has blown my mind! I've been working in Washington for about a year and had absolutely no clue that UI was entirely employer-funded. Like so many others here, I saw the PFML deduction on my paystub and just assumed it was for unemployment benefits. What really bothers me after reading all this is how employers seem to deliberately keep workers in the dark about how the system actually works. Instead of being straightforward about the potential impact on their tax rates, they make vague guilt-inducing comments about "finding work quickly" or "not burdening the system." It's honestly kind of manipulative when you think about it. I'm actually dealing with a potential layoff situation right now (company is "restructuring" again), and this thread has been incredibly valuable in helping me understand my rights and how filing for UI actually works. Now I know that if I do get laid off, I shouldn't feel guilty about filing - my employer has been paying into this system specifically to provide this safety net. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge, especially those with HR backgrounds who explained the technical details about experience ratings and quarterly payments. This is exactly the kind of information that should be easily accessible to all workers, not something you have to stumble across in a community forum!

Wow, reading through this entire thread has been like taking a masterclass in Washington unemployment insurance! I'm pretty new to the workforce (just graduated college last year) and started my first real job here in WA about 8 months ago. Like literally everyone else here, I've been staring at my paystub every two weeks wondering what that "WA PFML" deduction was for and assuming it was unemployment insurance. It's honestly kind of shocking that employees don't contribute anything to UI in Washington - I had no idea this varied by state! The fact that it's 100% employer-funded actually makes me feel way less anxious about the possibility of ever needing to file. I've been so worried about "using up" money I hadn't really paid into yet since I'm still early in my career. What really gets me is how this isn't explained ANYWHERE during the hiring process. Like, you'd think basic information about how your state's unemployment system works would be part of standard employee orientation, right? Instead we all have to figure it out through random internet discussions or learn the hard way when we actually need to file a claim. This thread should honestly be required reading for every new worker in Washington! Thanks to everyone who shared their expertise - especially those who explained the technical details about experience ratings and how employer tax rates actually work. This is exactly the kind of practical knowledge they should teach in high school or college but never do.

Given the conflicting information that's come up in this thread, I think it's worth mentioning that rental income classification might depend on how it's structured on your tax returns. If you file Schedule E for rental income (which most single-property owners do), that's typically considered passive income. However, if you file Schedule C because you're treating it as a business with significant time investment, that could be why some agents classify it as self-employment. @Yang Wang's experience might reflect this distinction. For @Anita George's situation with a duplex where she lives in half and rents the other half, this would almost certainly be Schedule E passive income territory. But definitely get it confirmed directly with ESD and ask them to reference the specific policy they're using - that way you'll have documentation if there are any issues later.

I've been following this thread as someone who also got laid off recently and has rental income. The conflicting information about whether rental income counts as self-employment vs passive income is really concerning. It seems like the key factors might be: 1) How you file on your taxes (Schedule E vs Schedule C), 2) The level of active management you do, and 3) Which ESD agent you speak with. For what it's worth, I have a small rental property that I've always filed as Schedule E passive income, and when I spoke to an ESD agent last week, they confirmed it wouldn't affect my benefits. But given @Yang Wang's different experience, I think everyone should definitely get their specific situation confirmed in writing. The suggestion to use Claimyr to actually reach an agent seems like a good idea to avoid the phone tag. Has anyone else noticed inconsistent responses from different ESD representatives on other unemployment issues?