I went through a similar employer protest situation last year and want to share what I learned. The most important thing is that Washington ESD requires employers to prove misconduct was both "willful" and "substantial" - just having attendance issues, even without medical documentation, often doesn't meet that standard if there's no pattern of defiance or repeated violations after formal warnings. In your case, having medical documentation makes their argument even weaker. One thing that really helped me was creating a detailed timeline of events with dates, showing exactly when I provided medical notes and how I followed company procedures. Also, don't forget to mention if you were a good employee overall - length of service, positive reviews, no prior disciplinary actions all work in your favor. The adjudicator will look at the totality of circumstances, not just the employer's cherry-picked complaints. Washington ESD sees these weak protests all the time and knows the difference between legitimate misconduct and employers trying to avoid paying unemployment taxes.

I'm going through a similar situation right now with my former employer claiming I was terminated for "violation of company policy" when I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. They're trying to say I was using my phone too much during work hours, but I have emails showing they approved my schedule changes to handle family medical emergencies. It's so frustrating when employers twist the truth just to avoid paying unemployment taxes. What I've learned from reading everyone's responses here is that documentation is everything - I'm gathering all my emails, performance reviews, and any communication that shows the real reason for my termination. Has anyone else dealt with employers making up policy violations that weren't actually enforced consistently? I'm worried because they're a bigger company with HR resources, but seeing all the success stories here gives me hope that Washington ESD will see through their lies.

I just went through this registration process myself two weeks ago for my consulting business! Here's what I learned: definitely gather all your documents first like others mentioned, but also make sure you have your business bank account info ready - they ask for routing and account numbers during the online registration. The whole process took me about 30 minutes once I had everything organized. One tip that saved me time - if you're not sure about your NAICS code, there's actually a lookup tool right on the registration page that lets you search by keywords describing your business type. Way more convenient than going to the census website separately. Good luck with your retail shop!

I recently helped my brother set up his landscaping business and we found that having your Secure Access Washington (SAW) account ready beforehand really speeds things up. You'll need this to access most of the state business portals anyway, so might as well get it set up first. Also, when they ask for your business start date, use the date you first plan to pay wages, not when you got your business license - learned that the hard way when we had to call back and clarify. The whole online process was actually pretty smooth once we had all our ducks in a row!

I just wanted to follow up and say THANK YOU to everyone who shared their experiences and advice in this thread! As a newcomer to this whole unemployment process, I was really overwhelmed and scared about potentially messing up my benefits over something I didn't understand. After reading through all your responses, I finally worked up the courage to call ESD this morning. I used the exact phrasing several of you recommended: "This is a one-time early withdrawal of my own 401k contributions due to emergency medical expenses - not regular pension payments." The first agent I spoke with seemed uncertain, so I politely asked to speak with a supervisor (thanks for that tip!). The supervisor was incredibly knowledgeable and confirmed that my $8,500 withdrawal should NOT be reported as income for unemployment purposes since it was my own contributions from previous paychecks, not new income. She also assured me that the 6 weeks I'd already claimed without reporting it was completely fine since I wasn't trying to hide anything - just genuinely confused by the rules (which she said happens all the time). I documented everything - got her name, ID number, date and time of the call - so I have it all on record now. This community is amazing! The fact that so many people took time to share their personal experiences and professional expertise really made all the difference. I went from panicking about potential fraud accusations to having complete peace of mind. You all are lifesavers! 🙏

This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm also new to unemployment benefits and had no idea there were so many nuances around retirement fund withdrawals. Reading through everyone's experiences really shows how inconsistent the information can be from different ESD agents - it's almost like you have to get lucky and reach someone who actually knows the specific rules. What really stands out to me is how many people initially got conflicting advice but eventually found that one-time withdrawals of your own 401k contributions don't count as reportable income. The distinction between your own contributions vs. employer matching vs. regular pension payments seems to be the key thing that trips up both claimants and ESD representatives. For anyone else dealing with this situation, it seems like the winning formula based on all these responses is: 1. Use very specific language when calling: "one-time early withdrawal of my own 401k contributions for emergency expenses" 2. Ask for a supervisor if the first agent seems uncertain 3. Document everything (names, IDs, dates, times) 4. Don't panic if you've already filed claims without reporting - as long as you weren't trying to hide anything It's really reassuring to see how this community comes together to help each other navigate these confusing bureaucratic situations. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise!

call them!!! dont just wait around they mess up all the time

UPDATE: The money just hit my account this morning! So it took exactly 3 business days after the determination letter. Such a relief after 7+ weeks of waiting and stressing. Thanks everyone for your help and insights!

Congratulations on the new job Henry! Just wanted to add one more thing that saved me some hassle when I went through this process - make sure to note down your exact last day of receiving benefits for your own records. When I transitioned off unemployment last year, I kept a simple log with the date I reported starting work and the last benefit payment I received. This came in handy months later when I was doing my taxes and needed to verify the exact period I was on unemployment. Also, if you ever need to reference your benefit history for any reason (loan applications, background checks, etc.), having those dates written down makes everything much easier. The 1099-G form will have the official totals, but having your own record of the transition dates is really helpful. Wishing you all the best with the new position!

Henry, congratulations on the new job! This is such a great thread with so much helpful advice. I just wanted to add one small tip that helped me when I went through this transition last year - after you file your weekly claim on Sunday reporting your start date, make sure to check your Washington ESD account a few days later to confirm your benefit year balance shows zero or that payments have stopped. Sometimes there can be a delay in the system updating, and it's good to verify everything processed correctly. Also, don't forget to update your contact information if you're moving for the new job, since Washington ESD might need to send you important documents later (like your 1099-G). The whole process really is much more straightforward than it seems when you're worried about it! Best of luck with your new position!