Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else who might be searching for info on this topic later. I missed my RESEA appointment about 6 months ago and had a similar panic attack! Called WorkSource the next day and they were actually really understanding about it. The woman I spoke with said they see this happen frequently because the notification emails aren't very clear about how mandatory these appointments are. Got rescheduled within a week, and the actual meeting was much less intimidating than I expected. It was about 45 minutes over Zoom where they reviewed my job search activities, helped me update my resume, and showed me some WorkSource tools I didn't even know existed. The counselor was genuinely helpful and not at all judgmental about the missed appointment. One tip: if you're having trouble reaching WorkSource by phone, try calling right when they open in the morning or just before they close. Those seem to be the times when wait times are shortest. Also, have your Social Security number and claim details ready when you call to speed things up.

I went through this exact same situation a few months ago and can totally relate to that sinking feeling when you realize you missed it! The good news is that it's really not as catastrophic as it feels in the moment. From my experience, here's what helped me get through it quickly: - Called WorkSource directly (not ESD) first thing the next morning - Was completely honest about missing the appointment - they deal with this all the time - Got rescheduled within 3 days, though my benefits were on hold during that time - The actual rescheduled appointment was pretty straightforward - just brought my job search log and answered questions about my activities The waiting period for benefits to restart was definitely stressful, but everything resumed normally after I completed the makeup appointment. Don't beat yourself up too much about it - those emails really are confusingly worded and easy to overlook. Focus on getting it rescheduled ASAP and you should be back on track soon!

As someone who just went through this exact situation last month, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - each interview absolutely counts as a separate activity! I had 4 rounds with Microsoft (phone screen, technical interview, team interview, and final interview with the hiring manager) and counted all 4 separately on my weekly claims. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track everything. I included columns for date, company, position, contact person, type of activity, and outcome. This made it super easy to fill out my weekly job search log and gave me solid documentation in case ESD ever questioned anything. Also, don't forget that if you do any prep work that involves contacting the company (like calling to confirm interview details or asking questions about the role), those phone calls can sometimes count as additional job search contacts too. Just make sure you're documenting who you spoke with and when. Sounds like you're doing everything right though - good luck with the rest of your interview process with TechBridge Corp!

Hey Louisa! I went through something similar a few months ago and can confirm what everyone's saying - each interview definitely counts as a separate activity. I had a 3-round interview process with a local marketing firm and counted each one separately without any issues. One tip I'd add is to make sure you're noting the TYPE of interview in your documentation (phone screening, video interview, in-person, etc.) since ESD sometimes asks for that level of detail. Also, if they gave you any specific instructions or materials to review between interviews, documenting that preparation work can sometimes count as additional job search activity too. Sounds like you're being really thorough with your record-keeping which is awesome! Hope the rest of your interviews with TechBridge Corp go well - multiple rounds usually means they're seriously considering you. Good luck!

Good luck with your claim! Layoffs are usually straightforward for Washington ESD to process compared to other separation types. You should be approved as long as everything else checks out.

Just to add another perspective - I work in HR and deal with unemployment claims regularly. When Washington ESD contacts employers about separation, they're specifically looking to verify the circumstances you reported. Since you mentioned having a layoff notice, definitely upload that documentation. It makes the verification process much smoother and faster. Also, be aware that if your company is doing multiple layoffs, Washington ESD might already be familiar with your employer's situation, which can actually help speed up your claim processing.

Wow, I didn't know the course could potentially count as a job search activity! That's really helpful. I'll definitely keep detailed documentation of everything. Thanks for the tip!

I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively! From what I've learned, you should be totally fine taking that medical billing course as long as it's part-time and flexible like you described. The 10-15 hours per week sounds perfect. A few things that might help: - When you answer the weekly claim question about school/training, be honest and say yes, but you can usually add notes explaining it's part-time and doesn't interfere with work availability - Keep records of your course schedule and how it doesn't conflict with potential work hours - Medical billing is definitely a growing field, so this could really help your job prospects! I'm actually considering a similar online certification myself. Have you looked into whether completing the course might open up remote work opportunities? That could expand your job search even more. Good luck with both the course and your job search!

In our case, WorkShare paid about 62% of our lost wages (we had a 25% hour reduction). So if someone normally made $1000/week and was reduced to $750, the $250 loss would get about $155 from WorkShare. Not perfect but WAY better than nothing, and we kept our health insurance. The exact percentage depends on your regular wages since there are minimum and maximum benefit amounts.

Just went through this exact situation 6 months ago! My employer reduced hours by 30% and put us on WorkShare. I had 4 weeks of vacation saved up and was worried I'd lose it all. Good news - you absolutely do NOT need to burn through your vacation time first with WorkShare. That's only a requirement for regular unemployment benefits. One tip though: when you do use vacation time later, make sure your payroll department understands how to report it properly to ESD. My company initially reported my vacation pay wrong during a week I took off in July, which caused a temporary hold on my benefits. Had to get HR and ESD on a three-way call to sort it out. But once they understood the process, everything went smoothly. The WorkShare program is honestly pretty great compared to regular UI - you keep your job, benefits, and can plan your time off normally. Just document everything and keep good records of your hours worked vs. paid vacation days.