ESD Training Benefits taking forever - applied in December, still waiting while attending school

Training Benefits typically take 4-6 weeks for approval, but lately I've been seeing longer timelines. The ESD specialist who handles TB applications has a significant backlog right now. A few things to know: 1. Make sure your Training Benefits application shows as "received" in your eServices account 2. Continue filing your weekly claims and answering "yes" to the school/training question 3. When you do this, also make sure to select the option that indicates you're approved for Commissioner Approved Training (even though you're still waiting) 4. You still need to be completing and documenting 3 job search activities each week unless you've been specifically told otherwise If it's been more than 8 weeks, you should definitely try to speak with someone at ESD. Unfortunately, their call center is overwhelmed these days.

i went thru this last summer. took 11 weeks to get approved!!! keep documenting everything. the restaurant industry is BRUTAL right now, i was a bartender for 8 yrs before COVID and couldn't find anything after my last place closed. thats why i applied for training too. hang in there!!

I completed Training Benefits last year for HVAC certification. The entire process was frustratingly slow. A couple tips: - Make sure your school submitted the proper verification forms. Some schools are slow with this paperwork, which delays everything. - Double-check that your training program qualifies as "in-demand" occupation according to ESD's criteria. Culinary management should qualify, but worth confirming. - The Training Benefits extend your regular UI by up to 26 additional weeks (assuming your benefit year hasn't expired). - Once approved, you'll be excused from job search requirements as long as you're meeting your class requirements. I'd recommend trying to get through to ESD directly given how long you've been waiting. Regular UI running out is a legitimate concern.

took 9 weeks for mine to get approved last oct. what program are u in? i did welding at renton tech. you HAVE to keep doin job searches each week until u get the actual approval letter!!!! even tho it seems pointless cuz ur in school. my friend messed up and stopped doing job searches while waiting and got DISQUALIFIED for 4 weeks and lost $$$$$$

Have you tried calling the ESD office directly? I know it's nearly impossible to get through, but I found an easier way. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes after trying for weeks on my own. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 When I finally spoke with someone, they were able to check the status of my Training Benefits application and actually escalated it to a specialist. Got approved the following week. Might be worth trying since you're getting close to your benefits running out.

Sometimes the ESD Training Benefits department gets completely backlogged. I'm a career counselor at WorkSource and we're seeing 8-12 week waits right now for TB approvals. It's terrible but unfortunately normal these days. MAKE SURE you keep doing all required job searches while waiting - that's the #1 reason TB applicants get disqualified. Also, if your regular benefits are about to run out, you might qualify for an extension under certain circumstances, even before your TB is approved.

I GOT DENIED for training benefits after waiting TEN WEEKS last year!!!!! Their reason? They said my field wasn't "in demand" enough even though it was LITERALLY on their approved list!!! The whole system is DESIGNED to deny people and make it impossible to get benefits that you're entitled to. I appealed and then waited ANOTHER 6 weeks just to get a hearing date. The entire thing is a JOKE. No way to contact anyone, no updates, nothing. Good luck but don't hold your breath.

One other piece of advice - while you're waiting, contact your state representative or senator. Their constituent services can sometimes help push ESD to review delayed applications. I did this when my TB application hit week 10 with no response, and magically got approved 3 days after my state rep's office inquired about my case. Just Google "[your district] state representative Washington" to find yours.

hey my wife works for ESD (not in training benefits tho) and she says theyre super backed up cuz they lost 2 staff members and haven't replaced them. also if u havent already done it make sure u upload ALL ur school documents into ur eServices account even if the school said they sent stuff directly to ESD. the more documentation the better

I'm in a similar situation - applied for Training Benefits in January for a healthcare program and still waiting! The stress of potentially losing benefits while in school is real. A few things that have helped me stay sane while waiting: 1. I started a spreadsheet tracking all my job applications and weekly claim activities just to stay organized 2. Set up alerts on Indeed/LinkedIn for part-time remote work that could work around my class schedule (found a few data entry gigs that way) 3. Reached out to my school's financial aid office to see what emergency assistance might be available if benefits run out The restaurant industry really is brutal right now - I have friends who were career servers/bartenders and they're all struggling to find work. Your culinary management program sounds like a smart pivot though! Food service management is definitely growing. Hang in there and keep us posted on how the Claimyr thing works out if you try it.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Applied for Training Benefits in late January for a nursing program and it's been 7 weeks with zero updates. My regular UI runs out in about a month and I'm getting really anxious. The worst part is not knowing if you're even on their radar or if your application is just sitting in some digital pile somewhere. I've been doing all the required job searches but it feels so pointless when I know I can't actually take most positions because of my class schedule. Applied to maybe 30+ healthcare support jobs (CNA, medical receptionist, etc.) but either they want full-time availability or the pay is so low it wouldn't even cover my rent. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and tips here - especially the suggestion about contacting your state rep and that Claimyr service. Going to try both of those this week. The stress of potentially losing benefits while trying to better yourself through education is just insane. Why make it so hard for people who are actively trying to get back into the workforce with better skills? Anyway, solidarity with everyone dealing with this mess. Will definitely update if I make any progress!

I'm actually dealing with this right now too! Applied for Training Benefits in early February for a digital marketing program and just hit the 6 week mark with no word. Seeing everyone's timelines here is both reassuring (that I'm not alone) and terrifying (11 weeks?!). One thing I discovered that might help - if you're on Facebook, there's a group called "Washington State Unemployment Help" that has some really active members who share real-time updates about ESD processing times and sometimes insider tips. Someone there posted last week that Training Benefits applications from December/January are finally starting to move through the system. Also wanted to mention - since you're in culinary management, have you looked into any of the food service temp agencies? I know it's not ideal while you're in school, but some of them have really flexible scheduling for catering events and corporate food service that might work around your class schedule. At least as a backup plan while waiting for TB approval. The whole system is so backwards - penalizing people for trying to improve their job prospects through education. But your program sounds like a smart choice given how much the food industry is changing post-COVID. Hang in there!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Applied for Training Benefits in January for a web development bootcamp and I'm at week 8 with absolutely nothing. My regular UI benefits run out next month and I'm honestly starting to panic. The job search requirement while in an intensive program is so frustrating - I'm in class 40+ hours a week but still have to apply to 3 jobs weekly that I know I can't actually take. Most tech jobs want immediate start dates and full availability, which obviously doesn't work when you're committed to a training program. I tried calling ESD probably 50 times over the past two weeks and either get disconnected immediately or sit on hold for hours before getting hung up on. Their phone system is absolutely broken. Definitely going to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned - at this point I'm willing to try anything. Also going to reach out to my state rep this week. Never thought about that option but if it worked for others it's worth a shot. The whole system feels designed to make you give up, which is so backwards when you're literally trying to get skills for a better career. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know this isn't just happening to me. Will update if I make any progress with getting through to someone!

I'm dealing with this same Training Benefits nightmare! Applied in late January for a cybersecurity program and just hit the 7-week mark with zero communication from ESD. My regular UI runs out in 5 weeks and the anxiety is real. What's really frustrating is that I'm in an accelerated program (30+ hours/week) but still have to waste time applying for IT jobs that want immediate start dates and full availability. I've applied to probably 40+ positions just to meet the weekly requirement, knowing I can't actually accept any of them while committed to this program. After reading everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service and reach out to my state rep this week. At 7 weeks I figure I need to start being more proactive rather than just hoping they'll eventually get to my application. It's so backwards that the system makes it this hard for people who are actively trying to gain in-demand skills. Cybersecurity is literally one of the fastest growing fields but here I am stressing about losing benefits while training for it. Thanks to everyone sharing their timelines and tips - it really helps to know this is a systemic problem and not just me. Will definitely update if I make progress getting through to someone at ESD!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation! Applied for Training Benefits in mid-December for a healthcare administration program at Bellevue College and I'm still waiting at nearly 14 weeks now. My regular UI ran out 3 weeks ago and I've been living off savings and stress. A few things I've learned through this nightmare: 1. I finally got through using Claimyr after trying for weeks on my own - it really does work! Took about 45 minutes but I actually spoke to a human who could see my application status. 2. The ESD agent told me that December applications got caught in some kind of system backlog during their winter processing, which is why so many of us from that timeframe are still waiting. 3. She said to keep filing weekly claims even after regular benefits run out - apparently if/when TB gets approved, there can be retroactive payments back to when you started the program (as long as you kept filing). 4. My state rep's office (48th district) was actually really helpful - they have a constituent services person who specializes in ESD issues and she put in an inquiry for me. The restaurant job search while in school is absolutely brutal right now. I've had better luck applying for administrative assistant positions that explicitly mention "part-time" or "flexible schedule" - at least those feel more realistic given my class commitments. Hang in there - your program sounds like a great choice and culinary management is definitely growing. This system is broken but we'll get through it!