ESD asking for exact employment dates from 2023 job - how to verify old work history?

You have a couple options for finding this information: 1. Check your old pay stubs or W-2 forms. They'll show the time periods you worked there. 2. Create an account on the Social Security Administration website (ssa.gov) and view your earnings record. It'll show quarterly earnings by employer. 3. Contact your previous employer's payroll department rather than HR. They usually keep better records for tax purposes. 4. If you filed taxes using software like TurboTax, check your saved returns. They often include employment dates. I went through similar issues when I needed to verify a job from 2022. Ended up finding my info through my W-2 and the first/last paystubs I had filed away. Better to take an extra few days to get accurate info than risk problems with your claim later.

when i had this problem i just gussed the dates. like i knew it was sometime in march when i started so i just put march 15th and they never said anything abut it. probably shouldnt do that but i was like whatever close enough lol

I had the exact same issue last month! I called ESD about 20 times before finally getting through to ask if they could access my employment records directly. They said they could see my quarterly tax info but needed the specific start/end dates from me or my employer. Tried calling my old workplace but kept getting voicemail. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an ESD agent quickly without waiting on hold for hours. The agent helped me estimate reasonable dates based on my quarterly wage data they had in the system. They have a demo video if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The important thing was getting someone at ESD who could look at my file and work with me. Way better than guessing and risking problems.

THIS SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN!!!! They expect us to remember exact dates from jobs we had ages ago, and then threaten to deny benefits if we don't have perfect recall? I had the same issue last year and spent WEEKS trying to track down exact dates. My old employer had gone out of business so couldn't even verify anything. When I finally got through to someone at ESD after 30+ calls, they told me I should have kept better records. EXCUSE ME??? How was I supposed to know I'd need the exact start date of a temp job from a year ago? The whole system is designed to make claiming benefits impossible. They WANT us to give up so they don't have to pay!

have u checked ur emails from when u first got hired? i found my start date in old emails when they sent the offer letter. might have something about ur end date in emails too if u gave notice

When I filed last year, I had a similar issue remembering exact dates. What helped me was checking my LinkedIn profile (I had updated it when I started and left jobs) and also looking at my old calendar entries. Had calendar invites for "First Day Orientation" and "Exit Interview" that gave me the exact dates I needed. Also worth checking bank statements for first/last paychecks if you had direct deposit. That at least narrows it down to within a pay period.

In addition to the suggestions others have mentioned, here's what I recommend: 1. Request your employment records directly from the employer's HR department in writing (email and certified mail). Under Washington state law, they must provide you access to your personnel file within a reasonable timeframe if you ask. 2. Check the Department of Labor & Industries website. Sometimes you can see employment periods there if claims were filed. 3. If you contributed to a 401k or other benefits, check those statements as they often show employment periods. 4. When communicating with ESD, explain the steps you've taken to locate the exact information. If you can provide a reasonable estimate plus documentation showing you've attempted to get precise records, they can sometimes work with you. Accurate dates are important because they affect your base year calculation and potential benefit amount. Taking the time to get this right now will prevent complications later.

my frend just checked her facebook posts lol. she had posted "starting my new job today!" and then later "last day at toxic job, freedom!!!" with dates. maybe u posted something on social media?

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions! I found my first paystub in my email (it was sent as a PDF when they first set up direct deposit). For my end date, I checked my bank statements and found the last deposit, then counted back to what would have been my last day based on their pay schedule. I submitted this info to ESD with a note explaining how I determined the dates. The adjudicator called me today and said it matched their records from the employer! My claim has been approved and I should see my first payment next week. Really appreciate all the help from this group!

Congrats on getting it resolved! Your approach of combining the paystub info with bank statement analysis was really smart. It's great that you documented your methodology for ESD too - that probably helped show you were being thorough rather than just guessing. For anyone else reading this thread in the future, this is a perfect example of why it's worth taking the extra time to piece together accurate information rather than estimating. The detective work pays off in the end!