How to stop Washington ESD unemployment weekly claims - need to end benefits

You definitely need to report your return to work properly. Don't just stop filing - that can cause issues with your account. Log into your Washington ESD account and look for the option to report return to work. You should also file one final weekly claim reporting your start date and earnings.

Thanks! I wasn't sure if I needed to do anything official. I'll log in and look for that option.

Yeah definitely report it properly. I made the mistake of just stopping claims once and it flagged my account for review.

When you file your final weekly claim, make sure to report your exact start date and any wages you earned during that week. Washington ESD needs this information to close out your claim properly and avoid any overpayment issues down the road.

Good point about reporting wages for that week. I did work a few days so I'll need to calculate those earnings.

Do you know if there's a specific form for reporting return to work or is it just done through the weekly claim?

It's usually done through your final weekly claim, but there might be a separate notification option in your account. Check both places to be safe.

I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about a similar issue but can never get through on the phone. Their callback system doesn't work half the time and I keep getting disconnected. Has anyone found a reliable way to actually talk to someone there?

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They actually help you get connected to Washington ESD agents without sitting on hold forever. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made a huge difference for me.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. How does it actually work?

It's not magic or anything, they just handle the calling and waiting process for you. Way better than spending hours trying to get through yourself.

make sure you keep records of everything - your last filing, start date, wages reported, etc. Washington ESD can be really picky about documentation if there are any questions later

Good advice. I'll screenshot everything and keep my pay stubs from the new job too.

YES! I got an overpayment notice 6 months later because I couldn't prove when I reported my return to work. Documentation is everything with these people.

Also worth mentioning - if your new job doesn't work out for some reason, you may be able to reopen your existing claim rather than filing a completely new one. But you have to report the return to work properly first for this to be an option.

That's reassuring to know. Hopefully this job works out but good to have that as a backup option.

How long do you have to reopen a claim? Is there a time limit?

I believe it's within the benefit year, but don't quote me on that. Check with Washington ESD for the exact rules.

The Washington ESD website has a section about reporting return to work under 'Manage Your Claim' I think. Might be easier than trying to call them right now with how backed up they are.

I'll check that section out. Thanks for the specific location to look!

Their website is actually pretty helpful once you figure out where everything is located

Whatever you do, don't just ghost them! I have a friend who stopped filing claims without reporting anything and Washington ESD eventually flagged her account for fraud investigation. Total nightmare to sort out even though she was working legitimately.

Yikes, definitely don't want that. I'll make sure to follow the proper process.

How did your friend eventually resolve the fraud investigation?

Took months and she had to provide tons of documentation. Could have been avoided if she just reported properly from the start.

Congratulations on the new job! Just curious - are you required to do the work search activities for your final week or does that stop once you report return to work?

Thanks! That's a good question actually. I assume I don't need to keep doing job searches once I'm working full time?

You typically don't need to do work search activities for the week you return to work, but you should still file that final claim to report your wages and close everything out properly.

I went through this same process last month. The key thing is making sure your final weekly claim reflects your actual return to work date. Don't try to backdate it or anything - just be honest about when you actually started working.

Good to hear from someone who just went through this. Any other tips?

Just be patient with the system. It took a few days for my account to update and show that my claim was closed, but everything worked out fine.

Does anyone know if you're supposed to report your gross wages or net wages when you file that final claim? I can never remember which one Washington ESD wants.

Always report gross wages (before taxes and deductions) to Washington ESD. They want to know your total earnings before anything is taken out.

Thanks! I always second-guess myself on that.

If you're having trouble navigating the Washington ESD website or finding the right forms, I've had good luck using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. They helped me figure out how to properly close my claim when I went back to work last year.

Seems like a few people have had success with that service. Might be worth checking out if I run into issues.

Is there a cost for using Claimyr or is it free?

There is a cost but it was worth it for me to avoid the hassle of trying to get through to Washington ESD on my own. Much less stressful.

Pro tip: take a screenshot of your final weekly claim submission and any confirmation pages. Washington ESD's system can be glitchy sometimes and having proof that you filed properly can save you headaches later.

Definitely doing this. Better safe than sorry with their system.

This is such good advice. I wish someone had told me this when I was dealing with my claim issues.

Just want to add that if you have any unused vacation pay or severance from your previous job, you might need to report that too when you close out your claim. Washington ESD considers that reportable income even if you received it after starting your new job.

I don't think I have any of that, but good to know for the future. These rules can get complicated.

The vacation pay rules are so confusing. I had to call Washington ESD three times to get a straight answer about how to report mine.

Yeah, their customer service reps sometimes give different answers to the same question. It's frustrating.

Good luck with the new job! Make sure to keep an eye on your Washington ESD account for a few weeks after you close your claim. Sometimes they send follow-up letters or requests for additional information.

Thanks for the heads up! I'll definitely keep monitoring my account. This whole thread has been really helpful.

Yes, this has been a great discussion. Lots of good practical advice here.

One last thing - if you ever need to contact Washington ESD about your closed claim or have questions later, that Claimyr service can help with that too. I used them a few months after closing my claim when I got a random letter asking for more documentation.

Good to know they can help with follow-up issues too. Seems like a useful service to keep in mind.

What kind of documentation did they ask for after your claim was closed?

They wanted proof of my job search activities from my last few weeks of filing. Apparently it was some kind of random audit.