Missed my ESD reemployment virtual appointment - now what?

omg same thing happened to me last month!! they sent me this generic email and i thought it was just informational not an actual appointment lol. my benefits got put on hold for like a week but once i rescheduled it was fine

These reemployment services appointments are mandatory under Washington's UI requirements. They're designed to help with your job search and verify you're actively looking for work. Missing one usually triggers a hold on your claim until you reschedule and complete it. You need to contact WorkSource directly to reschedule - NOT the main ESD line. The regular ESD agents can't access the WorkSource scheduling system. Most WorkSource offices have their own direct phone numbers depending on which office you were assigned to for your appointment.

THEY DO THIS ON PURPOSE!!!!!! They make these emails super vague and bury the appointment info in the middle so people miss them, then they get to cut off your benefits for "non-compliance" and save money. I missed mine too and had to fight for 3 WEEKS to get my payments back. The system is designed to trick you into failing, I swear.

At these reemployment meetings, they cover several things: 1. Review your job search activities (so bring your job search log) 2. Discuss strategies for finding work in your field 3. Go over WorkSource resources available to you 4. Check if your resume needs updating 5. Sometimes they'll recommend workshops or training Call the WorkSource office listed in your appointment email immediately. Explain that you missed the appointment and need to reschedule ASAP. Be apologetic and stress that you want to comply with all requirements. Sometimes they can fit you in within 48 hours if they have cancellations. In most cases, your benefits will resume after you complete the rescheduled appointment, but there might be a 1-2 week gap depending on how quickly you can get in. The payment for the missed week may be retroactive, but that varies case by case.

If you're having trouble getting through to WorkSource to reschedule (they're often SUPER busy), you might want to try Claimyr. I was in a similar situation and couldn't get anyone to pick up for days. Used their service and got connected to WorkSource in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 It really helped me get my rescheduling sorted quickly instead of waiting forever.

i missed mine too back in january and yep they put my claim on hold immediately. had to call worksource directly and reschedule. the actual meeting itself was pretty easy, just 30 min zoom call where they check your job searches and tell you about services. bring your job search log and they'll want to see that youve been doing the 3 activities per week. not a big deal once you get it done but yeah the hold sucks while waiting

What's especially confusing is that there's like 5 different kinds of required ESD meetings. There's the initial interview, then RESEA meetings, then WorkSource check-ins, and sometimes job search reviews. I've been on unemployment since November and I'm still confused about which is which lol

Quick update question - were you able to reschedule your appointment? How did it go?

That's great news! Glad you were able to get through and reschedule. The fact that they said it happens all the time is actually pretty reassuring - makes it seem like it's not as big of a deal as it feels when you're panicking about it. Good luck with your appointment on Tuesday! Since you mentioned you're prepared with your job search log and everything, it should go smoothly. Thanks for updating us - I'm sure other people who find this thread later will appreciate knowing how it turned out.

I'm glad I found this thread! I'm dealing with something similar - I got one of those vague emails about a "reemployment services appointment" and almost deleted it thinking it was spam. The subject line was so generic and didn't clearly say it was mandatory. After reading all these responses, I'm definitely going to make sure I don't miss mine. It's scheduled for next Friday and now I know to bring my job search log and be prepared for questions about my activities. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating all the confusing ESD requirements!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this process multiple times over the years. Missing these appointments definitely feels scary in the moment, but it's really not the end of the world. The key things that helped me were: 1) Don't panic - it happens to lots of people, 2) Call WorkSource directly (not ESD) as soon as possible to reschedule, 3) Be honest about why you missed it when you call, and 4) Make sure you have your job search activities documented going forward. The actual meetings are usually pretty straightforward once you get there. They just want to see that you're actively looking for work and connect you with resources that might help. Hang in there - sounds like you're already on the right track by getting it rescheduled!

I'm going through something similar right now - got selected for one of these RESEA appointments and I'm honestly stressed about it even though I haven't missed mine yet. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helping me understand what to expect. It sounds like the main thing is having your job search documentation ready and not panicking if something goes wrong. @Owen Jenkins glad you were able to get yours rescheduled! For anyone else dealing with this, it seems like the key takeaway is that WorkSource handles these appointments (not regular ESD), and missing one isn't catastrophic as long as you reschedule quickly. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is going to be super helpful for people searching for info about these confusing appointments!

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!