Navigating ESD unemployment while pregnant and transitioning to PFML - need advice!

I went through something similar last year. Here's what you need to know: - Keep filing your weekly UI claims until your baby is born, answering all questions honestly - When you can no longer work due to childbirth, you should apply for PFML through the separate Paid Leave WA system (not through ESD's unemployment system) - Your UI claim will become inactive once you start reporting you cannot work - After your PFML period ends, you can reactivate your UI claim if you're available for work but still unemployed The two systems are separate but they do communicate with each other. You cannot collect both benefits for the same week. PFML processing was taking about 2-3 weeks when I applied last year.

congrats on the baby. unemployment suuuuucks right now. they never answer there phones and everything takes FOREVRR. my friend was pregant last year and she said it was a nightmare geting them to pay her before she had the baby. she ended up getting backpay like 2 months after her baby was born which is so useless when u need money NOW

To directly answer your questions: 1. Yes, continue filing weekly UI claims but when you can no longer work due to childbirth, you must answer "no" to the "able and available to work" question. This will pause your UI benefits automatically. 2. You don't need to formally close your UI claim. It will become inactive when you report you cannot work. 3. Apply for PFML as soon as possible after the birth (or up to 30 days before your due date if your doctor approves leave prior to birth). 4. After PFML ends, you can restart UI by filing a weekly claim and answering "yes" to being able and available for work. You may need to call to reactivate, but often just filing a weekly claim restarts it. One important thing: PFML pays a higher percentage of your wages than UI in most cases, so it's financially better once you qualify.

No, PFML (Paid Family & Medical Leave) is Washington State's program that provides paid leave. FMLA is the federal program that just protects your job but doesn't pay you. Two different things!

PFML generally pays about 90% of your wages up to a maximum (around $1,400/week currently). It's calculated based on your highest-earning quarters. Much better than UI which only pays a portion of your wages.

I was in this EXACT situation in 2023 and it was a NIGHTMARE dealing with both systems!! The ESD people don't know how PFML works and the PFML people don't know how unemployment works!!! I got conflicting info from everyone I talked to and ended up with a 6-week gap where I got NO MONEY because of how the systems interact. If I could go back in time, I would have found a way to reach an actual ESD specialist who understands how the transition works BEFORE having the baby. Once your on maternity leave your priority should be recovery and bonding, not spending hours trying to get someone from the state to answer your questions!!!!!

Have you tried using Claimyr to reach an ESD agent? I was in a similar situation (not pregnancy, but medical condition while on UI) and couldn't get through on the phones for weeks. I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The ESD specialist I spoke with was able to explain exactly how to transition between UI and medical benefits and back again. Super helpful for complex situations like yours where you need specific guidance, not just generic info from the website.

dont you have to reapply for unemploymet after pfml? I thikn the claim expires after like 4 weeks of not claiming.. or is it 8 weeks? i forget

Update: I managed to speak with someone at ESD yesterday! For anyone else in this situation, here's what I learned: 1. I should continue filing weekly UI claims accurately (saying I cannot work when that becomes true) 2. I need to apply for PFML separately through the Paid Leave WA portal 3. After PFML ends, I can restart my UI claim if I'm still job searching 4. The rep confirmed my UI will remain valid for the full benefit year even with a PFML break They also expedited my UI claim review since I'm so close to my due date! Fingers crossed I'll see some benefits before baby arrives.

I used the Claimyr service that someone recommended here. Totally worth it! Got connected to an actual person in about 15 minutes after spending weeks trying to get through on my own.

Great update! One additional tip: When you apply for PFML, be prepared with documentation from your healthcare provider. They'll need certification of your pregnancy/birth. Also, take screenshots of all your submissions and keep track of claim numbers for both systems. Documentation has saved me multiple times when there were mix-ups between systems. Good luck with your delivery and congrats on the baby!