Washington ESD benefit amount seems way too low - what happens if unemployment is too low?

How do I check if my wages were reported correctly? I worked for a small business and sometimes they were late with paperwork.

Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and look at your monetary determination. It should show all the wages Washington ESD has on file for your base period quarters.

What kind of proof do you need? I have some old pay stubs but not all of them.

Pay stubs, W-2s, or anything showing wages paid during your base period. Even bank deposits can help if they match your pay dates.

I didn't think about other programs. Do you know if getting those affects your unemployment benefits?

No, SNAP and most assistance programs don't affect your UI benefits. They're separate systems designed to work together when people need help.

Just be careful about any work programs they might require with SNAP - make sure they don't conflict with your job search requirements for unemployment.

Is this a paid service? I'm already struggling financially so I can't afford much.

Yes it costs something but honestly it was worth it for me because I was spending hours trying to get through on my own. The peace of mind of actually talking to someone was huge.

I'll vouch for this - used it when my claim was stuck in adjudication and finally got answers. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human.

Oh wow, I didn't realize it was that far below the minimum. I thought maybe the minimum was lower or something.

Yeah, this is a red flag. Either there's a calculation error or maybe there's an issue with how your claim was processed. Definitely needs to be looked at.

How long did it take to get the backpay? I'm worried about falling behind on bills while this gets sorted out.

took about 3 weeks once I got them the wage records. the backpay was nice though, got a decent chunk all at once

What other programs should I look into? I really need help figuring out how to make ends meet.

Start with SNAP for food assistance, then look into LIHEAP for utility bills, and check if your county has emergency rental assistance. Many food banks don't require applications either.

Also check if your area has any local programs. Some cities have their own assistance programs for people on unemployment.

I get the frustration but you really do need documentation to back up wage claims. They can't just take your word for it.

I HAD documentation but they said it wasn't good enough. Meanwhile I'm supposed to live on peanuts while they take their sweet time.

I did work some seasonal retail during the holidays. Could that have affected things?

Possibly. Seasonal work should still count toward your base period wages if it was reported properly. Make sure those wages show up in your monetary determination.

How do you appeal if the wages are wrong? Is there a form or something?

You can file an appeal through your online account or call the appeals office. You'll need to explain what wages were missed and provide documentation.

Wow, $98 is basically nothing. How do people survive on that?

They don't, really. That's why all these other assistance programs exist. Unemployment isn't meant to be your only income source in tough times.

Several thousand? That would be life-changing right now. I really need to dig up all my old pay records.

Yeah, he had been underpaid for like 8 weeks before it got fixed. The backpay made a huge difference in his financial situation.

I've been trying to call for days with no luck. Maybe I'll check out that Claimyr thing.

Honestly it saved me so much frustration. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get things sorted out quickly.

I didn't know you could work part-time and still get benefits. How does that work exactly?

You report your earnings when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD reduces your benefit by a portion of what you earned, but you usually come out ahead overall.

Just make sure you report all earnings honestly. They'll find out anyway and it's better to be upfront about it.

Months? I can't wait that long to get this fixed. I need the money now.

I know, the timing is awful when you're already struggling. That's why it's worth trying every option to get through to them quickly.

That's a good idea. I'll look up what my county offers. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

Also check with local churches and community organizations. Even if you're not religious, many have assistance programs open to anyone in need.

Absolutely! I'll definitely update once I figure out what went wrong with my calculation.

Yes please do! And if you end up using Claimyr or any other method to reach Washington ESD, let us know how it worked out.