Washington ESD denied with relief - what does this mean for my unemployment claim?

That's a relief! I was panicking thinking I wouldn't get anything. My account still shows pending though - should I call them?

Yes, definitely call to confirm when payments will start. Sometimes there's a processing delay even after a favorable determination.

Did you get backpay for the weeks you were denied? I've been waiting almost 6 weeks now.

Yes, I got all my back payments once the determination was finalized. It took about 2 weeks after the letter for everything to process.

That's encouraging. I'm dealing with a similar employer dispute right now and haven't heard anything in over a month.

How does that work exactly? I've been trying to call for days but just get busy signals or disconnected.

They basically handle the calling process for you and connect you when they reach an actual agent. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting hung up on.

Is there a cost for this service? Sounds too good to be true.

There is a fee but honestly it was worth it to finally get my claim sorted out. Much better than losing weeks of benefits.

Oh thank goodness! I was panicking thinking I wouldn't get anything. Do I need to do anything specific to get the relief part?

Check your account for any pending actions or appeals you need to file. Sometimes it's automatic but you might need to respond to something.

Thank you! I was so worried when I saw 'denied' in the letter. Why don't they just say 'approved' instead?

Government bureaucracy at its finest. They deny the initial protest but grant you relief (benefits). It's confusing wording but the important thing is you qualified.

This happened to my sister too. She thought she was denied but actually got approved for all her back benefits. Washington ESD really needs to work on their communication.

It was about 6 weeks total from filing to getting this determination. The waiting is the worst part especially when bills are piling up.

At least you got a decision. I'm still in 'pending adjudication' status with no end in sight.

Hang in there. Once they make a determination, if it's in your favor you'll get all your back pay. The waiting sucks but it's worth it in the end.

They claimed I was terminated for attendance issues but it was actually a reduction in force. I had documentation showing other people were laid off too which helped my case.

Good that you had documentation. I'm making sure to keep records of everything just in case.

Yes I've been filing every week even though I wasn't getting paid. Good thing because now I should get backpay for all those weeks.

Exactly! So many people stop filing when they're in adjudication and then lose out on benefits they were entitled to.

I know right? Half the stress comes from trying to decode what they're actually saying in these letters.

seriously, we're already stressed about being unemployed and then they send us letters that sound like they're written by lawyers

I'll log in again and check for any documents they need. Thanks for the heads up!

Same here, mine was about proving I was actually laid off and not fired for cause. Once I sent in the termination letter it got approved.

That makes sense. Do you know if employers get penalized for filing false protests against unemployment claims?

Not really penalized per se, but if they have a pattern of unsuccessful protests it can affect their unemployment tax rates. Most legitimate employers only protest when they have valid grounds.

Some employers just protest everything hoping to save money on their unemployment taxes. It's frustrating for people who legitimately qualify for benefits.

This looks interesting! I've been trying to call for days with no luck. How much does it cost?

They focus on getting you connected rather than the cost. I just needed to talk to someone about my claim status and it saved me so much time and frustration.

I'm always skeptical of these third-party services but honestly the Washington ESD phone system is impossible to navigate.

I keep hearing about Claimyr in these threads. Is it really that much better than trying to call directly?

For me it was a game changer. I spent days trying to get through and Claimyr got me connected in about an hour. Worth every penny when you're dealing with benefit delays.

What's your status showing? Maybe we can figure it out together.

Mine just says 'pending adjudication' with no other details. Been like that for 3 weeks now.

Adjudication means they're investigating something about your claim. Could be work separation, availability, or eligibility issues.

That's what I'm hoping! I'll keep checking my account for updates.

That makes sense! My former employer was pretty disorganized so they might have reported something wrong.

Employers mess up the reporting all the time. I had to correct my separation reason because they said I quit when I was actually laid off.

I did notice my benefit amount looked lower than I expected. Maybe that's related?

Exactly! If they used the wrong wage information initially, they'll fix it and backpay you for any difference.

Just checked and still showing $0 paid. Hopefully it updates soon since I really need the money.

It can take a few business days for the payment system to catch up with the determination. Be patient but also keep following up.

Yeah I was really panicking when I first read the letter. The wording makes it sound like bad news even when it's actually good news.

The whole system seems designed to confuse people. Glad you got it sorted out though.

They asked for my employment records and any documentation about the layoff. I provided emails from my supervisor about the reduction in force which helped prove it wasn't my fault.

Good to know. I'm going to start gathering all my employment documentation just in case.

Always good to be prepared. Having documentation ready can speed up the adjudication process significantly.

I know the feeling. I had to borrow money from family to pay rent while waiting. The back pay helps but the waiting period is really tough.

Yeah I'm probably going to have to do the same thing. This whole process is so stressful when you have bills to pay.

How did you finally get through? I've been trying for days.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. It actually worked and I got to talk to a real person.

Good point! I'll make sure to keep filing weekly even while this gets sorted out.

Yes, this is super important! I made this mistake and lost 3 weeks of benefits that I couldn't get back.

I'll set a reminder to check every day. Thanks for the timeline estimate!

I might have to try that. I've called Washington ESD probably 50 times and never gotten through to a real person.

Same here before I found Claimyr. The peace of mind from actually talking to someone who can check your claim status is worth it.

Good to know about the appeal timeframe. I'm definitely not appealing since this works out in my favor!

Exactly! Sometimes people get confused and think they need to appeal everything but if you're getting benefits there's no reason to rock the boat.

That gives me hope! I'll check if there are any identity verification requests pending.

Same thing happened to me. They wanted a copy of my driver's license and Social Security card.

Definitely won't ignore it! I'll be checking daily and responding to anything they need.

I'm starting to think I should try that since calling directly hasn't worked at all.

I was skeptical about using a third-party service but honestly it was worth it to actually get answers.

That's a good way to think about it. I'll try to stay positive while waiting for updates.

Yes, I've been keeping track of my job applications just in case. Good reminder!

The job search log in your account is super important to keep updated.

Yeah I was worried about the same thing. But they really do look at the evidence and make fair decisions. Just make sure you provide any documentation that supports your case.

Thanks for the encouragement. I have good documentation so hopefully my case goes as well as yours did.

Definitely. Getting that lump sum of back pay will really help catch up on all the bills that have been piling up.

That's the silver lining of these long adjudication periods - when it finally gets resolved you get a nice chunk of money all at once.

Happy to help! I was so confused when I first got the letter and couldn't find clear information online about what it meant.

These forums are really helpful for decoding all the confusing unemployment terminology and processes. Glad you got it figured out.