Washington ESD unemployment claim between accepting job offer and start date - is this allowed?

Thanks! Should I report it in the 'did you start work' section or somewhere else on the weekly claim form?

Report it in the job search section as an offer accepted. Don't mark 'yes' for starting work until your actual first day.

That's reassuring! Did you have any issues with Washington ESD questioning the gap period later?

Nope, no problems at all. They just wanted to make sure I was being truthful about my availability and the job start date.

You're still available for work until you actually start. Accepting an offer doesn't mean you're working yet - things can change, offers can be withdrawn, etc.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr to get through to an actual Washington ESD representative when I had this question. So much confusion online about what's allowed. The agent confirmed you can claim during the gap period. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Never heard of Claimyr before but getting through to Washington ESD is such a nightmare. Might have to try this.

Good point about documentation. I'll save my offer letter and any emails about the start date just in case.

YES document everything! I learned this the hard way when Washington ESD asked for proof of my start date during an audit. Had to scramble to find emails from my employer.

That's not accurate. As long as you're honest about your situation and meet the availability requirements, you're fine to claim during the gap.

I'm just saying be careful. The rules can be interpreted different ways and it's better to be safe than sorry with overpayments.

I actually had to appeal an overpayment notice related to this exact situation. Won the appeal but it was stressful. The hearing officer said as long as you're truthful on your claims, you're good.

The start date is firm because they need to complete some facility renovations first. I asked about starting earlier but they said January 15th is the earliest possible.

Ah that makes sense. Well at least you have income coming in during the gap then!

Exactly! Three weeks of benefits will definitely help cover expenses before my first paycheck.

Make sure you're still doing your job search activities during the gap period. Washington ESD requires 3 job search contacts per week even if you've already accepted an offer.

Wait really? I thought once you accept an offer you don't need to keep job searching?

That's exactly why I started using Claimyr! No more waiting on hold for hours. They call Washington ESD for you and connect you when an agent is available. Saved me so much time and frustration.

How much does something like that cost? I'm on unemployment so money is tight.

It's worth checking out their website at claimyr.com - they explain everything there. Much cheaper than losing benefits because you couldn't get through to ask questions.

You're probably right. I tend to worry too much about these things. Thanks for the reassurance!

Better to ask questions than assume though. Unemployment rules can be tricky and overpayments are no joke.

Thank you! I'm excited to start working again. The job search process was longer than expected but finally paid off.

How long were you on unemployment if you don't mind me asking? I'm at month 4 of searching and getting discouraged.

I was on for about 5 months total. It was tough but don't give up! The right opportunity will come along.

Good point. I assume I just mark 'yes' for starting work on my January 19th weekly claim (covering the week I start)?

Exactly. That claim will probably be your last one for this benefit year unless you become unemployed again.

That's really helpful to know from the employer perspective! Makes me feel more confident about continuing to claim.

That's interesting. I always wondered what employers report to Washington ESD and when they report it.

We report new hires within 20 days of their start date, not when they accept offers. Big difference!

No restrictions on job type as long as you're actively seeking work. Part-time work just means reduced benefits, not loss of eligibility.

I was worried about this too but Washington ESD told me any legitimate job offer is fine. They just want people to get back to work.

Wow, 6 weeks! That would definitely make me nervous about benefits. Good to know longer gaps aren't unheard of.

Government jobs can have even longer gaps. I had a 2-month wait for security clearance processing. Washington ESD was fine with it as long as I kept filing honestly.

Hopefully that won't happen but good to know I'd be covered if it did. This job seems solid though.

I had an offer rescinded 2 days before my start date last year. Was so grateful I had kept claiming during the gap period. Saved me from a benefits lapse.

Oh no, that must have been devastating! I'm sorry that happened to you.

How does Claimyr work exactly? I've seen it mentioned a few times in this thread.

They basically call Washington ESD for you and wait on hold, then connect you when an agent is available. Saves hours of waiting. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that explains it better than I can.

That actually sounds really useful. I'll check it out.

Glad it helped! I feel much better about the situation after reading everyone's responses.

Same here. I was scared to even accept job offers because I thought it would mess up my benefits immediately.

I did mention it during the interview process and they were understanding about the situation. They actually said the 3-week gap was good for both of us to prepare.

That's a good employer! Shows they care about their employees' financial well-being during the transition.

This is so reassuring to hear from someone who actually went through it! I was getting a bit anxious reading some of the conflicting advice in this thread. The documentation tip is really smart - I'll make sure to keep copies of everything. Thanks for sharing your experience and the congratulations!

Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who actually went through this process recently. I'm definitely going to follow your advice about documenting everything - better to be over-prepared than caught off guard later. Did Washington ESD ask you any specific questions about the gap period during your claims, or was it pretty straightforward as long as you were honest about everything?