What does 'not disqualified' mean for Washington ESD unemployment claim?

Thank you! So it's not a guarantee of payment but at least they haven't rejected me outright?

Exactly. It means you've cleared the basic eligibility requirements but there might be other steps in the process.

How did you find out what was holding it up? I don't see any messages in my account about needing to verify anything.

I had to call them but it took forever to get through. The automated system kept hanging up on me.

Is that legitimate? I'm nervous about using third-party services for my unemployment stuff.

Yeah it's real. They just help you get through the phone queue faster. You still talk directly to Washington ESD agents.

I used Claimyr last month when my claim was stuck. Got through to Washington ESD in like 20 minutes instead of calling all day.

6 weeks?? That's terrifying. Did you ever find out why the delay?

Something about my previous employer contesting the claim but nobody ever told me that directly. Had to find out through a phone call.

This is helpful! I wish Washington ESD would explain these steps better on their website.

So adjudication could still happen even if I'm currently 'not disqualified'?

Yes, if something comes up that needs review. Could be an employer contest, work search issues, or just random verification checks.

That gives me hope! How long ago did you file your initial claim?

filed on a tuesday, got not disqualified friday, then approved the following monday i think

Where would I find those? I don't see anything obvious in my account dashboard.

Look under 'Correspondence' or 'Messages' section. They're not always in the main claim status area.

Good tip! I found one buried in there that I never saw. No wonder my claim was stuck.

That's frustrating. I wish they would just tell us what they're actually reviewing.

Right? The whole process is so unclear. At least with other government agencies you get some idea of what's happening.

How much does that service cost? I'm already tight on money waiting for my claim to process.

It's not expensive compared to missing weeks of benefits. Check their site for current pricing.

At least I'm not alone in this. It's scary when you don't know if money is coming or not.

Exactly! I keep checking my account every few hours hoping something changes.

Welcome to the club. Washington ESD loves to keep us all in suspense.

I've been doing that every week. Should I keep doing it even though I'm not getting paid yet?

Yes, absolutely. Those weekly claims establish your ongoing eligibility. If you stop filing them, you could lose benefits even after approval.

This is important advice. I stopped filing weekly claims when I wasn't getting paid and it screwed up my whole claim.

That's not very reassuring... What happened with your cousin's claim?

was not disqualified for like a month then suddenly got a letter saying they were disqualified for some work search thing

I've been keeping track of my job applications. Should I be doing anything else?

Make sure you're meeting the minimum weekly requirements and keeping detailed records. Also register with WorkSource if you haven't already.

That's encouraging! Did you do anything specific to speed up the process?

Not really, just kept filing weekly claims and made sure all my information was accurate. Think it just took them time to process everything.

Good point. I set up direct deposit when I filed. Should I verify that information?

Wouldn't hurt to double-check. Make sure your bank account number and routing number are correct.

10 days doesn't sound too bad. I'm at about 2 weeks now so maybe there's still hope.

Every claim is different but hang in there. The waiting is the worst part.

I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully it won't come to that but good to know there are options.

Same here, Claimyr got me through to an agent when I was desperate. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person.

Will do! Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. Makes me feel less alone in this process.

Good luck! Hope you get approved soon and get those payments flowing.