What info will ESD need during my first weekly claim call on Sunday?
This is my first time applying for unemployment and I'm pretty nervous about messing something up. I just got approved for benefits and need to file my first weekly claim this Sunday by phone (my internet is unreliable). Can anyone tell me what specific information they'll ask for during the call? Do I need to have my work search activities already logged somewhere? Will they ask about specific earnings? I don't want to be caught off-guard and have my benefits delayed because I wasn't prepared.
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NeonNebula
When you call in for your weekly claim, make sure you have these things handy: - Your Social Security Number - PIN number you created during application - List of all employers you worked for that week (if any) - Gross earnings before deductions (if you worked at all) - Records of your 3 job search activities including company names, dates, contact info, and application method - Any other income you received (severance, vacation pay, etc.) The automated phone system will walk you through it. Just answer all questions truthfully and have your notes ready. The system will tell you exactly what to enter using your phone keypad.
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Malik Thomas
•Thank you! I didn't realize I needed 3 job search activities for the very first week. Do applications I submitted before I was approved count? Or do I need to do 3 new ones before Sunday?
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Isabella Costa
ughhh the phone system is THE WORST. half the time it hangs up on me after waiting forever!!!! i had to call like 7 times last month just to get my claim filed. MAKE SURE you have a pen to write down your confirmation number!!! they dont email it to you and if u dont have proof you filed ESD will say you didnt do it. been there done that.
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Ravi Malhotra
•Have you tried using the eServices website instead? It's much more reliable than the phone system. You can file weekly claims online 24/7 and you get a confirmation page you can print or screenshot. It also saves your job search activities in the system.
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Freya Christensen
When I first started claiming, I totally messed up my first weekly claim by forgetting to report some part-time hours. Had to wait another week while they fixed it. Definitely have your exact hours and pay amounts written down before you call! Also, if you worked even 1 hour during the week, you need to report it.
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Malik Thomas
•Oof that's good to know. I did some odd jobs for cash helping my neighbor move. Like 2 hours total. Guessing I need to report that too?
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Omar Farouk
I struggled with the phone system too and wasted hours trying to get through. If your internet is that unreliable, check out Claimyr.com - I used their service last month to get through to an ESD agent when I needed help with my claim. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It helped me skip the busy signals and actually talk to someone when I needed to fix an issue with my claim. Saved me a ton of frustration.
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Chloe Davis
•is that really legit?? seems sketchy tbh
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Omar Farouk
•It's legitimate - they just help you get through the phone system faster. The ESD agents I spoke with didn't have any issues with how I reached them. They just helped solve my problem like normal.
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AstroAlpha
make sure ur answering the questions about being ABLE and AVAILABLE correctly!! those are trick questions!! if u say ur not available for work they will deny u. even if u had doctors appointment or something u still say YES ur available 40hrs all days. this is where they try to get u.
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NeonNebula
•This isn't entirely accurate. You should always answer truthfully. Being temporarily unavailable for a doctor's appointment doesn't make you unavailable for work. However, if you're actually not available for full-time work during the week (like if you're on vacation or can only work part-time), you need to report that accurately. Misrepresenting your availability can lead to overpayments you'll have to pay back later.
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Chloe Davis
Just wondering but what work did you do before? I'm in construction and got laid off last week. Applied for ESD but no approval yet. Did they approve you pretty quick?
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Malik Thomas
•I worked in retail management. It took about 10 days to get approved, but they said that was faster than normal. I think it depends on whether your employer contests it or not.
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NeonNebula
Regarding your question about job search activities - yes, you need 3 work search activities for each week you claim benefits, including the first week. Activities you did before being approved can count as long as they were during the week you're claiming for. Make sure you record the date, employer name, position, contact info, and how you applied. I recommend creating a spreadsheet or dedicated notebook to track everything.
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Malik Thomas
•Perfect, that helps a lot. I did submit 2 applications already this week, so I'll do one more before Sunday and keep detailed notes on all three. Thanks again!
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