Why did my Washington ESD unemployment benefits suddenly stop coming?

I checked and there's nothing showing up as needing attention. My account just shows the usual weekly claim stuff.

Same thing happened to me last month. Turned out they needed to verify my identity even though I'd been collecting for weeks already.

I did report some part-time work from three weeks ago but it was under the earnings limit. Could that be causing problems?

Possibly. Washington ESD sometimes reviews work reports even when they're under the limit to make sure everything adds up correctly.

I actually found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to Washington ESD agents. They handle the calling and waiting for you. Check out claimyr.com - there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?

It's worth it when you're dealing with stopped payments. They focus on getting you connected rather than you spending hours on hold.

I feel your frustration but there are usually reasons, even if they don't communicate them well upfront.

Well they need to do a better job of explaining what's happening instead of just cutting people off!

How do I check that? I don't think I'm close to the limit but I'm not sure where to look.

Login to your account and look for your benefit information or payment history. It should show your maximum benefit amount and how much you've used.

I've been filing every week on the same day. The system shows my claims as submitted.

Double check the dates. I once thought I was filing correctly but realized I was a day late one week and it messed everything up.

I only started collecting in June so that shouldn't be the issue yet.

June to now is getting close to the limit though. Worth checking your claim start date.

Good point. Washington ESD has specific job search requirements and if you don't meet them exactly, they can stop your benefits.

I've been doing my job searches and logging them. Could there be an issue with how I'm documenting them?

I haven't received any hearing notices. Where would I see that information?

Check your online account under correspondence or notices. They should send it by mail too but sometimes the online notice comes first.

What kind of verification do they usually want?

Usually documents to prove your identity and work history. They'll send you a list of what they need if that's the issue.

How long did the review take?

About three weeks. They eventually paid me for all the weeks I missed but it was stressful waiting.

My account still shows active but maybe I should call to double check.

Definitely call. I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it saved me hours of trying to get through. They knew exactly how to reach the right department for claim status issues.

I'm on regular UI, not standby. Lost my job due to layoffs.

OK so that rules out standby-specific issues. Probably something with your regular claim then.

It's frustrating but there are usually reasons. The communication could definitely be better though.

Yeah the communication is the worst part. They should at least tell you why they stopped your payments.

No, same address the whole time. All my mail has been coming normally.

OK, so probably not a mail/address issue then.

That's not entirely accurate. If the stop was due to Washington ESD error or system issues, they often do pay retroactively. But it's still better to resolve quickly.

Good to know. I'm definitely going to try calling first thing tomorrow morning.

Thanks for the reminder. I was wondering about that.

Yes, definitely keep filing. If you stop filing weekly claims, you can lose benefits even after the issue gets resolved.

How quickly were they able to get you connected?

Way faster than I could have done myself. They handled all the waiting and transferred me when they got through.

Good advice. I'll screenshot everything before I call.

Also write down the dates of your last few weekly claims and when you filed them. They often ask about that.

Thanks, I really appreciate all the advice from everyone. At least now I have some ideas of what to ask about when I call.