Final thought - if you're really unsure, you can always start with no withholding and then add it later if you want. But it's harder to go the other way if you realize you need the full amount each week.

I went through this exact same decision a few months ago and chose to withhold the 10%. Best decision I made! When tax season came around, I actually got a small refund instead of owing money. The peace of mind was totally worth the slightly smaller weekly payments. Plus, like others mentioned, you can always change it later if your situation changes. Washington ESD makes it pretty easy to update in your online account.

Update us when you find out! I'm curious how this turns out since I'm sure other people have similar worries.

I went through something similar last year and completely understand the anxiety you're feeling. Based on my experience and research, Washington ESD typically has a 3-year statute of limitations for most overpayment issues, though they can extend it to 6 years in certain circumstances. The good news is that if you made honest mistakes rather than intentionally trying to defraud the system, they usually treat it as a simple overpayment rather than fraud. Since it's been 2 years and you haven't heard anything, that's actually a positive sign. Most audits and overpayment determinations happen within the first year after a claim ends. Try checking your online ESD account first - it should show any pending issues or flags on your claim history.

I'm so sorry you're going through this @Daniela Rossi - 12 weeks is absolutely unacceptable! I just went through something similar and finally got resolution after 10 weeks of hell. Here's what ultimately worked for me: 1. Contact your state senator AND representative (not just one) - they have dedicated ESD liaisons who can actually get answers. I emailed both with my timeline and got a response within 24 hours. 2. File a complaint with the Washington State Ombudsman at the same time - having multiple pressure points seems to get better results. 3. When you do get through to ESD, ask specifically for a "tier 2" agent or supervisor. Regular agents often can't access adjudication details, but supervisors can see more information and submit higher-priority requests. 4. If your issue involves employer verification (which is super common), ask the agent to send a "priority employer inquiry" rather than waiting for the standard process. This puts a rush on getting employer responses. The whole system is designed to wear people down and hope they give up - don't let them win! Keep fighting for what you're legally entitled to. Also make sure you're still certifying weekly even though it's frustrating - you'll get all that back pay once this mess is resolved. Sending you strength to keep pushing through this bureaucratic nightmare. You've got this! 💪

I've been lurking in this community for a while and finally decided to create an account after reading your post @Daniela Rossi. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - 12 weeks is completely unacceptable! I just wanted to add one more resource that helped me when I was stuck in adjudication for 9 weeks last fall: the WorkSource offices sometimes have direct lines to ESD that bypass the main customer service queue. I went to my local WorkSource in person (you can find locations at worksource.wa.gov) and explained my situation to a counselor there. She was able to make a direct call to ESD on my behalf and actually got through to someone who could access my file immediately. The counselor told me this isn't widely advertised because they'd be overwhelmed, but WorkSource staff have special access for helping clients with urgent ESD issues. It might be worth trying if the other suggestions don't work out - sometimes an in-person advocate calling on your behalf carries more weight than individual calls. Really hoping the expedite request works out for you! The fact that they identified the actual issue (employer not responding) is a huge step forward. Keep us posted on how it goes! 🤞

Hope your situation improves soon! Partial unemployment can be a lifesaver during tough economic times. The Washington ESD system isn't perfect but it does help bridge the gap when employers reduce hours.

Just wanted to add that when you file your weekly claims, make sure to report your earnings for the exact week being claimed - not the week you received the paycheck. Washington ESD goes by when you actually earned the money, not when you got paid. This tripped me up initially because my employer pays a week behind. Also, if you have any vacation time or sick leave used during a week with reduced hours, that counts as earnings too and needs to be reported.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Forgot to file yesterday because I was dealing with a work crisis that ran into the weekend. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - I had no idea Washington ESD gave you until Saturday to file. I was picturing having to explain to my landlord why rent would be late this month! Definitely going to set up those phone reminders everyone's talking about. Sometimes it takes a little panic to make you realize how much these weekly filings have become part of your routine. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing for getting real answers instead of trying to decode government websites!

I just wanted to jump in and share my experience since I see so many people going through the same stress I did a few months ago. I missed filing on Sunday twice during my claim period - once because of a family emergency and another time because I was just completely overwhelmed with job interviews and lost track of what day it was. Both times I was convinced I'd screwed everything up, but Washington ESD really is as forgiving as everyone here is saying. Filed on Wednesday the first time and Thursday the second time, and both payments came through normally just a day or two later than usual. The thing that really helped me was realizing that ESD processes thousands of claims every week - they're not sitting there monitoring whether you filed on Sunday versus Tuesday. As long as you're consistent about filing within that Saturday deadline, you're golden. Setting up multiple reminders is definitely the way to go though - I learned that lesson the hard way!