OP, did you get that payment plan form submitted yet? One thing to remember is to include ALL your expenses with documentation. Rent/mortgage, utilities, medical costs, car payment, insurance, groceries, childcare, etc. The more thoroughly you document your financial situation, the more likely they'll approve your request quickly. Also, you mentioned this was from an ESD miscalculation originally? Have you previously requested a waiver of the overpayment? If ESD made the error and it wasn't due to any false information from you, you might qualify for an overpayment waiver, especially if collection causes financial hardship.

Another tip for your new payment plan request: mention that you've been consistently making payments for 2 years and this was a one-time issue during the holidays. ESD does sometimes factor in good payment history. Also, while waiting for the new plan to be processed, you might qualify for emergency assistance through DSHS or local community action agencies if the reduced benefits are causing severe hardship. Many counties have rental assistance and utility payment help programs that can bridge the gap while you get this resolved with ESD.

You're absolutely right - that was my typo. The benefit year runs for 12 months from the date of filing, so in this case until August 2026. Thanks for the correction!

You're right, I made another error. The benefit year would run until August 2026, exactly 12 months from the filing date of August 3, 2025. Thank you for the correction.

Just following up - did your claim status ever update? I'm curious because I'm having a similar issue now.

For future reference, you can also check the "Payment History" tab on eServices. Sometimes that will show your claim as processed even when the main dashboard still shows you need to file. It's a good way to double-check without having to call. The ESD systems don't always communicate well with each other, so checking multiple places can give you peace of mind.

Wait I'm confused... can someone explain adjudication to me? Is that the same as an appeal? I got denied benefits and they told me to file an appeal but I'm not sure if that's the same thing you're talking about?

My claim was in adjudcation for 7 whole weeks last year, ESD is sooooo slow... I think ur smart to stop claiming until they decide. Also make sure u keep doing ur job search activities every week even if u dont claim!! I messed that up n had to start my whole claim over again it was a NIGHTMARE

If you're having trouble reaching ESD to ask questions about job search requirements, I highly recommend using Claimyr. It helped me get through to an actual ESD agent in about 20 minutes after I'd been trying for days on my own. The agent was able to clarify exactly what I needed to include in my job search log and answer all my questions. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 that shows how it works. The website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out. Saved me tons of frustration!

Thanks everyone for the great responses! I really hope the mods see this and consider pinning something. It's clearly a common question that affects a lot of people. In the meantime, maybe we should all make sure to reply to new posts about job search logs and point people to this thread? At least until there's an official FAQ. Just trying to help our community avoid problems with ESD!