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my brother just went thru this last month!! one thing nobody mentioned is that they look at your earnings from the previous 18 months not just ur current job so even if u were only at this job a short time u might still qualify
To summarize what everyone has said: 1. File your initial application immediately - today if possible 2. Report that you worked Monday and the amount earned when filing 3. Understand there's a waiting week (first eligible week) where no benefits are paid, but you must still file a weekly claim 4. Begin your three job search activities right away and document them carefully 5. Report your final pay accurately on your weekly claim For job search documentation, ESD provides a job search log on their website, but you can also create your own as long as it includes: date of activity, type of activity, employer/job contact information, position applied for, and results/follow-up. Keep these records for at least a year.
Just a quick update - I got a follow-up call from ESD today asking if everything was resolved to my satisfaction. The agent explained that my case had been flagged for "manual review" but somehow got lost in their queue until the governor's inquiry pushed it to the front. She apologized for the delay and said they're working on improving their internal tracking system. So it seems like contacting the governor really did make a difference in my case.
OF COURSE they called to apologize after the governor's office got involved! But they couldn't be bothered to look at your claim for 7 WEEKS before that??? This just proves how broken the system is. Glad you got paid but it shouldn't take executive intervention to get your legally entitled benefits. The whole system needs an overhaul!
Any update on this? Were you able to reach ESD? I'm dealing with a similar issue now and wondering if you found a solution.
Yes! Finally got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Turns out his former employer had contested the claim 29 days after the initial approval (right under the 30-day wire). That automatically disqualified everything pending review. The ESD agent said this happens a lot and they should've sent a notice but their notification system has been glitchy. She escalated it and said he'll either get a new determination letter or a call for a fact-finding interview within 10 days. At least we know what happened now!
This is why I always tell people to keep filing their weekly claims even if they think they'll be denied or are waiting forever in adjudication. The system is extremely unpredictable. Glad you found out what happened - the employer contesting at the last minute is exactly what happened to my wife too. Hope your brother gets his benefits soon!
Thanks! The agent actually said his chances are good since he has documentation showing he was laid off due to the company restructuring. The employer is apparently claiming he could have taken a different position (at 60% less pay and in a different city!). I'll post an update when we hear the final decision.
My friend just went through this. The 10 weeks definitely starts from your termination date. She got benefits exactly on week 11. Be super careful with your job search logs during this time though - they scrutinize them more heavily for people with misconduct determinations. Make sure you're doing your 3 activities every week and documenting everything in detail!
One more thing - after your 10 weeks are up, it can sometimes take an extra week for payments to actually hit your account. ESD's system doesn't always process the transition immediately. So don't panic if you don't see money right away after week 10. And DEFINITELY call if nothing happens by week 12!
Niko Ramsey
One more thing I forgot to mention - make sure all your job search activities are properly logged during the transition period. ESD sometimes pays extra attention to job search compliance when reviewing new claims. Still need those 3 activities per week!
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Anna Kerber
•I've been keeping detailed records of all my job search activities in the WorkSource system. That shouldn't be an issue, but thanks for the reminder!
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Kristin Frank
To answer your question from earlier - my new claim took about 10 days from filing to first payment (including the waiting week). So while there was a gap, it wasn't nearly as bad as my first claim experience. I think having all documentation ready and making sure all information matched exactly what employers would report made the difference. And yes, if your new job paid more, your weekly benefit amount should increase accordingly since ESD uses your highest-earning quarters to calculate benefits. That's one silver lining!
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Anna Kerber
•10 days would be manageable for me. I've saved enough to cover about 3 weeks without income, so hopefully that's enough buffer. I appreciate you sharing your timeline!
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