I've been following this thread and wanted to share another resource that helped me when I was stuck in ESD hell for 8 weeks last year. In addition to all the excellent advice already given, consider contacting the Office of the Insurance Commissioner's Consumer Advocacy team at 1-800-562-6900. While they primarily handle insurance issues, they also assist with certain ESD matters and have dedicated staff who understand the unemployment system. What really made the difference in my case was creating a "hardship packet" - a single PDF document that included: 1) chronological timeline of all ESD contact attempts, 2) screenshots of my claim status showing weeks in adjudication, 3) photos of eviction notice and overdue bills, 4) brief summary of my employment separation circumstances. I sent this identical packet to the Governor's office, my state rep, state senator, and the Labor Council all on the same day. Within 48 hours, I had callbacks from two different offices, and my claim was resolved within a week. The key is making it easy for these offices to understand your situation quickly and see the urgency. Having everything in one organized document shows you're serious and makes their job easier when they advocate for you with ESD. Don't give up - you've already shown incredible persistence with those 37 calls. Now it's time to work smarter, not harder. You've got a whole community pulling for you!

I'm so sorry you're going through this incredibly stressful situation. Six weeks in adjudication while facing eviction is absolutely unacceptable, and you have every right to escalate this aggressively. Based on all the excellent advice shared here, I'd recommend taking action on multiple fronts simultaneously tomorrow morning. The combination approach seems to be most effective: contact the Governor's office (360-902-4111) and specifically ask for ESD escalations, email both your state representative and senator through leg.wa.gov, and call the Labor Council hotline at (206) 281-8901 for coaching on how to present your case. One thing I'd add that I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you're a veteran, contact the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs at (360) 725-2169. They have a dedicated employment specialist who can sometimes expedite ESD cases for veterans. Even if you're not a veteran, they might be able to point you toward additional resources. Also, when you create your documentation packet, include a one-page summary at the very beginning that highlights: your claim number, how many weeks you've been waiting, your financial hardship (eviction date), and exactly what you need (immediate adjudication review). Government staffers are overwhelmed, so making your key information scannable at a glance increases your chances of getting prioritized. Stay strong and keep fighting - you've earned the right to demand action after 37 failed attempts through normal channels. This community is rooting for you!

The whole system seems designed to be confusing honestly. Between figuring out benefit amounts, work search requirements, and actually getting through to talk to someone when you have questions, it's like they don't want people to get benefits. At least there are resources now like that Claimyr service to help navigate the phone system.

Bottom line for the original question - your unemployment benefit will probably be somewhere between $300-600 per week based on your wage history. The exact amount depends on your highest earning quarter, but that manufacturing job at $22/hour should qualify you for a decent benefit. File as soon as possible and keep detailed job search records from day one.

Bottom line: be honest with Washington ESD about your travel. They have ways of finding out anyway, and the penalties for fraud are severe. A temporary hold on benefits is way better than having to repay everything with penalties.

Just wanted to add that Washington ESD has specific procedures for emergency travel situations. I had to leave suddenly when my father was hospitalized overseas and they were actually pretty understanding when I called ahead. They put my claim on temporary hold and when I returned with documentation (hospital records), they reactivated it without any penalties. The key is communicating with them before you travel, not after. Don't try to hide it - they really do have access to travel records through federal databases.

I've been dealing with this exact same worry for weeks! After reading through everyone's advice and doing some research, here's what I've settled on for documenting Indeed applications: **My approach:** - Company Name: [The actual employer, not "Indeed"] - Position: [Exact job title from the posting] - Contact Method: "Applied through Indeed online platform" - Contact Info: Indeed job URL + "No direct employer contact available through job board" **What I also do:** 1. Take a screenshot of the job posting before applying (in case it gets removed) 2. Screenshot the "Application Submitted" confirmation page for proof 3. Save any automated confirmation emails from Indeed 4. Note down the Indeed job ID from the URL as backup The biggest relief for me was learning that ESD has updated their processes to accommodate how people actually job search nowadays. They understand that most applications go through online platforms where you don't get direct employer contact info. I started keeping a simple spreadsheet with all this info, and it makes filling out the weekly claims so much easier. The key is just being consistent and thorough with whatever information you DO have access to. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's really helped ease my anxiety about potentially losing benefits over incomplete contact info!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been absolutely stressing about this same exact issue for the past two weeks. Reading everyone's detailed approaches has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. What I'm planning to do based on all the great advice here: - Use the company name (not "Indeed") - Put "Applied via Indeed online portal" for contact method - Include the Indeed job URL plus "No direct employer contact available" - Take screenshots of both the job posting and confirmation page - Keep everything organized in a spreadsheet The most reassuring thing is hearing from so many people who've successfully used these methods for months, including some who've been through actual ESD audits without issues. It really helps to know that ESD understands how modern job searching works through online platforms. I was literally losing sleep over potentially having my benefits denied because I couldn't provide hiring managers' direct phone numbers for Indeed applications. But it's clear from everyone's experiences that ESD cares more about genuine job search effort than having complete traditional contact info that isn't even available through these platforms. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and specific documentation methods - you've all been lifesavers for someone new to this whole unemployment claims process!

I've been dealing with unemployment for about 9 months now and had this exact same worry early on! The anxiety about travel rules is so real when you're already stressed about finances and finding work. What I learned through experience (and finally getting through to Washington ESD after many attempts) is that they really do understand people need to maintain normal life activities. Your Oregon trip sounds perfectly reasonable - 3-4 days and only a few hours away means you could easily return for any work opportunities. I've taken probably 8-10 short trips during my unemployment period, including several to Oregon and California, without any issues. The key things that have worked for me: 1) Always be honest on weekly claims about availability, 2) Continue job searching online while away, and 3) Make sure you can realistically return within 24-48 hours if needed. Don't let the fear of losing benefits prevent you from seeing family - that emotional support is actually really valuable when you're job searching. Go enjoy time with your sister and stop overthinking it!

I've been on unemployment for about 5 months now and went through this exact same anxiety! Early on, I was so worried about travel that I missed my nephew's birthday party just 2 hours away in Olympia. Looking back, that was totally unnecessary - I was way overthinking things. What helped me was realizing that Washington ESD's "able and available" requirement is really about whether you're genuinely job searching and could reasonably get back for work, not about being physically chained to your zip code. Your Oregon trip sounds completely fine - you're close enough to return same day if needed, and you can definitely keep up with online job applications from your sister's place. I've since taken several short trips without any issues, including a long weekend in Vancouver BC. The key is just being honest on your weekly claims and making sure you can actually return for work opportunities. Family time is so important when you're dealing with unemployment stress - don't let the fear of rule violations rob you of that support system!