UPDATE: Mine just switched to 'paid' status! Looks like it was definitely just delayed because of the holiday. Thanks everyone for the reassurance. This system gives me so much anxiety sometimes.

Mine just updated to paid status too! What a relief. I've been unemployed for 4 months now and every single holiday creates this same panic spiral. You'd think I'd learn by now that it's just the processing delay, but when you're living paycheck to paycheck (or in this case, benefit to benefit), even a day delay feels terrifying. Really wish ESD would just put a simple notice on their website during holiday weeks saying "Processing delayed by 1 business day due to federal holiday" - would save so many people so much stress!

I switched to direct deposit after using the KeyBank card for a few months. Way more convenient and I don't have to worry about losing another card or remembering another PIN.

Overall the KeyBank Reliacard system works pretty well for Washington unemployment. Just treat it like any other debit card and you shouldn't have problems.

I'm another newcomer who just went through this exact same confusion! Filed my first unemployment claim with Washington ESD about two weeks ago and when "WW served" showed up on my account, I immediately panicked and thought I was being served with some kind of legal document or penalty notice. The terminology is so unnecessarily scary when you're already stressed about being unemployed! I actually drove to my local library to use their computer thinking maybe there was an issue with my home internet affecting how my claim was displaying. It's honestly ridiculous that something so basic and universal isn't clearly explained anywhere on their official website. This thread has been such a huge relief - knowing it's just the standard unpaid waiting week that literally everyone has to go through makes me feel so much better. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and explain this in plain English! It's sad that we have to rely on community forums to understand basic unemployment terminology, but I'm grateful this resource exists. Now I know to just keep filing my weekly claims on time and wait for payments to start after this first week.

I'm another newcomer who just went through this exact confusion last week! When I first saw "WW served" on my Washington ESD account, I honestly thought it meant I was being served with legal papers or something serious. I even called my friend who's a paralegal to ask if this was some kind of court notice! The terminology is so misleading when you're already anxious about your unemployment situation. After reading through all these helpful explanations, I feel so much better knowing it's just the standard unpaid waiting week. It's really frustrating that Washington ESD uses such confusing abbreviations for something that affects every single person who files for unemployment. You'd think after decades of people being confused by this, they could just change it to say "Unpaid Waiting Week" or something actually clear. Thank you to everyone who took the time to explain this - you've probably saved hundreds of people from unnecessary panic attacks! This community is way more helpful than trying to navigate their official website.

I'm in a similar boat - had my appeal hearing last month and went through the exact same status changes you're describing. The "adjudication in progress" status appeared about 2 days after my hearing and I was worried it meant something bad. Turns out it's completely normal! Got my decision letter in the mail exactly 12 days after the hearing (favorable decision), and then it took another 5 business days for the payments to actually show up in my account. The whole time I kept filing my weekly claims like others have mentioned. One tip: if you have access to eServices, check the "Letters" or "Correspondence" section daily. My decision actually showed up there 3 days before the physical letter arrived in the mail. Saved me a few days of stress! The fact that your employer didn't show up is definitely a good sign - they can't present their side of the story if they're not there. Hang in there, it sounds like you're on the right track!

I went through this exact same thing last year! The "adjudication in progress" status is completely normal after an appeal hearing - it just means ESD is processing the Administrative Law Judge's decision. The fact that your employer didn't show up is actually really good for your case, since they can't present any evidence against you. In my experience, the timeline was about 10-14 days from hearing to getting the written decision, then another week for it to show up in the payment system. The key thing is to keep filing your weekly claims during this whole process - if you win the appeal, you'll get back pay for all those weeks. I know the waiting is stressful when you're dealing with bills, but try not to read too much into the status changes. The system goes through several different statuses as the decision moves through different departments. You're in the home stretch now!

I just wanted to say how amazing this community is! I came here super nervous about reporting gig work while on UI and worried I'd mess something up, but reading through all of your experiences and advice has been incredibly helpful. A few key takeaways that really helped me: - Report gross earnings in the week you WORKED (not when paid) - Amazon Flex seems more gas-efficient than DoorDash for my situation - The system handles gig work reporting automatically - no delays if you're consistent and honest - I still need to do my 3 weekly job searches even while doing gig work - Setting earnings targets based on my UI benefit amount to maximize total income I'm feeling so much more confident about trying this now. The specific examples everyone shared about their weekly earnings vs UI benefits really helped me understand the math. And knowing that so many of you have been doing this successfully for months without issues with ESD is really reassuring. Thank you all for being so generous with your time and advice - this is exactly the kind of support that makes dealing with unemployment a little less scary. I'll definitely update everyone on how it goes once I give it a try! And seriously, thank you for all the kind words about wanting to make my daughter's birthday special. This community really feels like family. ❤️

I've been doing gig work while on unemployment for about 7 months now and wanted to add something that might really help with your specific situation - budgeting for your daughter's birthday! **Smart Birthday Fund Strategy:** Since you mentioned needing an extra $100-200 and being concerned about gas costs, here's what worked for me: I set up a separate savings account just for gig earnings and tracked my net profit (after gas) rather than just gross earnings. This helped me see the real money I was making for special goals like this. **Gas Cost Management:** - I use GasBuddy app to find the cheapest stations along my delivery routes - Amazon Flex warehouse blocks are definitely your friend - much better gas efficiency than restaurant delivery - Consider doing 2-3 longer blocks rather than many short shifts to minimize driving to/from the pickup locations **ESD Reporting - My Experience:** I report every single dollar earned, even tiny amounts, and I've never had issues. The system is actually designed to handle part-time earnings - that's literally what partial unemployment benefits are for! Just stay consistent with when and how you report. **Realistic Timeline:** For your $100-200 goal, if you can net $15-20/hour after gas costs, you're looking at maybe 6-12 hours of work total. Spread that over 2-3 weeks and it's totally manageable without burning through too much gas money. Your daughter is going to remember this birthday forever, and the fact that you're working so thoughtfully to make it special shows what an incredible parent you are. The temporary hustle will be so worth those birthday smiles! 🎂💕