One last tip - if you do end up paying, make sure the payment is applied correctly to your account. I had a payment that was applied to the wrong case number and it took months to fix.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. The key thing is to act quickly - don't let it sit. I called the collections number on my notice (it took several attempts but I eventually got through) and was able to set up a reasonable payment plan. They were actually pretty understanding once I explained my financial situation. The rep told me that calling the collections line directly is much faster than going through the main customer service number. Also, definitely review why they say you were overpaid before you start making payments - in my case, I had missed reporting some freelance income but the amount they calculated seemed too high, so I provided additional documentation that reduced the overpayment by about $800.

Thanks for asking this question! I've been wondering the same thing but felt dumb asking. Now I know I'm not missing some deduction I should be seeing on my paycheck.

This thread has been super helpful! I moved here from Texas where we also don't pay employee unemployment taxes, but I wasn't sure if Washington was the same. It's reassuring to know that the system is designed to protect workers without adding another payroll deduction. Makes me feel better about the whole setup knowing that if something happens with my job, I won't have to worry about whether I "paid enough" into the system.

Back in 2023 I totally forgot to file for like 3 weeks straight (mental health issues). When I finally remembered I was able to file for all 3 weeks, one after another on the same day. Everything processed normally, no adjudication or anything. But I did have to answer why I filed late for each one. So you should be fine with just one missed week!

I had a similar situation a few months ago when I was dealing with a family emergency and completely spaced on filing. You should be totally fine filing both weeks this Sunday! Just like others mentioned, make sure to file the older week first - the system actually guides you through it pretty well. One tip that helped me: before you start filing, have all your job search activities written down for both weeks so you're not scrambling to remember what you did. The process is basically the same as filing normally, just twice in a row. I didn't have any issues with adjudication or delays, got paid for both weeks on the normal schedule. The "reason for late filing" question is straightforward - just be honest about helping your mom move. ESD sees legitimate reasons like family emergencies all the time. Good luck with the filing! And definitely set up that phone reminder like FireflyDreams suggested - I learned my lesson too!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I had a medical emergency and completely forgot to file. The online reopening process worked fine for me - took about 10 minutes to complete all the questions. Just make sure you have all your recent job search activities documented because they'll ask for those details. One thing that helped me avoid this happening again was downloading the ESD mobile app and turning on push notifications. It sends me a reminder every Sunday morning to file my weekly claim. The lost week still stings financially, but at least you caught it after just one missed filing instead of letting it go longer.

I had a similar situation last year when I missed filing due to a death in the family. The good news is that reopening your claim is pretty straightforward, and you won't have to serve another waiting week since it's just one missed week. Here's what worked for me: log into eServices, click "Restart your claim," answer all the questions (they're mostly the same as your original application), and submit. Your new effective date will be this coming Sunday, so you can file your weekly claim normally starting then. The hardest part is accepting that you'll lose that one week's payment - there's unfortunately no way to backdate it. But your total benefit amount and benefit year end date stay the same, so it doesn't affect the overall length of your claim. Make sure you have your job search activities ready because they'll ask about those during the reopening process.

One last thing - make sure you file your weekly claims every week even during adjudication. Don't wait until you get approved or you could miss out on benefits for those weeks. The system is pretty specific about this requirement.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year - got fired from my logistics job for "performance issues" but it was really just unrealistic expectations and constantly changing metrics. Washington ESD approved my claim after about 10 days because there was no documentation of misconduct. The key thing is that performance struggles aren't the same as willful misconduct. Since you were genuinely trying to do your job and they never gave you proper written warnings, you should be in good shape. Don't let the stress get to you too much - file that claim ASAP and focus on your job search. You've got this!