One more thing - once you file, you'll get assigned a specific day of the week to file your weekly claims. Don't miss this! Even for weeks where you're still working, you need to submit your weekly claim and report your hours worked. If you miss even one week, it can cause problems with your claim that are a massive headache to fix.

I went through this exact situation when my retail store closed down last year. Definitely apply now! I was hesitant at first because I thought it seemed weird to apply while still working, but the ESD system is actually set up for this exact scenario. Just make sure when you're filling out the application that you're very clear about your last day of work being the 21st. The system will hold your claim until that date, but having it already in the system saved me weeks of waiting compared to my coworkers who waited until after their last day. Also, don't stress too much about having every single document ready - you can always upload additional documentation later if needed. The most important thing is getting your claim established in their system before the rush of other employees from your workplace start applying. Good luck with everything! Job hunting can be stressful, but at least you'll have some income support while you search.

The caps seem reasonable compared to some other states I've looked at. At least Washington ESD tries to replace a decent percentage of your lost wages within the limits.

Thanks everyone for all the detailed info! This really helps clarify the benefit caps for Washington ESD. I was particularly confused about the difference between weekly caps and total benefit limits, but now I understand that you can get up to $999/week but your total benefits depend on both your base period wages and the 26-week limit. It's good to know about the appeals process too in case there are any calculation errors. Hopefully I won't need to use these benefits for long, but at least now I know what to expect.

My husband had this exact issue when he moved from Nevada last year. It took about two weeks for them to get all his hours from Nevada and update his claim. The annoying part was we couldn't get any information during that time - the online system just showed "disqualified" which was super stressful. One thing I would recommend is making sure your weekly claims are still being filed during this time! Even though it shows you as disqualified, if they approve your claim with the out-of-state hours, they'll pay those weeks retroactively - but ONLY if you filed the weekly claims.

I went through this exact same thing when I moved from Colorado to Washington last fall! Got that scary denial email on day 2, then spent the next week checking my account obsessively. Finally got an updated monetary determination showing my Colorado wages after about 8 business days. The key thing is to NOT panic (easier said than done, I know). ESD's initial screening only looks at Washington wages, but if you listed out-of-state employment on your application, they automatically send wage requests to those states. The denial email is just their system being overly dramatic before the real processing is done. Keep filing your weekly claims no matter what the system says - this is crucial for getting backpay later. And try to resist calling ESD unless it's been more than 2 weeks, because honestly you'll just sit on hold forever and they'll tell you the same thing everyone here is saying.

I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that Washington State also has a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program if your job loss was due to foreign trade impacts. It's pretty specific criteria but worth checking if it applies to your situation. Also, if you're a veteran, there are additional unemployment benefit extensions available through the VA that run parallel to regular UI. These programs aren't well-publicized but could provide extra weeks of benefits if you qualify. Definitely worth asking Washington ESD about these when you finally get through to someone.

I'm in a somewhat similar boat - about 4 months into my benefits with maybe a month left. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening about options I didn't even know existed. The TAA program and Worker Retraining Program sound particularly interesting. I think the biggest takeaway for me is that there are way more specialized programs available than Washington ESD actively advertises, but you have to know to ask about them specifically. It's frustrating that you have to dig this deep just to find out what assistance might be available. Has anyone actually gone through the Worker Retraining Program? I'm curious about the application process and what kinds of training they approve.

Some additional insights that might help those waiting for refunds: - The refund process is handled by a completely separate department from the waiver approval team - Refunds over $5,000 require additional verification steps and take longer - If you made payments while under an active payment plan, the refund is typically faster than if you made lump sum payments - The fiscal year transition (June-July) can cause additional delays - If your banking information has changed since you made payments, notify ESD immediately to avoid further delays For the original poster, since your amount is $2,800, you're in the standard processing category which is generally more predictable.

I'm in a very similar situation - got my overpayment waiver approved about 3 weeks ago after paying back $3,200. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful but also shows how inconsistent the process is! It sounds like I should expect anywhere from 4-8 weeks total based on what people are sharing. The fact that there's no way to track the refund status online is so frustrating. I guess I'll just have to keep checking my bank account and hope for the best. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines - at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this uncertainty!