Just wanted to follow up since several people asked about Claimyr - I used them again yesterday to get clarification on my job search requirements and it was super quick. The agent explained exactly what activities count and how to document them properly. Really takes the stress out of dealing with Washington ESD.

Thanks everyone for all the detailed info! This is really helpful. I'm feeling much more confident about what to expect now. It sounds like with my $52k salary I should be looking at somewhere in the $400-600 range per week, which would definitely help cover my basic expenses while job hunting. I'm going to check out that benefit calculator on the Washington ESD website and also look into Claimyr if I run into issues getting through to them by phone. Really appreciate this community having so much practical advice!

To summarize what everyone has said: ABY = "Able and Available: Yes" which means you correctly certified that you were able and available for work during that week. It's a positive status code that indicates your weekly claim was properly filed in terms of the availability requirement. As long as you're meeting your job search requirements (3 activities weekly) and don't have other issues, your claim should process normally with this status.

Just wanted to add that if you're new to unemployment like I was, it's worth bookmarking this thread! I had the same panic when I first saw ABY on my claim status. The ESD website really could use better documentation of these codes. For anyone else reading this - ABY is definitely one of the "good" codes you want to see. It means you're doing everything right on that front. The ones to watch out for are the ones that start with "D" (like DEN for denied) or "ADJ" for adjudication like others mentioned. Keep doing your job searches and you should be fine!

One more thing about maximizing benefits - if you find temporary or part-time work, you might still be able to collect partial benefits. Washington ESD has a formula for how much you can earn before it affects your weekly benefit amount. Don't assume you have to choose between working and collecting.

One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you understand what happens if you refuse work. Washington ESD requires you to accept "suitable work" and they have specific criteria for what that means. Generally, after some time on benefits, you might have to accept jobs that pay less than your previous wage. Know the rules so you don't accidentally get disqualified for refusing something they consider suitable.

Congrats on getting everything sorted out! This is such a helpful thread for anyone dealing with the same situation. The fact that your system updated after the payment shows exactly what everyone was saying - ESD's different systems just don't sync up in real time. Really smart that you kept some money aside just in case too. Hope your job interviews go well!

This is such a relief to read! I'm actually going through something similar right now - got my determination letter yesterday but my account still shows "pending adjudication" even though I can see they processed my weekly claims. Your experience gives me hope that the payment will come through soon and the system will eventually catch up. It's so stressful when you're waiting for money you desperately need and the online portal is giving mixed signals. Thanks for sharing your story and coming back with the update - it really helps newcomers like me understand what to expect from ESD's quirky system!

One important tip - don't miss any deadlines while waiting for the waiver decision! If you were on a payment plan before, some people have been told to continue making minimum payments until a decision is made. If you stop payments completely and then get denied, you could face additional penalties. Might be worth checking on that specific to your situation.

I just wanted to add that if anyone is struggling with the financial documentation part, your local WorkSource office can sometimes help you organize the paperwork. I went to mine last week and they had someone who specifically helps with ESD appeals and waivers. They helped me put together a clearer financial hardship statement and made sure I had all the right documents formatted properly. It's a free service and might be worth checking out if you're feeling overwhelmed by the process.