Adding my experience to this amazing thread! I've been lurking here for weeks dealing with the same nightmare. That "additional information needed" status with zero explanation is like psychological torture! 😩 I finally got through using the Olympia direct line (360-902-9500) that @CosmicCowboy shared - called at 9:45am today and only waited 18 minutes! Turns out my issue was a combination of identity verification (I had submitted docs 3 times already but they kept getting "lost in the system") and a random work search audit for a week from over a month ago. The agent was incredibly helpful and walked me through exactly what to upload. She also mentioned something nobody's talked about yet - if you're using a VPN or frequently switching devices to check your claim, it can trigger additional security flags. I work remotely so I'm always on different networks, which apparently looked suspicious to their system. One more number to add to the collection: 360-902-9301 is the Identity Verification unit direct line. The agent gave me this for follow-up if my ID docs don't process correctly again. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and phone numbers - this community support is literally what's keeping me sane through this bureaucratic maze! 🙏

This thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you all for sharing these direct numbers and detailed experiences! I'm a newcomer to this unemployment nightmare and have been stuck in the "additional information needed" limbo for 2 weeks now with zero explanation from ESD. Reading through everyone's stories, I'm pretty sure I'm dealing with multiple flags too. I recently moved from Spokane to Seattle, updated my driver's license but completely forgot to update my ESD address (rookie mistake!), and I've been checking my claim from different locations since I'm staying with family while apartment hunting. The VPN thing @Amun-Ra Azra mentioned is eye-opening - I use one for security and never thought it could trigger flags. My game plan based on all your advice: 1. Update my address in eServices ASAP 2. Call the Olympia direct line (360-902-9500) Monday morning around 10am 3. Ask for a detailed explanation and reference number 4. Check my Correspondence section more thoroughly for any missed messages 5. Start screenshotting all my job search activities going forward One quick question - for those who successfully resolved multiple flags, did you upload all requested documents at once or handle each flag separately? I want to make sure I don't miss anything or accidentally delay the process. This community support means everything when you're dealing with such a frustrating system. I'll definitely update once I make progress! 🤞

One more thing that might help - when you file your application, make sure to keep copies of everything you submit and write down your confirmation number. Washington ESD can sometimes have technical glitches or processing delays, so having your own records helps if you need to follow up. Also, once you're approved, set up direct deposit if possible - it's much faster than waiting for paper checks. Since you're filing for partial benefits, remember you'll need to report your weekly earnings every time you file your weekly claim, even if it's zero some weeks. The key is consistency in filing on time every week to avoid any payment delays. Sounds like you've got a solid plan to apply this weekend!

Since you're filing for partial unemployment due to reduced hours, one thing that might help is to document your typical work schedule before the cuts happened. Keep any texts, emails, or schedules from your manager showing what your hours used to be versus what they are now - this creates a clear record of the reduction. Also, when you file your weekly claims, you'll report your actual earnings for that week, and Washington will calculate your partial benefit based on your weekly benefit amount minus a portion of your earnings (they let you keep some of your wages without it affecting benefits). The system is really designed to encourage people to keep working even reduced hours rather than becoming fully unemployed. Given that you worked consistently for 8 months at retail and the hour cuts are due to business slowdown rather than performance, you should have no problem qualifying!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much more confident about the process now. I'll keep filing my weekly claims and hopefully see that first payment soon. This forum has been incredibly helpful for understanding how Washington ESD actually works.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this recently. I filed my Washington ESD claim in March and the timeline everyone described here is pretty accurate. Your benefit year starts the Sunday of the week you file, not from your last day of work. The hardest part for me was remembering to file the weekly claims every week - definitely set that phone reminder! Also, if you run into any issues or your claim gets stuck, don't be afraid to seek help getting through to ESD. The peace of mind of knowing what's going on with your claim is worth it when you're already stressed about being unemployed.

I'm going through this exact same frustrating situation right now! Filed my unemployment claim with Washington ESD about a week ago and my weekly benefit amount is showing $0 even though my claim status says "Active." Like so many others here, I've tried calling multiple times but keep getting busy signals or disconnected after waiting on hold forever. It's really stressful not knowing what's wrong, especially when you're already dealing with the financial pressure of being unemployed. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly helpful though - it's both reassuring and eye-opening to see how common this issue actually is with the Washington ESD system. Based on everyone's advice, I'm going to keep filing my weekly claims regardless of the zero amount and definitely try the Claimyr service that Lucas and others have recommended since traditional calling clearly isn't working. The success stories about simple fixes that take just minutes once you reach an actual agent give me hope that this might be a quick resolution once I can get through to someone. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community support makes dealing with the confusing ESD system feel much less overwhelming!

I'm going through this exact same issue right now and it's incredibly frustrating! Filed my claim about 10 days ago and everything seemed to process smoothly initially, but my weekly benefit amount has been stuck at $0 despite my claim status showing "Active." Like so many others here, I've tried calling Washington ESD repeatedly but keep getting busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting on hold for what feels like forever. The uncertainty is really stressful when you're already dealing with unemployment and financial pressure. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful though - it's both reassuring and concerning to see how widespread this $0 benefit issue actually is with the Washington ESD system. Based on everyone's advice, I'm definitely going to keep filing my weekly claims regardless of the zero amount showing, and I think I need to try that Claimyr service that Lucas Notre-Dame and others have mentioned since traditional calling clearly isn't working for most people. The success stories about agents being able to fix these issues in just a few minutes once you can actually reach them give me hope that this might be a simple system glitch or verification hold that just needs human intervention to clear. Thanks Emma for starting this thread and to everyone else for sharing their experiences - this community support makes navigating the confusing Washington ESD system feel much less overwhelming!

I'm currently experiencing this exact same issue! Filed my claim 11 days ago and it's been in adjudication status the entire time. My former employer is a mid-sized company that's historically been pretty slow with administrative tasks, so I'm not entirely surprised they haven't responded to Washington ESD yet. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that the 10-day response period actually begins when ESD mails the notice to the employer, not when we submit our initial claims. That definitely explains why the timeline can feel longer than expected. I've been making sure to file my weekly claims every Sunday as recommended, even though it's discouraging to see those $0 payment amounts each week. The financial stress is definitely real, especially when you're depending on these benefits to cover essential expenses. It's really reassuring to hear from so many people who eventually got their claims approved, even when their employers didn't respond within the deadline. The consistency in everyone's advice about continuing weekly filings and being patient (even though it's incredibly difficult) gives me hope that this will resolve soon. Thanks for starting this discussion - it's exactly what I needed to see today!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim 15 days ago and it's been stuck in adjudication the entire time. My former employer is a small business and they're notoriously slow with any kind of paperwork, so I figured they probably haven't responded to Washington ESD yet. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - especially learning that the 10-day clock starts when ESD mails the notice to the employer, not when we file our claims. That explains why it's taking longer than I expected! I've been filing my weekly claims every Sunday like everyone recommends, even though seeing those $0 payments is really discouraging. The financial stress is definitely building up since I'm behind on several bills now. It's really reassuring to hear from so many people who eventually got approved even when their employers didn't respond - gives me hope that mine will process soon too. I might look into that Claimyr service if nothing changes in the next few days since the regular phone lines seem impossible to get through. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it really helps to know we're all dealing with the same frustrating wait!