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Bottom line - when unemployment goes up, expect longer waits for everything related to Washington ESD. Filing, adjudication, appeals, phone calls, even getting your debit card can take longer.
If you're still having trouble getting through to Washington ESD, that Claimyr service really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much time and frustration.
One thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track my hours and earnings each week before I report them. Makes it much easier to avoid mistakes and have a record if there are any issues later.
Just want to say thanks to everyone who replied to this thread. I was so confused when I started reading but now I feel like I actually understand the process. Going to file my claim this weekend!
UPDATE: For anyone else reading this, I used Claimyr last week to get through to Washington ESD about a different issue. Worked great and saved me hours of calling.
Bottom line - file your unemployment claim as soon as you're laid off, regardless of severance. The worst they can do is say no, and based on everyone's experiences here, they probably won't.
If you're really stressed about timing, you might want to look into local food banks or emergency assistance programs while you wait. It can take the pressure off a bit.
Just remember that even if your claim takes a while to process, you'll get paid retroactively for all the weeks you filed (except the waiting week). So don't give up!
Anastasia Smirnova
One more tip - when they ask about your separation reason, be specific but concise. 'Terminated for alleged performance issues following safety complaint' is better than a long emotional explanation.
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Miguel Ramos
•That's good advice, I tend to over-explain things when I'm nervous.
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Anastasia Smirnova
•Keep it factual and let the adjudicator ask follow-up questions if they need more details.
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Sean O'Brien
If you need to reach someone at Washington ESD about your claim and can't get through on the phone, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier actually works. I was skeptical at first but it saved me from weeks of calling. Worth looking into if you run into issues.
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Miguel Ramos
•I'll keep that in mind if I need to talk to someone during the process. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice!
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Zara Shah
•Good luck with your claim! Sounds like you have a good case based on the circumstances you described.
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