Months since unemployment weekly claims have been filed, still no response as to when I will actually be paid

Submitted by SnooMemesjellies7591 t3_zmx4vi in Washington

I was unemployed in most of 2022 and I submitted weekly job search logs for 26 consecutive weeks. I am very concerned as it’s been months since I faxed and mailed the logs and required documents and ESD still says the claims are processing, I haven’t gotten any mail update and 2022 is almost over. Will this still be counted as 2022 income if I get the check and deposit it after the new year?

Update: after complaining yet again to ESD, they are finally depositing the last 3 weeks of benefits to me. Its still better than nothing. For the 12 weeks before that, I have to wait for my appeal hearing. My appeal is just trying to be paid for the weeks from Sep 11 to Nov 19 that I had submitted valid claims for but was never paid, and my claim year started Sep 4.

Do you have tips on how to win this appeal? I have clear evidence I submitted the claims online at the time.

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Spork_Facepunch t1_j0dz6i3 wrote

What did they say when you contacted them to ask?

Edit: you say you faxed and mailed the logs. That's not how you file a claim. I've never even heard of anyone doing so physically and not through the website. Have you actually filed any weekly claims, and if so what was the response.

Between this odd phrasing and omission of mentioning the claims themselves or their status, and your post history in which it sounds like you have a long history of things going haywire when you have to interact with processes, I respectfully have to wonder whether you've actually followed the process to submit claims

If you have and followed instructions, the ESD should have been able to tell you exactly what the issue is and how to get bqck on track, since they usually process that stuff in a week or less, not 6 months.

There's a LOT missimn from this story.

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0f5iwn wrote

When I got approved for unemployment benefits in early 2022 for $25700, I got an email from UIClaimsAdj-Spokane@esd.wa.gov asking me to submit the job search form from ESD.WA.gov/job-search-log by online portal, fax or mail. The form requested that I must have a combined total of three Employer contacts, approved WorkSource activities or Other approved activities each week.

I uploaded all 26 job search logs to the ESD.WA.gov web portal under claims. I also faxed to 1-800-301-1796, emailed back to UIClaimsAdj-Spokane@esd.wa.gov, and mailed to the PO Box from the email they sent me.

Since then, I didn’t get any sort of confirmation from ESD except in the web portal it shows my claims are processing for my claim year which would be 2022.

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Spork_Facepunch t1_j0fat5i wrote

Right, but there's more to the filing of a claim than just sending them your logs.

You're being wishy-washy in your response, which, combined with your post history of seemingly having problems with every instance in which you have to interface established processes makes me question whether you've actually followed the procedure.

  1. Did you file weekly claims via the esd website every week within their stated timelines?
  2. When you contacted them to follow up on the status of your claim, what did they say the problem is specifically? Surely you didn't just wait six months to ask them, going to reddit first, right?

If there's a problem with your weekly filings (I'm not talking about your logs), then they would have told you what the problem is. Without that info, nobody here can give you much in the way of useful advice.

Your insistence that you sent these logs via postal mail and fax when that isn't asked for during the filing of a claim without any other info about why you did it that way, rather than simply as part of your normal filing of a claim online makes me significantly question whether you've actually followed the process. There is no point in the filing process in which you are instructed to fax or postal mail your logs when filing online (those avenues are for those who do not have internet access because the system has to support everyone). If you're able to access reddit, you're able to file your contacts correctly online. There's more to it than sending your logs, but I presume you know that, since you've been submitting a full claim weekly, right?

Until you can speak to what the ESD people said when you asked them what was the status (presumably you asked them this months ago right?) you're not going to get much here in the way of usable advice, since nobody here can see your claim and know what the problem is.

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0fk1py wrote

As you can see from these screenshots on the ESD website we discussed, https://imgur.io/a/iuXikgi?s=fbm, there is no way of filing the claims online. It might be because they changed the system after covid. The only option was to file by phone or by fax. I did both. And I filed the claims every week by the stated deadlines. 1) I got confirmation that the job logs were received. But it is not showing up in my system that I should be paid. 2) They didn't say there was any problem and continuously dodged my questions on when I would receive the claim payout. And abruptly hung up on me. I was continuously put on hold and could not get in touch again.

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Spork_Facepunch t1_j0gvmy3 wrote

That's completely untrue. You can and should file online. It has been possible for decades and is possible now. Nothing changed during covid. If you aren't seeing the option to do so, you're doing something wrong or there is a problem with your claim. I say this with 100% certainty and with first hand experience.

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0ka0ck wrote

Update: after complaining again to ESD, they are finally depositing the last 3 weeks of benefits to me. Its still better than nothing. For the 12 weeks before that, I have to wait for my appeal hearing. My appeal is just trying to be paid for the weeks from Sep 11 to Nov 19 that I had submitted valid claims for but was never paid, and my claim year is from Sep 4 so the week of Sep 4 doesn’t count. Do you have tips on how to win this appeal?

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lurker-1969 t1_j0f4huh wrote

ESD is a worthless Department. They ripped my wife out of over $6,000 on a very legitimate claim. There are hundreds of stories like hers where people just said Fuck It and gave up after many months. It seemed like it was easier for scammers to get money as opposed to legitimate claim filers. They ran her in circles for over 6 months before she gave up. She had a career as a paralegal when younger. She knows process and paperwork very well.

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Jaded-Environment-95 t1_j0e6ynb wrote

If you get the paid benefits in 2022 that’s taxable income for 2022. Did you ask them to withhold taxes from your benefits by any chance? If so, no worries!

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0f645b wrote

Yes. Withhold taxes and according to their document it says claim year of 2022. But at this point I wouldn’t (if ever) receive the check until 2023. Either way, do I have to self report unemployment on my tax return for 2022? So having their check delayed past 2022 isn’t going to impact taxes right?

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Jaded-Environment-95 t1_j0f8sk3 wrote

If you get one of these (it’s like a W-2) from Employment Security Dept. sometime in January’23 then that means you were paid benefits for 2022. Below is from ESD website: esd.wa.gov/1099

What is a 1099-G? The 1099-G is a tax form for Certain Government Payments. ESD sends 1099-G forms for two main types of benefits: unemployment and family leave. Unemployment benefits. Every January, we send a 1099-G form to people who received unemployment benefits during the prior calendar year. If you received unemployment benefits during 2022 you’ll use this form to file your taxes.

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0f8ys0 wrote

Oh ok. So if ESD is delayed in paying it out, then they won't send the 1099 since I haven't received anything yet

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Jaded-Environment-95 t1_j0f9hfd wrote

Correct.

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0fo3vp wrote

As you can see from these screenshots on the ESD website we discussed, https://imgur.io/a/iuXikgi?s=fbm, there is no way of filing the claims online. It might be because they changed the system after covid. The only option was to file by phone or by fax. I did both. And I filed the claims every week by the stated deadlines. I got confirmation that the job logs were received. But it is not showing up in my system that I should be paid. And that was it

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Jaded-Environment-95 t1_j0gmg2o wrote

Do you have a SAW (Secure Access Account)? You need it to file online. If you don’t Here’s a YouTube tutorial video on how to set up. https://youtu.be/q2OF1FuDEoU As far as job logs are concerned, if not mistaken, all that info is submitted with your claim. Also it appears you have an Appeal you’re waiting on which is what’s holding up getting paid benefits.

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0hsatw wrote

Yes I have a SAW account. I can give you the claim ID. The appeal was to move my claim period back from Sep 4 2022- Sep 4 2023 to Jul 4 2022 - Jul 4 2023 but since they took too much hassle to deal with that I had cancelled the appeal with their confirmation, The job search logs were all sent via the secure portal from their website as attachments. Their representative gave me the option to file by phone or fax too which I also did

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Jaded-Environment-95 t1_j0i1e1b wrote

Seems like they should of been paying from September’22 on when it was in appeal process. With the July-Sept time period pending a determination. Frustrating part is that it’s really our money we (and employer) paid in just for this scenario, namely, out of work. Hope things eventually work out for you.

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0i5s3u wrote

The reason I backdated to July was because I haven’t had income at all in 2022. From speaking with them on the phone they said backdating to July is best without decreasing the weekly claim benefit of $999. So I was like okay. But either way that backdate appeal shouldn’t impact payout for Sept onwards for ones that didn’t need to be appealed

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lurker-1969 t1_j0f3x88 wrote

I feel bad for you. Washington ESD is the most worthless organization ever. My wife was absolutely ripped off for over $6,000 during the Covid saga. She has a legitimate claim that they gave her the endless runaround on after she had submitted all requested information a NUMBER of times. Whistle blowers inside ESD have come forward telling that they were trained in tactics to frustrate and confuse the client hopefully resulting in non payment of the claim. If you dig the documentation on what I say is a matter of record. I feel bad for you and hope you prevail. Good luck.

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SnooMemesjellies7591 OP t1_j0f5qh8 wrote

When I got approved for unemployment benefits in early 2022 for $25700, I got an email from UIClaimsAdj-Spokane@esd.wa.gov asking me to submit the job search form from ESD.WA.gov/job-search-log by online portal, fax or mail. The form requested that I must have a combined total of three Employer contacts, approved WorkSource activities or Other approved activities each week.

I uploaded all 26 job search logs to the ESD.WA.gov web portal under claims. I also faxed to 1-800-301-1796, emailed back to UIClaimsAdj-Spokane@esd.wa.gov, and mailed to the PO Box from the email they sent me.

Since then, I didn’t get any sort of confirmation from ESD except in the web portal it shows my claims are processing for my claim year which would be 2022. Previously it said not started.

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