upset and dissatisfied

[u/Otherwise-Asparagus1]

so this happened to me; I've been collecting UI benefits from Washington State since I was furloughed from my job back in April 2020, of course the pandemic being the cause. However I was just recently disqualified from all benefits and was asked to repay nearly $24,000. My world was crushed, I just had a new baby in May 2020 and I have no desire to go out and contract covid to bring back to my child so it puts me in a position where I'm dependent on said funds. Turns out a letter was mailed out and I was disqualified from benefits for not providing proof of identity. The deadline posted in the letter said Dec 4th but I didn't receive this letter until Dec 9th. NOT MY FAULT. Now I'm stuck waiting on an appeal with no income as I continue to file my weekly claims. I said all of that to say this; I feel like the people who actually and truthfully need the benefits are being affected more by the rules and guidelines even more so then those making fraudulent claims. But that's how it goes I guess. What a mess!

[u/SoThenIThought_]

I am very sorry this happened to you.

You received a letter in the mail stating a request for information, after the deadline for the request.

Did you know that there is a setting within your eServices account that allows you to either receive notices and letters and request for information either

In the Mail (with a delay because... They're mailed)

Electronically - instantly

It is totally up to you but, now that you have an active appeal, and you know that there is an issue with mail delay for requests where the deadline could pass before you get the letter, I highly recommend that you go into your eService and change your settings to receive your letters notices and request instantly because you wouldn't want there to be a request related to your appeal that you don't receive until past the deadline like which happened to your identity challenge

Heres how

Update Correspondence Preference https://imgur.com/gallery/W0MBDoE

Log in

Click on 3 Lateral lines in upper Left

Click on "Settings"

Click on " update correspondence preference"

Click Electronic

Now when you get a notice, letter or request you will get an email asking you to log in to view a new document in your eServices

Additionally,

Have you seen the litany of posts about contacting a state representative to help move a claim forward? Here is a post exactly about that from just a few days ago:

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnemploymentWA/comments/k9ztpq/those_of_you_that_are_pending/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

Additionally,

Here is the email template ( and yes if you ask I will email it to you too):

---

TITLE: Request for Assistance with UI Claim - [Name] - [CLAIM ID]

BODY

I am writing to you as a constituent in your District pleading for assistance with my unemployment claim. Details below and attached. 

Frankly, it is quite obvious they have not processed the data I have provided, and that they have said they received. 

NAME:  xxx

CLAIM ID: xxx

INITIAL CLAIM FILE DATE: May 3rd, 2020

AMOUNT OUTSTANDING: 6 weeks, $4,254 from 15 weeks ago

PENDING ADJUDICATION: (1)

0-026-072-0XX

PENDING ISSUES: (1)

Separation Issue - Filing Period Jan 18, 2020 - CARMAX AUTO SUPERSTORE

WHAT I HAVE UPLOADED:

1. Doctor's note from Dr. X

2. "After Visit Summary" from Dr. C

3. A document outlining the exact events around the Separation reason, as I quit in person and the conversation wasn't recorded or written down

4. 1 W-2 from 2018, 2 of 3 W-2s from 2019

5. Screenshot of 6 Pending weeks when I was told by a Tier 2 that "they did not see those unpaid weeks"

6. 73 unanswered messages, ### calls totalling ### minutes

7. I was told on June 28, 2020 that they have received the Separation Reason document/information, BUT IT IS STILL NOT BEEN PROCESSED

RECOMMENDATION

1. Resolve PENDING ISSUE: process the Separation Reason Data

2. Pay the 6 outstanding weeks, weeks ending April 4 - May 9, 2020

I live at:

40xx XXX AVE

TACOMA WA  98418-6632

[u/Necron99akapeace]

December 4th was a huge bait to catch scammers but it seems to have affected a lot of honest people too.

[u/tylrjom]

Hey! I’ve had a pretty awful experience lately with Unemployment but read through my thread from 2 weeks ago, a lot of the information in this will help you! I finally just got my claim fixed and got $4,000 in backpay along with all my overpayments canceled. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnemploymentWA/comments/k2g8v6/buckle_up_this_ones_long/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

[u/peshmesh7]

I was caught in a previous run of this. I got a couple weeks of benefits paid and then they sent a letter requiring proof of identity. I talked to people on the phone (it was difficult, but possible to do so back then) and did everything they asked, but they just kept asking over and over again for proof of identity. Most of the requests had a deadline that was already passed. I sent my proof multiple times to every method they said (online, email and fax) and then was met with mostly silence for 13 weeks. In the 15th week, a day before my supposed last chance hearing on appeal, they paid the back benefits with no notification why or why the delay.

[u/mackerelKat]

OP, I'm sorry this happened to you. I too got mine disqualified for not answering their additional request in a timely manner. I highly recommend that you contact your state senator/representative and have them contact ESD for you. They usually are much easier to get in contact with and when they contact ESD, ESD will actually respond in a timely manner... unlike when you're trying to call them. I just had mine resolved today, I hope yours also gets resolved quickly!

[u/Amers7]

Something you can do (from my experience and people I know) is submit your drivers license, social security, birth certificate and any other form of ID you may have, upload it all online at esd and then keep calling until you can talk with someone. There are a few nice people at esd, that can get you to the correct people to make changes right then and there on the phone but they have to have all your forms of identification. My mother in law was just lucky enough to talk to one of the nice ones and after 9 weeks of waiting for payment (because of identity) the lady connected her with someone else who handled it. I hope you find relief soon.

[u/Substantial-Height-8]

If you send your ID information with your appeal the office of special investigations agent will look it over before sending it to appeal and approve your denial w/o a hearing within the department. Be calm. Make sure you provide what they asked for.