Hardship requests

Request faster application processing

Paid Family and Medical Leave will accept requests for faster application processing from people who have applied and are facing financial hardship.

Should you apply?

We ask that you only request accelerated review if you can demonstrate imminent hardship as outlined below and you’ve been waiting at least one week for us to begin processing your benefit application or redetermination request.

If you don’t meet our hardship criteria, we’ll review your application through the regular process.

To request accelerated application review, you must:

  1. Have submitted a complete application or redetermination request.
  2. Have been waiting at least one week for us to begin processing your application or redetermination.
  3. Demonstrate that you are facing one or more of the following circumstances:
    • Notice of eviction or power or utility shutoff.
    • Other imminent financial hardship.

How to request

1. Gather documentation that shows you are facing imminent financial hardship.

This could include:

  • A notice of eviction
  • A utility shutoff notice

2. Complete and submit the request form.

Download and complete the request form. Make sure to include your name and Paid Leave Customer ID number.

3. Submit the form and your documents.

Submit your form and documents using the instructions on the form.

We won’t process requests without documentation.

Note: If you submit your form and documents by uploading them to your Paid Leave account, you must also send an email that includes your name, phone number, and Paid Leave Customer ID to hardshiprequest@esd.wa.gov.

Without this email, we won’t know to look for your form and documents in your Paid Leave account and we won’t be able to process your request.

Faster application review doesn’t guarantee that your benefit application will be approved.

We don’t consider age, sex (including pregnancy), marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, disability, or use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability in our decision to expedite processing of your application.