This thread is so helpful! I'm in a similar situation where I just got my PFL approval after weeks of waiting and have 2 weeks to file retroactively. It's reassuring to see so many people confirm that you can file all the back weeks at once. One question though - when you're filing for multiple weeks, do you need to submit separate documentation for each week, or does the original documentation you submitted for approval cover all the retroactive weeks? I want to make sure I have everything ready before I start the process. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in almost the exact same situation - just got my PFL approval after a month of waiting and have 3 weeks to file retroactively. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like the process is much more straightforward than I was worried it would be. I especially appreciate all the practical tips about having documentation ready and writing down the specific dates beforehand. One quick question for anyone who's been through this - after you submit all your retroactive weekly claims, do they all get processed at the same time, or do they go through individually? Just trying to set my expectations for when I might see payments. Thanks to everyone who's shared their knowledge here - this community is amazing!

I'm new to unemployment benefits and just opened a Gesa account specifically because I heard they were good for direct deposits. This thread is so reassuring! I was worried about timing since I'm also dealing with rent deadlines. Quick question for the Gesa veterans here - does the deposit timing change at all if you're brand new to unemployment? Like, do they hold first-time deposits longer or anything like that? I just filed my first weekly claim on Sunday and ESD shows it as processed, but I want to make sure I have realistic expectations for when it might hit my account. Also, is there any difference between using Gesa's mobile app vs online banking for checking deposits? I want to make sure I'm not missing anything!

I've been on unemployment with Gesa for about 6 months and can confirm what everyone else is saying - Wednesday nights between 10pm-midnight is the norm! I file Sunday evenings and it's been incredibly consistent. One thing I'll add that might help with your rent situation: I started using Gesa's "account alerts" feature where they text me the instant any deposit over $100 hits my account. That way I know immediately when my benefits arrive instead of checking obsessively. You can set this up in their mobile app under notifications. Also, for what it's worth, I've found that if I file my weekly claim before noon on Sunday, it seems to process slightly faster than when I file Sunday night. Might just be coincidence, but the earlier filing seems to keep everything on the most predictable schedule. For your landlord, I'd definitely say Thursday morning to be safe, but realistically you should have the funds Wednesday night. The consistency has been one of the few reliable things about this whole unemployment process!

Just want to echo what others have said about being completely honest - I made the mistake of marking myself as "available" during a weekend trip to Portland last year thinking it would be fine since it was just 3 days. Big mistake! ESD caught it during a routine audit (they can see when your phone pings different cell towers) and I had to go through a whole fraud investigation process. Nothing came of it since it was clearly just a misunderstanding, but it was super stressful and delayed my benefits for weeks while they sorted it out. For your Arizona trip, definitely file your claims but mark yourself unavailable for the exact dates you'll be gone. Keep all your travel receipts and boarding passes just in case. The temporary loss of benefits is way better than dealing with potential fraud issues later. Have a great trip!

I just wanted to add another perspective from someone who travels frequently for family reasons while on unemployment. The advice here about continuing to file and marking unavailable days is spot-on, but I'd also suggest calling ESD before your trip if possible to document your plans. I know their phone lines are terrible, but when I called before my last out-of-state trip, the representative made a note in my file about my planned travel dates. This actually helped later when they had questions during a routine review - they could see I'd been proactive about reporting my unavailability. Also, for the job search requirements, remember that if you're marked unavailable for the entire benefit week, you don't need to complete job search activities for that week since you won't be receiving benefits anyway. But if you're only unavailable for part of the week (like your travel days), you still need to meet the job search requirements for the days you were available. Arizona is beautiful this time of year - enjoy your visit with your sister!

I had this exact same confusion when I first applied! You definitely don't need the unemployment tax number as an employee - that's your employer's UBI number that they use for their quarterly tax filings. For a regular unemployment claim, you just need your own info (SSN, work history, etc.) and basic employer details like business name and address. Washington ESD can look up all the backend tax stuff themselves. Make sure you're on the claimant section of their website, not the employer portal - they look really similar and it's easy to accidentally end up on the wrong form asking for employer-specific information you wouldn't have.

I just went through this same confusion a few months ago when I first filed! You definitely don't need your employer's unemployment tax number (UBI number) for your personal claim - that's strictly for employers when they file their quarterly reports with the state. It sounds like you might have accidentally ended up on the employer portal section of the Washington ESD website, which happens to a lot of people since the navigation isn't great. For a regular unemployment claim, you only need your SSN, basic employer info (name, address), and your work history. Just make sure you're on the right page by going directly to esd.wa.gov and clicking "File for Unemployment Benefits" - that'll take you to the actual claimant application where you won't see any requests for employer tax numbers.

I'm going through the exact same frustrating experience! My weekly claim has been flagged for "additional review" for over 10 days now and I can't get through to anyone at Washington ESD no matter what I try. I've called that 800-318-6022 number at least 50+ times using every strategy mentioned here - calling right at 8am, hitting redial constantly, trying different menu options - but I keep getting busy signals or sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected. It's incredibly stressful when you're counting on these benefits to cover rent and groceries. After reading all the success stories about Claimyr in this thread, I think I'm going to have to try that service tomorrow. It's ridiculous that we need to pay a third-party company just to contact our own state unemployment office, but when the alternative is wasting entire days getting nowhere, it seems worth it. The whole ESD phone system is completely broken and causing real hardship for people who desperately need help. Thanks for posting this - it's both frustrating and reassuring to know so many others are dealing with this same nightmare!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue! My weekly claim has been stuck in "under review" for over two weeks now and the Washington ESD phone system is completely broken. I've tried calling 800-318-6022 at every possible time - right at 8am, during lunch, even tried that redial strategy dozens of times - but I either get busy signals or sit on hold for 3+ hours just to get disconnected. It's so frustrating when you need those benefits to pay bills! After reading through all these success stories about Claimyr, I think I'm going to try that service tomorrow morning. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to pay a third party just to contact our own state unemployment office, but at this point I'm desperate for answers. The whole system clearly needs more staff or a complete overhaul. Thanks for starting this thread - it's both maddening and oddly comforting to know I'm not alone in this nightmare!