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My sister waited 8 weeks but she had quit her job before getting laid off from a different job, so they had to adjudicate the quit. Complicated situations definitely take longer.
Yeah quit situations are always complicated. They have to determine if it was for good cause or not.
James Maki
•Good thing I was clearly laid off then. No ambiguity in my case.
James Maki
FINAL UPDATE: Got approved today! Exactly 17 days from when I filed. First payment should hit my account in a few days. Thanks everyone for the reassurance that 2-3 weeks was normal - you were right!
Cole Roush
•Congrats! Now you can breathe easier about the bills.
Marcus Marsh
•This thread was super helpful to read. I just filed yesterday so good to know what to expect.
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Just want to add that timing really matters here. If you wait too long to file, you might miss out on benefits entirely. There are deadlines for filing after you become unemployed.
Juan Moreno
•What's the deadline? I've been unemployed for 4 weeks now but still getting severance.
You should file within a few weeks of your separation date. Four weeks might still be okay but don't wait any longer.
Final thought - even if this seems confusing now, just file the claim and start the process. Washington ESD can always adjust things later if there are issues, but you can't go back and file for weeks you missed.
Juan Moreno
•That's reassuring. I think I'll file this week and figure out any complications as they come up.
Amy Fleming
•Smart move. Better to be in the system and working through any issues than missing out on benefits altogether.
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The whole system is set up to discourage people from quitting and claiming benefits. Even with legitimate good cause, expect to fight for it and be prepared with tons of documentation.
So true. I had a slam dunk case with my supervisor sexually harassing me and it still took 6 weeks and an appeal to get approved.
Omar Hassan
•That's awful but unfortunately not surprising. Washington ESD seems to assume everyone is trying to game the system.
Final thought - if you do quit and file for unemployment, be completely honest in your application about why you quit. Trying to hide it or be vague will just make things worse when they investigate.
Miguel Diaz
•That makes sense. Transparency is probably better than trying to avoid the topic.
Exactly. They're going to find out anyway when they contact your employer, so you might as well control the narrative from the start.
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Bottom line - file your claim today. The worst thing that can happen is they say no, but you won't know unless you try. Don't let fear or embarrassment keep you from getting benefits you might be entitled to.
You're absolutely right. I'm going to file online tonight. Thanks everyone for all the advice and encouragement!
Good luck! Keep us posted on how it goes. This thread will probably help other people in similar situations.
Nick Kravitz
Also remember that even if you get approved, there's a one-week waiting period before benefits start. So file as soon as possible to get that clock ticking.
Thanks for reminding me about the waiting week. Every day I delay is costing me money.
Nia Jackson
Bottom line: you CAN get unemployment after quitting if you have good cause. Just be prepared for extra scrutiny and make sure you have solid documentation. Don't let anyone tell you that quitting automatically disqualifies you - that's not true in Washington state.
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Connor Murphy
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about filing my claim now.
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NebulaNova
•Good luck with your claim! Hope it works out for you.
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Mateo Hernandez
One more thing - if you do get approved, your benefits might be reduced for the first few weeks as a 'penalty' for quitting. It's not much but something to be aware of.
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Connor Murphy
•Really? I hadn't heard about that. How much of a reduction are we talking about?
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Yara Haddad
•Actually, that's not accurate for Washington state. If you quit for good cause, there's no penalty reduction. You might be thinking of other states or different types of separations.
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