


Ask the community...
If you're really struggling financially while waiting, look into local food banks and assistance programs. Don't wait until you're completely broke to ask for help.
Bottom line - plan for 3-4 weeks from filing to first payment for a typical case. Could be shorter if you're lucky, could be longer if there are complications. Just keep filing those weekly claims no matter what!
If you need to contact Washington ESD for any reason and can't get through their regular phone lines, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me hours of frustration when I needed help with my adjudication issue.
Remember that your benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have taxes withheld or set aside money for tax time. You can elect to have federal taxes withheld when you set up your claim.
One thing nobody mentioned - make sure your address is updated in the system if you've moved recently. They mail important documents and if they can't reach you it can cause delays.
been on unemployment twice and honestly the hardest part is just getting started. once you figure out the routine it becomes pretty automatic
For anyone reading this later - definitely use Claimyr if you need to talk to Washington ESD and can't get through on the phone. I was skeptical at first but it really works. Saved me hours of frustration trying to reach someone about my claim status.
Ravi Choudhury
If you do end up needing to file and run into problems reaching Washington ESD, seriously consider using Claimyr. I was skeptical at first but it really works. Saved me so much frustration trying to get through on the phone.
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Carmen Flores
•I'll definitely keep that in mind. Sounds like multiple people have had good experiences with it.
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CosmosCaptain
•Same here - wish I'd known about services like that when I was dealing with my claim. Would have saved me hours of calling.
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Freya Johansen
Just to summarize for anyone else reading - you need wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period, meet the minimum dollar amounts, and have lost your job through no fault of your own. Pretty straightforward if you've been working regularly.
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Carmen Flores
•Perfect summary! This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding the requirements.
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Omar Fawzi
•Agreed, lots of good info here. Always nice when people share their knowledge and experiences.
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