


Ask the community...
Final piece of advice - if you haven't received payment by day 21, definitely call or use a service like Claimyr to get through to an agent. That's when you'd want to check if there are any hidden issues with your claim that need attention.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! This has really put my mind at ease knowing that 2-3 weeks is normal for first payments. I'll keep filing my weekly claims and check back if I don't see anything by the 3 week mark.
Thanks everyone for all the info! Sounds like I should definitely file. Based on what people are saying I should expect somewhere around $750-850 per week which would definitely help while I'm job hunting.
One last thing - if you're not sure about your benefit amount or have questions during the process, don't hesitate to get help. Whether it's calling Washington ESD directly or using something like Claimyr to reach them, getting accurate information early saves a lot of headaches later.
One thing to remember is that your 26 weeks don't have to be consecutive. If you find a job and then get laid off again within your benefit year, you can use any remaining weeks from your original claim (assuming you don't qualify for a new one).
Just wanted to thank everyone for all the helpful info! This thread answered pretty much all my questions about benefit duration. Going to file my claim this weekend and start the job search process. Hopefully I won't need all 26 weeks but at least now I know what to expect.
Just remember that even after you file, you still need to do your weekly claims every week and meet the job search requirements. The initial filing is just the first step.
Bottom line - file now, worry about the details later. Washington ESD can work with you on backdating and other issues, but you can't get benefits if you never file the claim in the first place.
Ahooker-Equator
One more similarity - both programs can be affected by your other income. If you work part-time while on unemployment, Washington ESD reduces your weekly benefit amount. With workers comp, if you can do light duty work, that might affect your wage replacement benefits too.
0 coins
Anderson Prospero
•Good point about part-time work affecting benefits. It's important to report any earnings to both programs.
0 coins
Tyrone Hill
•Yeah, failing to report income can get you in trouble with either program. They're pretty strict about that.
0 coins
Toot-n-Mighty
Thanks everyone for all this information! It really helps me understand how these programs work similarly. Sounds like they're both designed to help people during difficult times but with lots of rules and procedures to follow.
0 coins
DeShawn Washington
•Definitely better to understand your options before you need them. Both programs can be lifesavers if you know how to navigate them properly.
0 coins
Mei-Ling Chen
•And remember, if you do need to deal with Washington ESD and have trouble reaching them, services like Claimyr can really help cut through the phone system frustration. Sometimes you need all the help you can get with these bureaucratic systems.
0 coins