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ESD specialist here. One week is actually pretty early in the process to be concerned. The standard processing time for initial claims is currently 10-14 business days without any issues. If there are any discrepancies that require adjudication, it will take significantly longer. Continue filing your weekly claims on time while you wait. This is EXTREMELY important - if your initial claim is approved but you haven't been filing weekly claims, you won't receive benefits for those weeks. As for reaching an agent by phone, the official advice is to call during non-peak hours (typically Wednesday-Thursday afternoons), but in reality, the call volume is consistently high. The online message center in eServices is often more effective than calling, though responses can take 3-5 business days. One thing to check: make sure you've completed the ID verification process through ID.me if prompted. This is often a common holdup for new claims.
when i had a claim last year i couldn't reach anyone for weeks and then found out they needed some employer info that they never told me about!! my claim was just sitting there the whole time! so frustrating! i ended up having to go to the WorkSource center in person and got help that way after waiting for like 3 hours
One thing to note is that in Washington, if your hours at your main job ever drop below 40 in any week (even temporarily due to holidays, business slowdowns, etc.), you should file for that specific week. The system evaluates eligibility weekly, not based on your regular schedule. So keep that in mind going forward - there may be occasional weeks where you could qualify.
Have you considered looking for a replacement second job? The job market is actually pretty good in some sectors right now. Maybe WorkSource could help with job placement to replace the lost income?
Yes, I'm definitely job hunting for a replacement second job. It's just taking time to find something with flexible hours that works around my main job schedule. In the meantime, I was hoping for some temporary support from unemployment, but I guess that's not happening. I'll check with WorkSource though - thanks!
Just checking back - did your payment arrive yet? It should have hit your account by now if it showed as paid on Tuesday.
Since you're in a financial bind while waiting, have you looked into: 1. Requesting hardship assistance through DSHS? 2. Applying for temporary assistance programs like TANF if you have children? 3. Food benefits through Basic Food/SNAP? 4. Local community emergency assistance funds? Many people don't realize there are bridge programs designed to help during gaps like this. While they won't replace full unemployment benefits, they can help keep you afloat during the waiting period.
THE MOST INFURIATING THING about this whole process is how they expect people to survive for MONTHS with no income while they take their sweet time making decisions!!! The system is DELIBERATELY slow to force people to give up and take any terrible job they can find. It's not right!!! And for everyone saying "just call ESD" - HAHAHA! What a joke. It's easier to get tickets to Taylor Swift than to talk to an actual human at ESD. I spent entire DAYS hitting redial.
Malik Robinson
Update: My payment just came through this morning (Thursday)! Looks like everyone was right about the holiday delay. Thanks for helping me not panic!
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Ravi Choudhury
•👍 glad it worked out
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Isabella Silva
FYI for anyone who finds this thread in the future - I've been on UI for about 5 months now, and I've noticed this pattern: If there's a Monday holiday: Payment usually arrives Thursday If there's a Friday holiday: Usually no delay Multi-day holiday periods (like Christmas/New Year): Can delay payments by 2-3 days Just sharing so others can plan ahead better than I did initially!
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Malik Robinson
•This is super helpful! I'm going to make a note of this for future reference. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
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