Keep your chin up OP. I know it's stressful but you'll figure it out. Lots of people go through this and come out the other side okay.

Definitely get the official word from Washington ESD about your specific situation. Every case is a little different and you don't want to miss any options you might have.

Quick update on what you should expect timing-wise: If your weekly claims process successfully, payment usually occurs 2 business days after the status changes from 'processing' to 'paid'. For direct deposit, funds typically appear 1-2 business days after the payment date shown in your ESD account. For the debit card option, it can take 2-3 additional business days. Regarding backdating: If your initial application date was in December, and you're approved, you should be able to file for all eligible weeks since then, not just the two most recent weeks. Look for an option to file for previous weeks once your claim is approved.

I went through something very similar recently! Filed in early December and had the same confusing "processing web" status after adjudication. What helped me was understanding that ESD often processes things in a specific order - they let you file weekly claims as a way to "queue up" your payments while they finalize the eligibility decision. In my case, I had about 3 weeks of "processing web" status before everything suddenly switched to "paid" and I got a lump sum for all the weeks I had filed. The key thing is don't stop filing your weekly claims even if the status seems stuck - that's your lifeline to getting paid for those weeks once approval comes through. Also, check if there's a "correspondence" or "documents" section in your account that might have updates even if you didn't get a formal approval letter. Sometimes they communicate through the portal before sending official mail. Hang in there - the fact that you can file weekly claims is definitely encouraging!

Bottom line: quitting and getting unemployment is possible but requires careful preparation and documentation. Don't quit impulsively - build your case first if you're serious about pursuing benefits.

One more thing to consider - if you're dealing with harassment or discrimination based on protected characteristics (race, gender, age, etc.), you might also want to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or Washington State Human Rights Commission before quitting. Having an active complaint on file can really strengthen your good cause argument with Washington ESD, and these agencies can sometimes help resolve workplace issues without you having to quit at all.

Just a reminder that if you're having ongoing payment issues, you can also try contacting your bank to make sure there aren't any holds or flags on incoming ACH transfers from government agencies.

I'm also dealing with payment delays right now - my claim has shown 'paid' for 6 business days but still no deposit. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful though. It sounds like delays of 4-6 days aren't uncommon lately, even if the official timeframe is 2-3 days. I'm going to double-check my direct deposit info and maybe give it a couple more days before trying to contact ESD. Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone!

Bottom line: your manager was wrong, employers pay all unemployment taxes, and you don't need to worry about additional deductions from your paycheck for this. Case closed!

I'm new to Washington state employment too and this thread has been super enlightening! One thing I'm curious about - if employers are paying all these unemployment taxes, does that mean businesses with higher turnover rates end up paying more? Like, does Washington ESD track which companies have more former employees filing for benefits and adjust their tax rates accordingly?