Still think they should just have a simple calculator on their website but at least now I understand how to do the math myself

Just wanted to add something that might help others - if you're having trouble gathering all your wage information for the base period calculation, you can request a wage statement from Washington ESD before filing your claim. This shows all the wages they have on record from different employers during your base period, which can help you double-check the calculation and make sure nothing is missing. You can request it through your SecureAccess Washington account or by calling them. It's especially useful if you worked multiple jobs or had any employers who might not have reported wages correctly.

The five types are good to understand conceptually but Washington ESD's determination process is more straightforward - they verify your work history, confirm you lost your job through no fault of your own, and ensure you're meeting ongoing requirements like job search. Focus on those practical elements rather than economic theory.

As someone who recently went through the Washington ESD process, I can confirm that understanding the five types (frictional, structural, cyclical, seasonal, institutional) is helpful for context but not essential for your claim. What matters most is being able to clearly explain your separation reason - in my case, I was part of a company-wide layoff due to budget cuts (cyclical unemployment). Washington ESD approved my claim quickly because it was clearly involuntary separation. The weekly certifications focus more on your job search efforts and any work performed rather than which economic category you fall into.

Thanks everyone for clearing this up! I feel much better about my unemployment situation now. Just going to focus on filing my weekly claims and doing my job searches. No need to worry about PEUC or any other programs that don't exist anymore.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through the transition from pandemic programs to regular UI. I was on PEUC in 2021 and when it ended, I had to file a new regular Washington ESD claim. The process was actually pretty straightforward - just had to go through the normal application process like anyone else. The confusing part was that my PEUC claim just... stopped, and I had to figure out on my own that I needed to file a new regular claim. Washington ESD could have communicated that transition better, but once I got the new claim going it was much simpler than dealing with all the pandemic program complications.

The distinction between voluntary and involuntary unemployment matters a lot for initial eligibility, but don't give up if you quit for good cause. Document everything, be honest on your application, and be prepared to explain your situation during adjudication. Washington ESD does approve voluntary quit claims when there's legitimate good cause.

I went through a similar situation last year where I quit due to workplace retaliation after reporting safety violations. Initially felt terrified that Washington ESD would automatically deny me since I "voluntarily" left, but it turned out constructive dismissal and retaliation are definitely considered good cause. The adjudication process took about 5 weeks, but I was approved. My advice: be completely honest about your situation, gather any evidence you have (emails, witness contacts, dates of incidents), and don't let the "voluntary" label scare you away from filing. The hostile work environment you described could very well qualify as good cause - Washington ESD recognizes that sometimes quitting is the only reasonable option a person has.

Based on everyone's experience here, it sounds like the 2-3 business day timeline is pretty standard for Washington ESD. I've been filing my weekly claims on Sunday evenings and usually see the payment hit my account by Wednesday. The key seems to be filing consistently at the same time each week and making sure all your account info is up to date. If you're seeing delays beyond that normal window, definitely worth checking for any account issues or using one of those callback services people mentioned.

As someone who just started collecting unemployment benefits last month, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was getting anxious about the payment timing variations I've been seeing. My first payment came on Tuesday, second on Wednesday, and third took until Thursday. Now I understand it's normal variation based on filing time, bank processing, and system load. I've been filing on Sunday evenings around 7pm, so maybe I should try filing earlier in the day like some of you suggested. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and timelines - it makes the whole process feel much less stressful when you know what to expect!