


Ask the community...
UPDATE: Just got my payment this morning (Wednesday)! So it took exactly 2 business days from when I filed on Monday. Thanks everyone for your help!
Awesome news on getting your payment! That 2-day timeline seems to be pretty standard from what I've seen. Just a heads up - make sure to keep filing every Sunday even if you find work, because you might be eligible for partial benefits if your hours are reduced. I made the mistake of stopping my claims when I got a part-time job and then had to restart the whole process later when those hours got cut. ESD is much easier to deal with when you keep everything current!
That's really good advice about continuing to file even with part-time work! I had no idea you could get partial benefits. Thanks for sharing that tip - definitely something to keep in mind as I start looking for work again. The last thing I'd want is to have to restart this whole process if I end up with reduced hours somewhere.
Bottom line: unemployment insurance is exactly that - insurance. Your employer paid premiums (taxes) to cover you in case you lost your job. Just like health insurance or car insurance, you're using benefits that were pre-paid. Nothing to feel guilty about at all.
Your neighbor is completely wrong and spreading misinformation. Unemployment benefits in Washington state are funded entirely through employer payroll taxes (SUTA - State Unemployment Tax Act), not through individual taxpayer funds. Every employer pays quarterly unemployment taxes based on their payroll and claim history. This money goes into a trust fund that pays out benefits to eligible workers. You earned these benefits through your work history, and your employer already paid the premiums for this insurance. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for using a benefit system that was specifically designed to help workers like you during temporary unemployment periods.
Final update: My deposit hit this morning! System glitch definitely fixed. Thanks everyone for the help and info!
Great to see this got resolved! For anyone still dealing with Washington ESD payment delays in the future, it's really helpful when someone follows up with the actual cause like Luca did. System glitches seem to happen more often than they should, but at least knowing it's not an individual account issue takes away some of the stress. Bookmarking that Claimyr service too - seems like multiple people had success with it when the regular phone lines weren't working.
I'm in a similar situation - just got laid off from my retail job last week and filed my unemployment claim. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I was also confused about the 26 week thing and whether I'd qualify for the full amount. Sounds like since I worked consistently for the past 18 months, I should be eligible for close to the maximum duration. The job search requirements seem manageable - 3 activities per week and keeping good records. I'm already setting up a system to track everything. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially about the weekly claim filing schedule and the waiting week. This community is a lifesaver for navigating all this bureaucracy!
James Martinez
UPDATE: I was able to file my claim without any problems! I just went to the weekly claim section directly instead of waiting for the alert. Everything processed normally and I got my confirmation number. Seems like it's just an issue with the alert system, not the actual filing process. Thanks everyone for your quick responses and help!
0 coins
Olivia Harris
•awesome! glad it worked out. this is why i love this forum, always helping each other navigate the ESD maze lol
0 coins
Victoria Jones
I'm new to filing unemployment claims and this thread is super helpful! I just started receiving benefits last week and was wondering if I should rely on those Sunday alerts. Sounds like I should just set my own reminder and file manually each week. Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone - it's reassuring to know the filing system itself works even when the alerts don't!
0 coins