Can I delay filing my first weekly claim while waiting for ESD standby approval?

You need to file your weekly claims on time, even if you're waiting for standby approval. Each week you don't file is potentially lost benefits you can't get back. The system expects you to file within the Sunday-Saturday timeframe following each claim week. Missing weeks can interrupt your claim and possibly even require you to file a new application altogether.

I can clarify this for you based on my experience. You generally have to file your weekly claims on time regardless of whether you need the money immediately. However, there is a specific provision called "backdating" that might apply in certain circumstances. If you don't file weekly claims, your claim becomes inactive after two weeks of not certifying. If your employer's standby request is approved but you haven't been filing, you might have to reactivate your claim, which causes delays and potential complications. The safest approach is to file your weekly claims on time, even if you're waiting for standby approval. You can always choose not to cash the payments if you really don't need them right away (though that doesn't make much financial sense).

DONT WAIT!!!!! I did this exact thing last winter and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! My claim went inactive and then when I tried to start filing in January they said I had to file a whole new claim which reset my benefit year and I lost like $1200 I could have gotten!! The ESD system is designed to PUNISH people who don't jump through every single hoop exactly when they tell you to. File your claims every single week even if you don't need the money right now!!!

I know this might seem counterintuitive, but you should actually file your weekly claims even if you don't need the money right away. Here's why: 1. Your claim becomes inactive after two consecutive weeks of not filing 2. The standby approval is tied to your active claim status 3. You can always bank the money for later if you don't need it now 4. Reactivating an inactive claim or starting over in January could cause significant delays It's a common misconception that you can just pause and resume unemployment benefits whenever you want. The system isn't designed that way - it expects consistent weekly claims.

File weekly!! I worked at Boeing for 8 years and got laid off twice with standby both times. You gotta file every week even while waiting for standby approval or you lose those weeks forever! Trust me on this one. Also make sure your employer actually submitted the standby request, mine said they did but didn't for like 2 weeks lol

I had this exact situation! I needed to speak with an ESD agent about this, but couldn't get through for days with the regular phone line. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to ESD in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent confirmed I needed to file weekly claims even while waiting for standby approval. If I didn't, those benefits would be gone forever. Don't make that mistake! They also helped me check that my employer had actually submitted the standby request (which they hadn't yet, despite telling me they did).

To answer your follow-up question: When filing weekly claims while waiting for standby approval, you should still report your job search activities until the standby is officially approved. Once approved, you'll see a message in your account indicating you're on standby status and exempt from job search requirements. Standby approval typically takes 1-3 weeks in my experience, but can take longer during busy periods. You can check your account for the status or call ESD directly if you don't see any updates after about two weeks.

i didnt file for like 3 weeks once and lost all that money!! dont do what i did just file every week its not that hard takes like 5 mins