Do I have to file for unemployment immediately after job loss in Washington?

Oh wow, I had no idea it worked that way. So if I wait a week to file, I lose a week of benefits?

Exactly! There's no retroactive payment for the time before you filed. File today if you can.

What documents do you actually need to file? I'm in the same situation and don't want to delay if I already have what's required.

You mainly need your Social Security number, employment history for the past 18 months, and your last employer's info. You can always add missing details later.

I had the same problem! Kept getting busy signals and when I finally got through, they hung up on me after being on hold for 45 minutes. So frustrating.

Someone told me about this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Interesting, I'll have to look into that. Anything is better than sitting on hold for hours.

Yikes, $800 is a lot of money to lose! I'm definitely filing today then.

How did you calculate that you lost $800? Just curious about the math.

my weekly benefit amount was around $265 so 3 days was almost a full week of benefits gone

That's really helpful to know! So I don't need to have everything perfect before I file?

Nope! Better to file with what you have and correct any issues later than to lose days of benefits waiting to be 'perfect'.

Do you know if there are any exceptions to this rule? Like if you're in the hospital or something?

There are very limited exceptions for things like military deployment or serious illness, but they're hard to prove and rarely granted. It's always better to file ASAP.

This is such good advice. I made the same mistake thinking my layoff was temporary.

Yeah, it's one of those things you learn the hard way. Washington ESD doesn't care about your hopes and expectations, just the facts of when you filed.

No, the time of day doesn't matter. It's all about the date you file, not the specific time.

Perfect, thanks! I'll file tonight then instead of waiting until morning.

I totally understand the embarrassment factor. It's hard to admit you need help.

Exactly, but that embarrassment cost me real money. Don't let pride get in the way of getting the benefits you've earned.

This is why I love this forum - real talk from people who've been there.

Good point! I'm already starting to forget some of the details about my last day of work.

Exactly! Plus if Washington ESD needs to verify anything with your employer, it's better to do it while the termination is recent.

That's reassuring to hear from the employer side. I was worried my old boss would think badly of me for filing so quickly.

Not at all! Most employers understand that unemployment benefits are part of the safety net. We've paid into the system for exactly this purpose.

The phone situation is ridiculous. I tried for days before giving up and just filing online.

This is exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier - they help you actually get through to talk to a real person at Washington ESD when you need to.

Wish I had known about that when I was trying to get answers. Would have saved me a lot of stress.

Message received loud and clear! Filing my claim right after I finish reading these responses. Thanks everyone for the advice!

Good luck! The process is actually pretty straightforward once you get started.