Does unemployment affect credit score - worried about Washington ESD claim

That's a relief! So as long as I keep making my mortgage and car payments on time, my credit should be fine?

Exactly. The unemployment claim itself won't show up on your credit report at all.

That's encouraging to hear. How long did it take to get your first Washington ESD payment?

About 2-3 weeks after filing, but that was back in 2022. Processing times vary.

Wait, what's an overpayment? How does that happen?

It's when Washington ESD determines you received benefits you weren't entitled to, usually because of unreported work or income. They send notices first and give you time to pay it back or appeal.

Okay that makes sense. As long as you're honest on your weekly claims you should be fine then.

How does that work exactly? I've been trying to call Washington ESD but can never get through.

They basically call for you and get you connected to a real person at Washington ESD. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through myself.

Interesting, never heard of that before. Might be worth checking out if you're having trouble reaching them.

Good point. I need to set up my WorkSourceWA account and start logging my job searches.

Yes, you need to log at least 3 job search activities per week unless you're on standby with your employer.

Wait I thought it was 2 job searches per week? Or did that change?

It's 3 activities per week for most people. Could be job applications, networking, career fairs, etc.

That's awesome! I guess unemployment forces you to budget more carefully.

Exactly. Plus no more eating out for lunch every day or impulse purchases. Silver lining I guess.

Good advice. I wasn't planning on any major purchases anyway until I find a new job.

Yeah, most lenders want to see stable employment history. UI benefits don't count as employment income for loan applications.

Wow, that must have been such a relief! How long had you been waiting?

Almost 6 weeks! I was starting to panic about my bills. Definitely worth using Claimyr to actually talk to someone.

Six weeks?? That's insane. I'm only at 2 weeks and already getting anxious.

I should probably sign up for one of those to keep track. Better to know than worry.

Yeah, most of them are free and send alerts if anything changes. Peace of mind is worth it.

That makes sense. Did you recover once the payments started coming?

Yeah, paid off the cards as soon as I got my backpay and my score bounced back within a few months.

How much was the UI payment? Trying to figure out if it'll cover my basic expenses.

Mine was about $550 per week. It's based on your previous earnings so everyone's different.

Thanks for the reassurance. I think I was overthinking it.

We all do when we first get laid off. It's a stressful situation but you'll get through it.

Smart idea. I already have most of them on autopay but should double-check.

Yeah, one less thing to worry about when you're already dealing with filing weekly claims and job searching.

Autopay saved me when I was on UI. Easy to forget due dates when your routine is all messed up.

It's definitely nerve-wracking but everyone here has been really helpful with advice.

Yeah, this thread has been super informative. At least I know what to expect now.

26 weeks should hopefully be enough time. The job market seems pretty active in Seattle right now.

Yeah, tech jobs are still out there. Just might take longer than before to find the right fit.

I found a new job after 12 weeks on UI. The benefits gave me time to be selective instead of taking the first offer.

Good to know there's a way to actually reach someone if problems come up. The phone system seems impossible otherwise.

Yeah, I must have tried calling 100 times before finding that service. Much easier than the regular phone maze.

That's a great way to think about it. Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses!

Good luck with your claim and job search! You've got this.

Agreed, this was a really helpful discussion. Learned a lot myself.