How do I know if my unemployment claim was approved - Washington ESD status confusion

I looked there but it's mostly empty except for $0.00 entries. Does that mean it's still processing?

Those zero entries usually mean your weekly claims are being held pending the initial determination. Keep filing though!

I don't see any letters in my account yet. Should I be worried it's taking this long?

Not necessarily, they're pretty backlogged right now. 10 days isn't too unusual.

How much does something like that cost?

It was worth it for me just to get actual answers instead of guessing about my claim status. Much better than calling hundreds of times.

It just says 'Filed' under status. Does that mean approved or still processing?

Filed usually means they received it but haven't finished processing. You should get a determination letter in the mail within 2-3 weeks.

How long did it take for you to get confirmation? I'm already stressed about bills piling up.

like 2.5 weeks before I got the letter saying I was approved. then another week for first payment

This is super helpful! I only see some of these things so maybe I'm still in the initial review phase.

Yeah the monetary determination is the big one. Without that letter you're still waiting for approval.

Thank you! This is exactly what I needed to know. I'll watch for that letter in the mail.

What if you never get the letter? I've been waiting 3 weeks and nothing in my mailbox

If you don't receive the determination letter within 3 weeks, you should contact Washington ESD directly to check on your claim status. Sometimes mail gets delayed or lost.

I know right? Why can't they just have a simple status page that says APPROVED or PENDING or DENIED?

The system is outdated but once you know what to look for it's not too bad. The monetary determination really is the key document.

How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money waiting for unemployment.

It's worth it when you consider how much time you save not calling Washington ESD over and over. Plus you get actual answers instead of guessing what your claim status means.

Hmm never heard of this service before. Seems sketchy to pay someone to call for you?

I was skeptical too but it's legit. They just help you get through the phone system faster. Still talk to real Washington ESD agents.

I don't see anything that says adjudication specifically. Is that good or bad?

That's probably good - means your claim doesn't have any obvious red flags that need special review.

ok but like, that doesn't help answer the question tho

The answer is you basically have to wait for the letter or call them. There's no easy way to know online which is ridiculous in 2025.

Yeah I've been checking constantly too. Good to know I should keep filing the weekly claims though.

Definitely keep filing! If you miss weeks while waiting for approval you can lose those benefits permanently.

Which section exactly? I want to make sure I'm checking everywhere.

Log into your SecureAccess Washington account, go to unemployment services, then look for 'View Correspondence' or 'Messages'. That's where official letters show up.

I've tried calling probably 50 times over the past two weeks. Either busy signal or I get disconnected after waiting on hold for an hour. It's really frustrating.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - couldn't deal with the constant busy signals and disconnections anymore.

Good tip! I'll check that section more carefully.

yeah mine showed up in messages like 3 days before I got the letter in mail

Zero payments usually means either your claim isn't approved yet or there's an issue preventing payment. Check if there are any 'alerts' or 'to-do' items in your account.

No alerts that I can see. Just the weekly claims showing as 'submitted' but no money.

Right? I keep checking my account multiple times a day hoping something changes.

try not to obsess over it too much. the waiting is the worst part but it does eventually get resolved

Wait, those are different accounts? I thought SecureAccess Washington WAS the Washington ESD account.

SecureAccess Washington is the login portal, but once you're logged in you access Washington ESD services through it. Just make sure you're going all the way into the unemployment section.

Good point! I did move about 6 months ago. I'll double check that my address is correct.

Yes! This happened to my neighbor - all her mail was going to her old apartment for weeks

Oh that's good to know! I haven't gotten any mail yet so probably still waiting for approval.

Yeah the debit card usually comes pretty quickly after approval. Keep an eye on your mailbox.

I was laid off due to company downsizing, so hopefully that's straightforward. Got all the paperwork from HR.

Layoffs are usually the easiest to approve. Your determination letter should come soon.

Which service did you use? The Claimyr one mentioned earlier?

yeah that's the one. worked great for me. way better than playing phone tag with Washington ESD

That's actually a really good idea. I'll start tracking everything better.

I do this too! Also helps if you ever need to appeal or provide documentation later

Yes, you should continue filing weekly claims while your initial claim is being processed. If you don't file weekly, you could lose benefits for those weeks even if your claim gets approved.

Oh no! I've missed like 2 weeks of filings. Can I go back and file for those weeks?

You might be able to file for missed weeks, but there could be complications. Contact Washington ESD as soon as possible to explain the situation.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. They handle all the calling and waiting for you. Saved me so much time and stress.

Might have to look into that. This waiting game is killing me.

Congrats! How long did it take from when you first filed to getting the letter?

About 2.5 weeks total. Filed on a Tuesday, got the letter on a Friday 18 days later.

That gives me hope! I'm at day 16 right now

Good reminder! I've been applying to jobs but haven't been logging them properly. Need to set up my WorkSourceWA account.

the job search stuff is confusing too. wish they made all this clearer

Glad it helped! I feel so much better now knowing what to expect and what to look for.

same here. way more helpful than trying to navigate the Washington ESD website alone

3 weeks?? That makes me feel a bit better about only being at 10 days then.

Yeah processing times are definitely longer than they used to be. Just gotta be patient unfortunately.

I think I did that but I should double check. Where do I verify that was completed?

You can check your WorkSource registration at worksourcewa.com. Make sure your profile is complete and active.

Agreed! They should have like a progress bar or something showing where your claim is in the review process.

That would be nice but probably not happening anytime soon given how outdated their systems are.

Yes I did get an email right after submitting. It had a confirmation number and said to keep filing weekly claims.

Good, that means your claim is definitely in their system and being processed. Now just waiting for the determination.

Was it hard to use? I'm not super tech-savvy but I'm getting desperate for answers.

No it was really straightforward. They basically just help you get connected to the right person at Washington ESD without all the runaround.

Thank you! This thread has been so helpful. I feel much better about just waiting for that specific letter to show up.

Yeah don't stress too much about all the other confusing stuff in your account. The monetary determination is the money shot you're looking for.

Good to know! I was worried I'd still be confused even after getting approved.

The first payment usually takes the longest. After that they're pretty regular if you keep filing your weekly claims on time.

Smart idea! I'll start doing that just in case.

Yeah definitely keep records of everything. The unemployment system can be unpredictable and you want proof of what your account showed and when.

Thanks everyone! This thread has been incredibly helpful and I feel much less anxious about the whole process now.

Good luck! Come back and update us when you get your determination letter.