How do I know my Washington ESD unemployment was approved - no clear notification
I submitted my initial unemployment claim through Washington ESD about 10 days ago and I'm not sure if it was actually approved or not. I keep checking my account on the SecureAccess Washington portal but it just shows my claim is 'processed' with no clear yes or no. I got one letter in the mail but it just confirmed they received my application. How am I supposed to know if I'm actually approved to start filing weekly claims? Do they send a separate approval notice or what? I'm afraid to start filing weeklies if I'm not even approved yet.
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Sadie Benitez
Once your claim is processed, you should see your weekly benefit amount displayed in your account. If you can see a dollar amount for your weekly benefit and the option to file your weekly claim, that means you're approved. The 'processed' status usually means they've made a determination.
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Abby Marshall
•I do see a weekly benefit amount of $487 but wasn't sure if that was just an estimate. So that means I'm good to file my first weekly claim?
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Sadie Benitez
•Yes, if you see the dollar amount and the weekly claim filing option is available, you're approved. Go ahead and file your first weekly claim for the week you were unemployed.
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Drew Hathaway
Check your correspondence in your Washington ESD account online. There should be a determination letter that specifically says whether you're approved or denied. Sometimes the paper mail takes forever but the online version shows up right away in your account messages.
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Abby Marshall
•Found it! There was a determination letter in my online messages that I missed. Says I'm approved for regular UI benefits. Thanks!
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Laila Prince
•This happened to me too - I was looking everywhere except the messages section of my account. Washington ESD really needs to make these notifications more obvious.
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Isabel Vega
I had the same confusion when I first applied. Honestly, trying to get through to Washington ESD by phone to confirm was impossible - kept getting busy signals or disconnected after waiting forever. That's when I found claimyr.com which actually got me connected to speak with someone who confirmed my approval status. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Made the whole process so much less stressful.
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Dominique Adams
•Never heard of that service before. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD? I've been trying to call for weeks about my claim.
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Isabel Vega
•Yeah it worked great for me. Saved me hours of trying to call myself. They handle all the waiting and get you connected when an agent is actually available.
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Marilyn Dixon
•I was skeptical at first but tried claimyr after seeing it mentioned here. Actually got through to Washington ESD the same day and got my adjudication issue resolved. Worth it when you can't afford to keep missing work to make phone calls.
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Louisa Ramirez
the approval process is so confusing!! I thought I was denied because all I got was this generic letter that didn't say approved anywhere. turns out that WAS my approval letter it just didn't use the word approved anywhere in it. Washington ESD really needs to be clearer about this stuff
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Abby Marshall
•Right? Why can't they just say APPROVED or DENIED in big letters at the top of the letter instead of making us decode legal language.
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Sadie Benitez
•The determination letters do include your weekly benefit amount and effective dates if you're approved. If you're denied, it will specifically state the reason for denial. But I agree the format could be much clearer.
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Laila Prince
Look for these key things in your Washington ESD account: 1) Weekly benefit amount shown (not $0), 2) Effective date of your claim, 3) The weekly claim filing link is active, 4) Your claim status shows as active rather than pending. If all those are there, you're approved and ready to start filing weekly claims.
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TommyKapitz
•This is super helpful! I was looking for some big APPROVED stamp but these indicators make way more sense.
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Abby Marshall
•Perfect checklist, thank you. All four of those things are showing in my account so I guess I really am approved.
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Laila Prince
•Exactly. Washington ESD doesn't make it obvious but those are the clear indicators that your claim was approved and you can start filing.
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Dominique Adams
I've been waiting 3 weeks and still don't see any of these approval signs. My claim just says 'under review' and I can't file weekly claims yet. Starting to worry something went wrong with my application.
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Sadie Benitez
•If it's been 3 weeks and still under review, there might be an adjudication issue that needs to be resolved. Check if there are any outstanding documents or information they need from you.
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Dominique Adams
•I don't see any requests for additional info in my account. How do I find out what's holding up my claim?
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Angel Campbell
•You'll probably need to call Washington ESD to find out what's causing the delay. I used that claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when I had a similar issue - they got me through to someone who explained my claim was waiting on employer verification.
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Payton Black
Pro tip: Once you're approved, make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if you haven't started receiving payments yet. Missing weekly claim filings can mess up your benefits even if you're approved.
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Abby Marshall
•Good to know! How long after approval before the first payment usually comes?
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Payton Black
•Usually 1-2 weeks after you file your first weekly claim, assuming there are no issues. Make sure your banking info is correct in your account for direct deposit.
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Harold Oh
Washington ESD sent me three different letters and I'm still not 100% sure if I'm approved lol. The system is so confusing. But like others said, if you can see your weekly benefit amount and file claims, you're good to go.
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Abby Marshall
•Three letters! That's even more confusing than what I got. At least we figured out the real indicators to look for.
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Amun-Ra Azra
Same thing happened to me last year. The determination letter came like 2 weeks after I could already see my benefit amount and start filing weekly claims. Washington ESD's timing on notifications is all over the place.
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Drew Hathaway
•Yeah the paper mail is super slow. Always check your online account first for the most current information.
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Summer Green
If you're still unsure, look at your payment history section too. Even if you haven't been paid yet, approved claims will show pending payments or at least show the weeks you're eligible for benefits.
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Abby Marshall
•Great point, I can see pending payment for last week in my payment history. That's definitely confirmation I'm approved.
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