How do you know if you got approved for unemployment benefits in Washington?

You should receive a monetary determination letter either by mail or in your SecureAccess Washington account that shows your weekly benefit amount and how many weeks you're eligible for. If your weekly claims show 'processed' without payment amounts, you might still be in adjudication.

same thing happened to me last month, it took almost 3 weeks before i got my determination letter. the waiting is the worst part

If you're still unsure about your approval status, you might want to try calling Washington ESD directly. I know the phone lines are always busy, but there's actually a service called Claimyr that helps you get through to agents faster. I found it at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

The approval process has gotten so much more complicated since COVID. They're being extra careful about verifying everything now which means longer wait times. Your claim being 'processed' is actually a good sign - it means they've reviewed your basic eligibility and work history.

i've been waiting 4 weeks and still nothing!!! this system is completely broken, they're just letting people suffer while they take their sweet time

Here's what you should look for to confirm approval: 1) Monetary determination letter with your weekly benefit amount, 2) Your weekly claim payments should show actual dollar amounts instead of just 'processed', 3) You'll get a debit card in the mail if you chose that payment method, 4) Your claim balance will show the total benefits available to you.

Quick question - if you're approved but then miss a weekly claim, do you lose your benefits completely? I'm worried about messing up the process somehow.

I actually used Claimyr when I was in a similar situation and it was a game changer. Got connected to an agent within 30 minutes who could see exactly where my claim stood in the approval process. Sometimes you just need that direct confirmation from someone at Washington ESD.

honestly the whole system needs an overhaul. why can't they just send a simple email saying 'approved' or 'denied' instead of making us decode cryptic status messages

Been there! The waiting period before you get that first determination letter feels like forever. Once you get it though, everything becomes much clearer about your benefits and requirements.

one thing that helped me was setting up text alerts in my account so i got notified whenever there was an update. saved me from constantly logging in to check

Just want to add that even after you're approved, it can take a few more days for the first payment to actually hit your account. Don't panic if you get your determination letter but don't see money right away.

I remember being in your exact situation last year. The anxiety of not knowing if you're approved while bills are piling up is terrible. But 10 days is still within normal processing time, especially for a straightforward layoff case like yours.

has anyone had issues with the debit card not arriving even after approval? my cousin got approved 3 weeks ago but still hasn't received her card

The key thing is not to stress too much if you don't see immediate updates. Washington ESD processes thousands of claims and they have to verify employment history with your previous employers. That verification step can add time but it's necessary.

Pro tip: if you do end up needing to call Washington ESD, try calling right when they open at 8 AM or during lunch hour around noon. Those tend to be slightly less busy times.

Another option is using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I was skeptical at first but it really does work for getting through to agents when you need answers about your claim status.

Update us when you hear something! I'm in a similar situation and it helps to know how other people's claims are progressing.

Just remember that no news is usually good news with unemployment claims. If there were serious issues with your eligibility, you'd typically hear about those pretty quickly.

Been unemployed twice in the past 5 years and both times the approval process felt like it took forever even though it was actually pretty standard timing. The waiting is just part of the process unfortunately.