How do you know if your Washington ESD unemployment claim was approved?

You'll typically receive a determination letter in the mail within 7-14 days of filing. In your eServices account, look for the 'Payment Information' section - if your claim is approved, you'll see your weekly benefit amount listed there. The status should also change from 'pending' to show your benefit year dates.

same boat here, filed last week and still showing pending. this waiting is killing me

Check your claim summary page - when approved, you'll see your weekly benefit amount, your benefit year start/end dates, and the total amount available. You should also be able to start filing weekly claims once approved. If you're still pending after 2 weeks, there might be an issue that needs adjudication.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting hung up on. The website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.

WASHINGTON ESD IS A JOKE!!! Filed 3 weeks ago and STILL pending with no explanation. Called probably 200 times and either get hung up on or told to call back later. This system is completely broken!!!

Also want to mention - once your claim is approved, you MUST file your weekly claims every week to receive benefits, even for weeks when you're looking for work. Don't skip filing thinking you'll do it later - you can lose those weeks permanently.

check your account every morning, that's what I did. one day it just changed from pending to approved and I could see my benefit amount. took about 8 days total

Another thing to watch for - if your claim needs additional verification, you might see a 'fact finding' questionnaire appear in your account. Fill that out immediately if it shows up, as delays in responding can hold up your approval.

My cousin went through this last month and said the determination letter came in the mail before the online account updated. So don't rely only on the website - check your mailbox too!

Been there! The waiting is brutal. Once you're approved though, make sure you understand the job search requirements - you need to log 3 job contacts per week and keep detailed records. Washington ESD can audit these anytime.

This whole process is so confusing. Why can't they just send a simple email saying approved or denied? Instead we have to decode their website and wait for snail mail...

Pro tip: set up your direct deposit info as soon as your claim is approved. If you wait until after you file your first weekly claim, it can delay your first payment by a week or more.

Just want to add - if you do need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your claim status and can't get through the regular way, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work. Saved me probably 10+ hours of trying to call on my own.

From my experience, no news is usually good news with Washington ESD. If there were major issues with your claim, they would have contacted you by now asking for more information.

Make sure you're checking the right place in your account. Go to 'View and Maintain Account Information' then 'Payment Information' - that's where your weekly benefit amount will show up once approved.

honestly the worst part is not knowing. I refreshed my account like 20 times a day when I was waiting for approval. once it went through though everything moved pretty fast

Keep in mind that if you worked for a company that contests your claim, it can take longer for approval. They have a certain number of days to respond to Washington ESD about your eligibility.

The determination letter will have all the details - your weekly benefit amount, how long your benefits last, when you can start filing weekly claims, and what your job search requirements are. That's the official notification.

Hang in there! I know the waiting is stressful but most claims do get approved within 2 weeks. Once you get that determination letter, you'll know exactly where you stand.

For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD for claim status updates, I can't recommend Claimyr enough. They connect you directly to an agent without the usual runaround. Really wish I had known about it sooner when I was dealing with my claim issues.

I went through this exact same anxiety when I filed my claim a few months ago. The waiting period is definitely the hardest part! In my experience, you'll know your claim is approved when you see three key things in your eServices account: 1) Your weekly benefit amount appears in the Payment Information section, 2) Your benefit year dates show up, and 3) You can access the weekly claim filing option. The determination letter usually arrives within 10-14 business days and will give you all the official details. Try not to stress too much - 10 days is still well within the normal timeframe. Most claims that don't have major issues get approved around the 2-week mark.