How do you know your Washington ESD unemployment is approved?

You'll get a determination letter either by mail or in your online eServices account. Usually takes 2-3 weeks for a decision. The status will change from 'processing' to either 'approved' or it will show if there are any issues. Don't panic yet - 10 days is still pretty normal timing.

Check your eServices account under 'Correspondence' - that's where they post official letters. Also look for any 'To Do' items that might need your attention. Sometimes they need additional info before they can approve.

I had the same anxiety last year. Here's what to watch for: 1) Status changes from processing to active/approved 2) You'll see a monetary determination showing your weekly benefit amount 3) They'll send a determination letter explaining the decision. If approved, you can start getting paid for the weeks you've been filing.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status, I recently discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helps you actually reach an ESD agent on the phone. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Made it so much easier than trying to call myself and getting busy signals.

ugh the waiting is the WORST part!! I'm going through the same thing right now and constantly refreshing my account like that's gonna make them decide faster lol

One thing people don't realize - even if your claim is approved, you might not see payments right away if there are any work search requirements or waiting periods. Make sure you're doing your job searches and logging them properly from day one.

Another thing to check - make sure your direct deposit info is set up correctly in your account. Nothing worse than getting approved and then having payment delays because of banking issues.

I've been through this process twice and honestly the hardest part is just being patient. Washington ESD moves at their own pace and there's not much you can do to speed it up. Just keep filing your weekly claims and wait for that determination letter.

Watch out for adjudication too - that's when they need to investigate something about your claim. If that happens, it can add several more weeks to the process. Hopefully you won't have to deal with that.

Pro tip: screenshot everything in your account regularly. I had issues where things disappeared from my account and having screenshots helped when I had to call in.

Also remember that even after approval, you still need to file weekly claims every week to get paid. It's not automatic - you have to certify each week that you're still unemployed and eligible.

The determination letter will have all the details you need - your weekly benefit amount, how long you can collect, any special conditions, etc. That's really the document that tells you everything about your approved claim.

Don't stress too much about the processing time. I know it's easier said than done when you need the money, but Washington ESD is pretty good about eventually getting to everyone's claims. Just make sure you keep filing those weekly claims!

Quick update on that Claimyr thing I mentioned earlier - I actually used them again this week to check on a different issue and got through to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of calling all day myself. Really worth it if you end up needing to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD.

The key thing is not to panic if it takes the full 2-3 weeks or even a bit longer. Washington ESD has been pretty backlogged lately and they're working through claims as fast as they can. Your 10 days is still well within normal processing time.

Make sure you're checking both your regular email and any spam folders for messages from Washington ESD. Sometimes their emails end up in spam and people miss important notifications.

Bottom line - if you don't have any 'To Do' items showing up and your status is still processing, you're probably fine. Most claims that are going to have problems show warning signs pretty early in the process.