How long after being unemployed can you file for unemployment in Washington?

You should file as soon as possible! There's no waiting period to file your initial claim with Washington ESD. The sooner you file, the sooner your claim can be processed. There is a one-week waiting period before you can receive benefits, but that starts from when you file, not from when you became unemployed.

Yeah file immediately. I made the mistake of waiting two weeks thinking I needed to job hunt first and it just delayed everything. Washington ESD backdate to when you became unemployed but only if you file within a reasonable time.

The key thing people miss is that you can file your claim anytime after becoming unemployed, but you need to file your weekly claims every week to maintain eligibility. If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone to ask questions, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

THERE IS NO WAITING PERIOD TO FILE!!! This is such a common misconception. You can literally file the day you lose your job. The one week waiting period is for receiving benefits, not for filing. People lose money every day because they think they have to wait to file.

i waited like 3 weeks to file because i thought i had to exhaust my savings first lol. turns out thats not a thing. filed online and got approved pretty quick

Just to be clear about the timeline: You can file your initial claim immediately after job loss. Then there's a one-week waiting period before you can receive your first payment. You still need to file weekly claims during that waiting week though. After that, you'll receive payments for each week you're eligible and file your weekly claims.

The Washington ESD website is pretty clear about this but nobody reads it apparently. File immediately, there's no benefit to waiting. Your effective date will be the Sunday of the week you became unemployed.

Had a similar question when I got laid off from my restaurant job in March. Filed the same day and had no issues. The longer you wait, the more complicated it can get with documentation and proving when you actually became unemployed.

Quick tip - when you file, make sure you have all your employment history for the past 18 months ready. Washington ESD will need details about your previous employers, wages, and dates of employment. Having this info ready will make the application process much smoother.

Don't overthink it man, just file today. I've been through this process twice and both times I filed within a few days of losing my job. No problems either time. The Washington ESD system is designed to handle claims from people who just lost their jobs.

Another vote for filing immediately. I work in HR and we always tell employees to file for unemployment as soon as possible after termination. There's literally no advantage to waiting and several disadvantages.

For what it's worth, I filed about 10 days after I lost my job because I was dealing with family stuff and completely forgot. Washington ESD still processed my claim normally and I got benefits backdated to when I actually became unemployed. So a week delay definitely won't hurt you.

Since you mentioned being nervous about bills, remember that even after you file, it can take 1-2 weeks for your claim to be processed and approved. If you run into any issues or need to speak with someone at Washington ESD about your claim status, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier can really help you get through to an actual person instead of waiting on hold forever.

just file online its super easy. took me like 20 minutes and i got my confirmation number right away. then you just wait for them to process it

The online system is actually pretty straightforward once you get started. Just make sure you answer all the questions accurately, especially about why you're unemployed and whether you're able and available to work. Those answers affect your eligibility.

One thing to remember is that once you file, you'll need to do your weekly claims every week, usually on Sunday. Set a reminder on your phone so you don't forget. Missing a weekly claim can interrupt your benefits.

Alright, I think everyone's covered the basics pretty well. File today, don't worry about the few days delay, and you'll be fine. The system is designed to help people in your exact situation. Good luck with your claim!