How long after getting laid off can you apply for unemployment Washington ESD - timing questions

Thank you! So I can file today even though I just got laid off Friday? I was worried I was supposed to wait.

Yes, file today. The waiting week doesn't start until your claim is approved, so any delay in filing just pushes everything back.

Oh no, how do I figure out which week the vacation pay gets allocated to? It was just a lump sum on my final check.

Check with your HR department about how they allocated the vacation days. If they can't tell you, Washington ESD will make the determination during processing.

I had the same issue last year. Took forever to get it sorted out because my old company couldn't figure out their own vacation policy.

How long did your claim take to get approved? I'm really worried about the timing with the holidays coming up.

Mine took about 2 weeks but that was with no complications. The vacation pay thing might slow yours down a bit.

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another way to waste money?

It worked for me. I was trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my adjudication and kept getting disconnected. Got through the same day I used their service.

Might try this if I can't get through normally. How much does it cost?

Not sure on exact pricing but it was worth it for me to avoid the endless calling. Way less frustrating than the regular phone system.

This is the right answer. Too many people think they need to wait to file when actually they need to file to start waiting.

Ok I'm convinced. Going to file my claim right now. Thanks everyone!

Good point. I have my last few pay stubs and my layoff notice. Is there anything else I should gather?

Your Social Security card and ID if you don't already have a Washington ESD account set up. Also any severance paperwork if you got any.

Don't forget you'll need to register with WorkSource too for the job search requirements. That's separate from filing the claim.

Totally agree. When you're already stressed about losing your job, the last thing you need is a complicated bureaucratic process.

At least the online system is better than it used to be. Remember having to call in your weekly claims? That was the worst.

You need to be able and available for work during the waiting week, but the formal job search requirements don't typically start until you're receiving benefits.

Thanks, that's what I thought but wanted to make sure.

Better to start looking right away anyway. Job market is tough right now and it takes time to find something good.

Yeah I'm definitely filing today. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Same thing happened to my brother. He thought he had to wait until he'd been unemployed for a week before filing.

That's reassuring. I was worried I'd mess something up if I didn't have perfect information right away.

They're used to dealing with vacation pay complications. It's pretty common when people get laid off.

Good advice. I'll screenshot everything and keep copies of all the paperwork.

Also save confirmation numbers or reference numbers they give you. Those are super helpful when you need to call about your claim.

And if you do need to call Washington ESD, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier might save you hours of waiting on hold. I used it when my claim got stuck in adjudication.

You're right. I tend to overthink everything when I'm stressed. Going to file right now.

Good luck! The process isn't as scary as it seems once you get started.