How long after losing your job can you file for unemployment with Washington ESD?

You should file your claim as soon as possible after losing your job. There's no waiting period to file the initial claim with Washington ESD. The sooner you file, the sooner your claim can be processed and you can start receiving benefits if you're eligible.

Just to clarify - while you can file right away, there IS a one-week waiting period before you can actually receive benefits. So if you file today, you won't get paid for the first week of unemployment. But you still need to file your weekly claim for that week to keep your claim active.

The waiting week is back as of 2023. During the pandemic it was waived, but that ended. You definitely want to file as soon as possible though because there can be delays in processing, especially if your claim goes into adjudication for any reason.

If you do need to talk to someone at Washington ESD and can't get through on the phone, I recently found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

i filed mine like 3 days after getting fired and it was fine. just make sure you have all your info ready like your social security number and employer details

One important thing - if you're eligible for unemployment, your benefit year starts the week you file your claim, not the week you lost your job. So if you wait a month to file, you're potentially losing out on weeks of benefits you could have received.

The Washington ESD website has a good checklist of what you need before filing. Make sure you have your driver's license or state ID, Social Security card, and employment history for the past 18 months. Having everything ready makes the process much smoother.

I'm dealing with the same situation right now and I'm so stressed about doing something wrong. The whole process seems really complicated and I keep reading about people getting denied for small mistakes.

Pro tip: Screenshot or print out your confirmation page after you file your initial claim. You'll need that confirmation number for reference, and the website sometimes has issues where you can't access it later.

Also remember that after you file your initial claim, you need to file weekly claims every week to continue receiving benefits. These are due by midnight on the Sunday of each week, and you can't skip weeks even if you don't think you're eligible that week.

The system is ridiculous honestly. I've been trying to get through to them for weeks about an issue with my claim and the phone just rings forever or gives a busy signal. It's like they don't want to help people.

For anyone filing for the first time, make sure you understand the job search requirements too. You'll need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep records of your search activities. This starts the week after you file your claim.

Just wanted to add that if you were laid off due to lack of work, your claim will probably be straightforward. But if you were fired or quit, be prepared for possible adjudication where they'll investigate the circumstances of your job separation.

Does anyone know if there's a time limit on how long after losing your job you can file? Like what if someone waited months?

One thing that caught me off guard was that they ask for a lot of detail about your work history. Have your employment dates, job titles, and wage information ready for all employers in the past 18 months, not just your most recent job.

make sure you file sunday thru friday if possible. i heard the system gets overloaded on saturdays and sundays sometimes

The bottom line is don't wait. I see people on here all the time who waited weeks to file and then regret it. The sooner you file, the sooner you can start getting benefits if you qualify. And if you run into problems, there are resources like Claimyr that can help you get through to an agent.

One last tip - keep copies of everything. Screenshot your claim confirmation, save emails from Washington ESD, and keep records of all your job search activities. If there are ever any issues with your claim, having documentation will help resolve them faster.