How long after termination can you file unemployment benefits in Washington?

You should file as soon as possible! Washington ESD recommends filing within the first week after you become unemployed. The key thing is that your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you were terminated. So those 10 days you waited mean you potentially lost out on those days of benefits.

There's no specific deadline but every day you wait is money lost. I learned this the hard way when I waited 3 weeks after getting fired thinking I needed to 'get my paperwork together' first. Cost me almost $1200 in benefits I could never recover.

File TODAY if you haven't already. I spent 3 hours on hold trying to call Washington ESD about this exact question last month. Finally got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual person in like 15 minutes. They confirmed what everyone's saying - you lose those days permanently if you don't file right away.

The waiting week is different from when you file. Even if you file today, you still have to serve the one week waiting period before benefits start. But at least your claim would be active and you'd be in the system.

this is why the unemployment system is so messed up... they dont tell you any of this stuff when you get fired and then you lose money because you didnt know the rules

I filed 6 months after I got laid off and they still processed my claim. You might not get those first days but you can definitely still file now. Don't let anyone tell you it's too late.

Just go to secure.esd.wa.gov and file your initial claim right now. The online system is available 24/7 and it takes maybe 20-30 minutes to complete. Stop overthinking it and just do it.

I'm dealing with something similar. Got terminated 2 weeks ago and keep putting off filing because I'm embarrassed about being unemployed. This thread is the push I needed to just get it done.

The sooner you file, the sooner you can start your weekly claims too. Even during the waiting week you still have to file weekly to keep your claim active. Missing those weekly filings can mess up your whole claim.

Been there. I waited 2 weeks because I thought I needed all my tax documents and stuff ready first. Turns out you just need basic info to file and can provide documents later if they ask. Those 2 weeks cost me about $800.

I tried calling Washington ESD to ask about filing deadlines but could never get through. Ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and finally got to talk to someone. They told me there's technically no hard deadline but every day you wait is money lost forever.

File now and learn from this mistake. Next time you lose a job (hopefully there won't be a next time), file that same day or the next day at the latest. The system is designed to penalize delays.

The good news is 10 days isn't the worst I've seen. Some people wait months thinking they need to exhaust their savings first or something. You can still file and get benefits going forward.

Quick question - if you file late, does it affect how long you can collect benefits? Like if you're eligible for 26 weeks, do you still get the full 26 weeks even if you filed late?

UPDATE: Just filed my claim online. Took about 25 minutes like someone said. Wish I had done this 10 days ago but at least it's done now. Thanks everyone for the push to stop procrastinating.

For anyone else reading this thread - file immediately after job loss. Don't wait, don't think about it, just do it. Every day you wait is money you'll never get back. Learn from OP's mistake (and mine and several others in this thread).

I used to work in HR and we always told people to file for unemployment the day after their last day of work. Not the day they find out they're being laid off, not when they feel ready, but literally the next business day after their final day. It's that important.

The other thing to remember is that even if you think you might get called back to work soon, you should still file. You can always stop claiming if you get rehired, but you can't go back and claim for weeks you didn't file.

Last thought - once you file, make sure you understand the job search requirements. Washington ESD requires you to actively look for work and document it. Don't let yourself get disqualified after finally getting your claim approved.

Glad this thread helped you get your claim filed OP. For anyone else in a similar situation - there's really no excuse not to file immediately in 2025. The online system works, it's fast, and every day you wait costs you money. Just do it.