How long after you get laid off can you file for unemployment - Washington ESD timing question

File immediately! There's no benefit to waiting and you might actually hurt yourself by delaying. Washington ESD has a one-week waiting period built into the system, but that starts from when you file your claim, not when you lost your job. The sooner you file, the sooner that waiting week starts counting down.

Definitely file ASAP. I made the mistake of waiting two weeks after my layoff thinking I needed to 'settle in' first and basically lost two weeks of potential benefits. The system doesn't backdate to when you lost your job - it only goes back to when you actually filed the claim.

ugh the whole calling situation is a nightmare though. I spent 3 hours on hold yesterday trying to get through to someone at Washington ESD about my claim status. If you run into issues after filing, there's actually a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps people get through to ESD agents. They have this demo video that shows exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Might be worth bookmarking in case you need help later.

Just to clarify the timeline: You can file your initial claim the same day you're laid off or any day after. There's no upper limit on how long you can wait, but waiting only hurts you financially. The key dates to remember: 1) Benefits are calculated based on wages from your 'base period' (specific quarters), 2) Your waiting week starts the Sunday of the week you file, 3) You must file weekly claims every week to receive payments.

I'm in the same boat - got laid off Monday and been stressing about when to file. Sounds like I should stop overthinking and just do it today. How long does the initial application take to complete?

One thing nobody mentioned - make sure you understand the job search requirements before you file. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week once your claim is approved. Don't want you to get caught off guard later.

Filed mine 3 weeks after getting laid off because I thought I might find something quick. Big mistake! Those 3 weeks of benefits are just gone forever. The waiting period thing is confusing but basically you serve your waiting week whenever you file, not when you lost your job.

Does anyone know if there are different rules for seasonal workers? I worked construction and got laid off for winter but might get called back in spring.

The sooner you file the better. I waited because I thought I needed to receive some final paperwork from HR first. Turns out Washington ESD contacts employers directly for separation info. I could have filed on my last day of work and saved myself a week of stress and lost benefits.

Quick question - if I file today but my last day was actually next Friday (got notice but still working this week), does that mess anything up?

Pro tip: File your claim on Sunday if possible. The benefit week runs Sunday-Saturday, so filing on Sunday means you can potentially file your first weekly claim the following Sunday instead of waiting longer.

Washington ESD system can be glitchy sometimes. If you have trouble with the online application, don't panic. I had to call when my application got stuck halfway through. That's when I found out about Claimyr actually - wish I'd known about it sooner because calling ESD directly is awful.

Been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years. Both times filed the day after my last day of work. The waiting week is annoying but it's just built into the system. Better to get it started immediately than delay and lose potential benefit weeks.

Make sure you keep good records from day one. Save all your job search activities, print confirmations, keep track of dates. ESD can audit you at any time and if you can't prove your job search efforts, they can disqualify you and make you pay back benefits.

Just want to echo what everyone else said - file immediately. I work in HR and see people make this mistake all the time. They think they need to 'process' getting laid off emotionally before filing. The unemployment system doesn't care about your emotional timeline, only the technical timeline.

One more thing - after you file, you'll need to complete your first weekly claim. Don't skip this step even during your waiting week. If you don't file weekly claims consistently, it can mess up your whole benefit timeline.

Had a friend who waited 2 months to file because she thought she'd find work quickly. When she finally filed, she realized she'd lost like $3,000 in potential benefits. Don't be like her - file now, worry about finding work later.

Last piece of advice - bookmark the ESD website and set up your online account properly. You'll be logging in every week for months potentially, so make sure you can access it easily. Write down your login info somewhere safe too.