How long before I can get Washington ESD unemployment benefits approved?

Thanks! I already registered with WorkSource but wasn't sure about the job search requirement. Do I need to document those 3 contacts somewhere specific?

Yes, keep a detailed log of your job search activities. Washington ESD can audit you at any time and ask for proof of your job contacts, so document everything - company names, dates, how you applied, etc.

What causes a claim to go into adjudication? I'm worried mine might get delayed for some reason.

Common reasons are if there's any question about why you left your job, if you had multiple employers recently, or if there's a discrepancy in your work history. Since you said it was downsizing, you should be fine.

Never heard of this before. Is it legit or is this some kind of scam? How much does it cost?

It's totally legitimate - they just help you get through the phone queue. I was skeptical at first too but it really works. Much better than wasting entire days trying to get through on your own.

I can vouch for Claimyr too. Used it when I had an overpayment issue that needed to be resolved. Saved me so much frustration compared to the normal calling process.

3 weeks isn't unusual unfortunately, especially if your claim needs manual review. Have you tried calling to get more details about what specific review is happening?

I've tried calling probably 50+ times. Either busy signal or I sit on hold for hours and then get disconnected. It's ridiculous.

This is exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier - sounds like you really need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation.

Good point - I was wondering about that. So I need to keep filing every week even if I haven't been approved yet?

Absolutely! You must file every single week or you'll lose those weeks permanently. The system won't let you go back and file for missed weeks later.

That sounds really frustrating. How did you eventually get it resolved?

finally got through to someone who could actually see what the problem was - turned out my former employer had the wrong info on file. took like 5 minutes to fix once i talked to the right person

Wait, so I won't get paid for my first week even if everything goes smoothly?

That's correct - the first week is always a waiting week with no payment. It's just how the Washington unemployment system works.

This is so confusing! Why would they make you wait an extra week when people are already struggling financially?

What kind of documentation did they want exactly? Just a list of where you applied?

They wanted dates, company names, method of contact (online application, phone call, etc.), and position titles. I kept a spreadsheet which made it easy to provide what they needed.

That gives me hope! What do you mean by good documentation from your employer?

My company provided a formal layoff notice that clearly stated it was due to economic reasons. Having that documentation probably helped speed up the approval process.

yeah the payment timing is all over the place. i think it depends on your SSN or something like that

Makes sense, probably some kind of batch processing system that spreads out the load throughout the week.

Good tip! I think I already set that up but I'll double-check to make sure the account info is right.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's hard not to worry when bills are piling up, but you're right about focusing on what I can control.

Hang in there! The first few weeks are always the most stressful but it does get easier once everything is set up and running smoothly.

Yeah I figured that out from reading the Washington ESD website. The weekly claims are due every Sunday for the previous week, right?

Exactly! And don't be late - there's a specific deadline each week and they're pretty strict about it.

Is there a free way to get through to them or do you have to pay for services like that?

You can always try calling the regular way for free, but honestly after wasting days trying that approach, paying for help getting through was worth every penny for me.

Smart idea. I'll start doing that with all my weekly filings and any status changes.

Yes! I learned this the hard way when they claimed I didn't file for a certain week even though I definitely did. Luckily I had the confirmation screenshot.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! This has been really informative and makes me feel more prepared for what to expect.

Good luck with your claim! Hope it goes smoothly and you get approved quickly.

Feel free to come back and ask if you run into any specific issues. This community is pretty good about helping each other navigate the Washington ESD system.