How long before Washington ESD unemployment benefits start after filing?

The waiting period can vary a lot depending on your situation. Generally, if your claim is straightforward with no red flags, you might see your first payment within 2-3 weeks after filing. But if there are any issues that need adjudication - like questions about why you left your job or if you had any other income - it can take much longer.

I filed 3 weeks ago and still haven't gotten anything! My claim shows 'adjudication in progress' and I can't get through to anyone on the phone. The Washington ESD phone lines are always busy.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, you might want to check out Claimyr. It's a service that helps people get through to unemployment offices when the phone lines are swamped. I used it last month when my claim got stuck and couldn't reach anyone for weeks. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Basically they handle the calling for you and connect you when an agent is available.

The whole system is completely broken!! I've been waiting 5 WEEKS for my first payment and nobody can tell me what's going on. Meanwhile my savings are gone and I'm about to lose my apartment. This is ridiculous!

Mine took exactly 16 days from filing to first payment hitting my account. No issues, straightforward layoff situation. Just had to be patient and keep filing my weekly claims even though I wasn't getting paid yet.

Don't forget you have to serve a waiting week too. Even if your claim gets approved right away, you won't get paid for your first week.

The key thing is to keep filing your weekly claims even if you haven't been approved yet. If you miss filing a week, you could lose benefits for that week even after you get approved.

My experience was similar to others - about 2.5 weeks for my first payment. But I had a friend whose claim took 6 weeks because they needed to verify her previous employer information. It really depends on your specific situation.

Update: I finally got through to someone using that Claimyr service mentioned earlier. Turns out there was an issue with my Social Security number not matching their records exactly. The agent was able to fix it right away and said my payments should start next week. Would have taken forever to figure that out on my own!

just filed last week too, still waiting to hear anything back from them

The Washington ESD website says most claims are processed within 21 days, but that's just for the initial determination. Payment timing can be different depending on your bank and how they process deposits.

Make sure you're checking your mail too, not just your online account. Sometimes they send important notices that you need to respond to, and if you miss them it can delay everything.

I remember when I first filed, I was so anxious about the timing. Ended up getting my first payment exactly 18 days after I submitted my initial claim. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, especially when you're worried about bills.

Has anyone had issues with the direct deposit setup? I'm worried my banking information might not have gone through correctly.

Don't stress too much about the timeline. I know it's hard when money's tight, but Washington ESD is generally pretty good about processing claims. The system just takes time to verify everything.

One thing that helped me was setting up text alerts through my bank so I'd know immediately when the deposit came through. Saved me from obsessively checking my account balance every day.

My sister's been waiting almost a month now, but her situation is complicated because she had multiple part-time jobs. Simple layoff situations like yours usually go much faster.

UPDATE: Finally got my first payment today! Took exactly 4 weeks from when I filed, but I got backpay for all the weeks I was waiting. Still frustrating how long it took, but at least the money is there now.

For what it's worth, I've helped several friends navigate the Washington ESD system and the timing has been all over the place lately. Some get paid in 2 weeks, others wait over a month. But everyone eventually gets their benefits if they're eligible.

Keep your chin up! The waiting period is definitely nerve-wracking, but once things get rolling, you'll be glad you stuck with it. Washington ESD benefits have really helped me get back on my feet during job searches.