How long before unemployment benefits start - Washington ESD timeline?

Usually takes about 2-3 weeks after you file your initial claim. There's a one week waiting period that doesn't get paid, then if everything processes smoothly you should see your first payment about 10-14 days after that.

Make sure you're filing your weekly claims every week even while your initial claim is being processed. I made that mistake and it delayed everything by another week. You can file weekly claims on the Washington ESD website starting the Sunday after you file your initial application.

The timing really depends on whether your claim goes into adjudication or not. If Washington ESD needs to investigate anything about your separation from work, it can take much longer - sometimes 4-6 weeks or more. Things that trigger adjudication include being fired, quitting, or if there are questions about your availability to work.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helps people get through to unemployment offices. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your timeline.

ugh the waiting is the WORST part! I'm going on week 5 and still haven't seen a dime. my claim shows pending and I can't get anyone on the phone to explain what's happening

The one week waiting period is built into the system - it's the first week you file a weekly claim that doesn't get paid. So if you file your initial claim this week and start filing weekly claims, your first payable week would be next week, but you won't actually get paid until the week after that assuming everything processes normally.

Been through this process twice in the last few years. First time took exactly 2 weeks, second time took 7 weeks because my former employer disputed the claim. Really just depends on your specific situation. The good news is if there are delays, you'll get back-paid for all the weeks you were eligible once it's approved.

Pro tip: set up direct deposit if you haven't already. Getting a debit card in the mail adds another few days to when you can actually access your money. Direct deposit hits your account the same day Washington ESD processes the payment.

I know everyone's situation is different but I filed on a Monday and got my first payment exactly 14 days later. No issues, straightforward layoff, filed weekly claims on time. Sometimes it really is that simple.

Make sure you're doing your job search activities too even while waiting for your claim to be approved. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and they can audit that stuff retroactively.

The timeline also depends on what day of the week you filed. I think they process claims in batches, so filing early in the week might get you processed faster than filing on Friday.

Whatever you do, don't stop filing your weekly claims if it takes longer than expected. I got impatient and stopped filing for two weeks thinking my claim was denied, then had to restart the whole process.

If you need to check your claim status and can't get through on the phone, you can also send a secure message through your Washington ESD account. Sometimes that's faster than calling.

My sister used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when she couldn't reach Washington ESD about her pending claim. She was skeptical at first but it actually got her through to someone who explained her claim was held up because of a missing wage verification. Got it sorted out within a week after that.

Just want to add that even if your claim takes longer to process, you should still receive all the back-pay for eligible weeks. So if it takes 4 weeks to approve but you were eligible from week 1, you'll get paid for weeks 2, 3, and 4 all at once (remember week 1 is the waiting week).

been waiting 8 weeks now and my claim is still in adjudication. at this point i'm wondering if i should just give up and look for work instead of counting on this money ever coming through

The key thing is managing your expectations. Best case scenario is 2-3 weeks, but 4-6 weeks is pretty normal if there are any complications at all. Plan your finances accordingly and don't count on the money until it's actually in your account.

For what it's worth, I think Washington ESD has gotten better at processing claims since the pandemic ended. The huge backlog from 2020-2021 really seems to be cleared up now.

Bottom line: file your weekly claims religiously, keep looking for work, and be patient but persistent. The money will come through eventually if you're eligible, and you'll get back-paid for the waiting period.

One more thing - if you do end up needing to contact Washington ESD about delays or issues, that Claimyr service at claimyr.com really does work. I was skeptical but when I was stuck in adjudication for 6 weeks with no explanation, they got me through to someone who could actually look at my file and tell me what was going on.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I was laid off. Filed on a Tuesday and got my first payment 16 days later, which was pretty much right on target with what everyone is saying here. The waiting week thing confused me at first too, but it's really just that first week of weekly claims that doesn't get paid - after that it's just about how long the processing takes. Make sure you have all your employer info handy when you file those weekly claims, and definitely keep detailed records of your job search activities from day one. The back-pay system really does work if there are delays, so try not to stress too much about the timeline. Good luck with your claim!