How long before you can file for unemployment in Washington - timing question

Thanks! So if Friday is my last day, I should file that Sunday? And the waiting week means I won't get paid for the first week I'm unemployed?

Exactly right. File that Sunday and yes, the first week is unpaid but you still need to file your weekly claim for it.

Good point, I'll gather all that stuff beforehand. Do I need my tax forms or just recent pay stubs?

pay stubs from your most recent job should be fine, they mainly want to verify your wages and employment dates

I am getting a small severance package. How do I report that on my claim?

There's a section in the initial application where you report any separation pay. Be honest about it - they'll find out anyway and it's better to report it upfront than deal with overpayment issues later.

This happened to me last year. Had to pay back like $800 because I didn't report my vacation payout correctly. Not fun.

That sounds helpful! Did you have specific issues that needed an agent or just general questions?

My claim got stuck in adjudication and I needed to provide additional documentation. Couldn't figure out how to upload it through the website so I needed to talk to someone.

Never heard of Claimyr but the phone situation with Washington ESD is definitely a nightmare. Might check it out if I run into issues.

When do the weekly claims need to be done? Is there a specific day?

You can file them starting Sunday for the previous week and they're due by the following Saturday. Most people do them on Sunday or Monday to stay on schedule.

What counts as job search activities? Just applying for jobs or other stuff too?

Job applications, networking events, career fairs, updating your resume, even informational interviews. There's a full list on the Washington ESD website.

You can also use WorkSourceWA to track your job search activities. It integrates with your unemployment claim.

Yeah I definitely want to do everything by the book. Better safe than sorry.

Smart approach. The benefits aren't huge but they'll keep you afloat while you find something new.

What kinds of things cause claims to get flagged?

lots of stuff - if they cant verify your identity, if theres questions about why you left your job, if your wages dont match what your employer reported. sometimes its random

This is where having all your documentation ready helps. The faster you can respond to any requests for information, the faster your claim gets processed.

Good question, I'm not sure if being laid off due to weather/seasonal work is treated differently.

Seasonal unemployment is still regular unemployment in Washington. The key is that you have to be available and actively looking for work, even if you expect to be recalled to your old job.

How long after your claim did they audit you?

It was like 8 months later, completely random. They wanted to see 6 weeks worth of job search documentation.

There's a mobile app? I didn't know that.

Yeah it's called 'Washington eServices' - you can do most stuff through it including filing weekly claims and checking your benefit balance.

Good point! I haven't moved but I'll double check my address is correct.

Yeah and if you do need to change your address after filing, you can do it online but sometimes it takes a while to update in their system.

How much does it cost? Seems like it might be worth it to avoid the phone nightmare.

I don't want to get into pricing details here but check their website. For me it was worth it just for the time saved and stress avoided.

Thanks for the tip! I'll plan to file early Sunday morning then.

That's reassuring. I was worried about timing with bills and rent coming up.

Yeah I understand the stress. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even if you haven't gotten paid yet. You can't go back and file for weeks you missed.

Great advice, I'll start a folder with all my unemployment stuff.

Smart. I learned this the hard way when I had to prove I submitted something on time and didn't have the confirmation number.

Glad it helped! Feel free to message me if you have questions when you're going through the process.

Good to hear another positive experience with them. I'll keep it in mind if I run into issues.

Yeah, hopefully you won't need it but it's good to know the option exists if the normal channels aren't working.

You've got this! Feel free to come back and ask if you run into any issues.

Good luck with the job search too. Construction work usually picks back up in spring so hopefully it won't be a long stretch for you.