How long can you wait to file for unemployment in Washington - missed my last day by 2 months
I got laid off from my warehouse job back in early October but honestly didn't think I'd have trouble finding work so I didn't file right away. Been applying everywhere but nothing's panning out and my savings are almost gone. It's been about 8 weeks since my last day of work - am I screwed or can I still file with Washington ESD? I know you're supposed to file right away but life got crazy and I kept putting it off thinking I'd land something quick. Really kicking myself now but need to know if there's still hope or if I waited too long.
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Riya Sharma
You can still file! Washington ESD doesn't have a strict cutoff for when you can file your initial claim. However, you can only get benefits for weeks that you actually file for, so you won't get back pay for those 8 weeks you waited. The sooner you file the better since each week you wait is money you can't get back.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Oh thank god, I was panicking that I completely missed my chance. So I just lose those 8 weeks but can start getting benefits going forward?
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Riya Sharma
•Exactly. You'll need to file your initial claim and then start filing weekly claims. The weekly claims are what actually trigger your payments, so don't delay on those once you get started.
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Santiago Diaz
File ASAP but be prepared for some questions about why you waited so long. They might ask why you didn't file immediately and you'll need to explain. Being honest about looking for work first is actually not a bad reason, but the delay could cause your claim to go into adjudication for review.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•What's adjudication? Is that bad?
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Santiago Diaz
•Adjudication just means they need to review your claim before approving it. Could add a few weeks to getting your first payment, but it's not necessarily bad - just means they need more info.
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Millie Long
Ugh I feel you on the job search struggle. I was in the same boat last year and waited about 6 weeks before filing. Washington ESD didn't give me any grief about it, just had to answer some questions about what I was doing during that time. The worst part is losing those weeks of benefits you could have gotten.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Did your claim get delayed at all because you waited?
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Millie Long
•Mine went through pretty normally, took about 2 weeks to get approved. I think as long as you have a reasonable explanation for the delay you should be fine.
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KaiEsmeralda
I had the same problem trying to reach Washington ESD when I finally decided to file. Kept getting busy signals and when I did get through I'd be on hold for hours. If you're having trouble getting through to them, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual person at Washington ESD. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Is that legit? I'm desperate to get this sorted out but don't want to get scammed.
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KaiEsmeralda
•Yeah it's legit, they just help you get through the phone system. I was skeptical too but it actually worked when I couldn't get through on my own.
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Debra Bai
File online right now if you can. Don't wait another day. The longer you wait the more money you're losing. I know someone who waited 3 months and still got approved but man, that's a lot of money down the drain.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Yeah I'm definitely filing today. This thread convinced me to stop procrastinating.
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Gabriel Freeman
•Good call. Procrastination is expensive when it comes to unemployment benefits.
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Laura Lopez
Just to clarify - there's no deadline for filing your initial claim, but each week you wait is a week of benefits you lose forever. So if your weekly benefit amount would be $400, you've already lost $3,200 by waiting 8 weeks. File immediately and start your weekly claims right away.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Ouch that math hurts but you're right. I need to stop putting this off.
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Victoria Brown
•Yeah that's the painful reality of waiting. Every week counts when you're unemployed.
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Samuel Robinson
I waited 6 months to file because I was embarrassed about being on unemployment. Biggest mistake ever. Still got approved but lost so much money. Don't be like me - file now!
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Nathaniel Stewart
•6 months?! Oh wow. At least you eventually got benefits though.
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Samuel Robinson
•Yeah but I could have gotten benefits for all those months I was struggling. Pride is expensive.
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Camila Castillo
When you do file, make sure you have all your employment info ready - your last employer's info, your wages, dates of employment, reason for separation. Having everything organized will make the process smoother.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Thanks for the heads up. I should have all that stuff from my final pay stub and separation notice.
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Brianna Muhammad
•Also make sure you can prove you're actively looking for work. They'll want to see your job search activities.
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JaylinCharles
The Washington ESD website is actually pretty straightforward for filing. Just go to esd.wa.gov and look for the 'File a Claim' link. Don't overthink it, just get it done today.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Alright I'm going to do it right after I finish reading these responses. Thanks everyone!
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Eloise Kendrick
•Good luck! The hardest part is just getting started.
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Lucas Schmidt
I used to work for Washington ESD and can confirm there's no deadline for filing your initial claim. The only thing that matters is when you start filing weekly claims - that's when your benefit weeks begin. So file today and start your weekly claims this week.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•That's really reassuring coming from someone who worked there. I was so worried I'd completely missed my window.
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Freya Collins
•Thanks for the insider info! That's exactly what people need to hear.
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LongPeri
Don't beat yourself up too much about waiting. A lot of people try to find work first before filing - it's actually pretty common. The important thing is you're doing it now. Just be honest about your job search efforts during those 8 weeks.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•I do have a record of applications I submitted, so hopefully that helps show I was actively looking.
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Oscar O'Neil
•That's perfect. Keep that job search log updated going forward too - you'll need it for your weekly claims.
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Sara Hellquiem
Similar situation happened to my brother. He waited 10 weeks and still got approved without any issues. Washington ESD understood that he was trying to find work first. The delay in filing didn't hurt his claim approval at all.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•That's encouraging! Did he have any problems with the adjudication process?
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Sara Hellquiem
•Nope, his claim went through normally. Took about 3 weeks total from filing to first payment.
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Charlee Coleman
If you run into issues reaching Washington ESD by phone after you file, I had success with Claimyr too. Really helped when I needed to check on my claim status and couldn't get through their regular phone lines. Worth having as a backup option.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Good to know there are options if I can't reach them directly. I'll keep that in mind.
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Liv Park
•Yeah their phone system can be brutal during busy times. Having alternatives is smart.
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Leeann Blackstein
File online if possible - it's faster than calling and you don't have to wait on hold. The online system is available 24/7 too so you can do it right now if you want.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Perfect, I'm going to start the online application right now. Thanks for all the help everyone!
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Ryder Greene
•You got this! Don't wait another day.
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Sadie Benitez
Just wanted to follow up and say I successfully filed my claim online about an hour ago! The process was actually much easier than I expected - took maybe 20 minutes to complete. Now I just need to wait for them to process it and start doing my weekly claims. Really appreciate everyone's advice and encouragement. For anyone else in a similar situation, don't wait like I did - just file as soon as you can!
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