How long can you wait to file unemployment after losing your job in Washington?

Oh wow I didn't know that. So if I wait a month to file, I lose a whole month of potential benefits?

Exactly! Washington ESD doesn't backdate claims except in very rare circumstances. File now even if you're not sure about wanting benefits yet.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. How hard was the filing process?

not too bad just have your social, last employer info and wage info ready. takes like 20 minutes online

So if I file today, my claim would start from this past Sunday?

Correct. And remember you'll have a one-week waiting period before your first payable week, so the sooner you file, the sooner that waiting week is behind you.

Wait there's still a waiting week? I thought they got rid of that during covid

The waiting week was temporarily waived during the pandemic but it's back now. It's like a deductible - you serve one unpaid week before benefits begin.

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach anyone there.

I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you and then connect you when an agent picks up. Saved me hours of frustration.

How much does something like that cost though?

They focus on the value rather than cost, but honestly after weeks of trying to get through on my own, it was worth it to finally talk to someone about my adjudication issues.

Yikes, is it really that bad? Now I'm even more nervous about filing.

Don't let horror stories scare you. Most claims go through fine if you follow the rules and provide accurate information.

If you quit, you need to have good cause connected to the work or you'll likely be disqualified. But the filing timeline is the same - file as soon as possible after your last day of work.

Good cause meaning like unsafe working conditions or harassment?

Yes, or significant changes to your job duties, pay cuts, schedule changes that create hardship, etc. But you need documentation to prove good cause.

Good choice! If it's just a standard review it's usually 1-2 weeks. If it goes to adjudication it can take much longer.

mine took 3 weeks but that was because they had to verify my wages with my previous employer

You may have gotten benefits, but you lost 6 months worth of payments. That's potentially thousands of dollars you'll never recover.

Maybe but I found a job right after filing anyway so it worked out

That's exactly the point - you never know how long your job search will take, so file immediately to protect yourself.

Weekly claims? What's involved in that?

You log into your account every week and certify that you're still unemployed, looking for work, and report any wages you earned. Takes like 5 minutes but you have to do it every single week.

And if I forget to do it one week?

You'll miss that week's payment. You can sometimes file late weekly claims but it's better to just set a reminder and do it consistently.

That's exactly what I was afraid of. Glad I filed when I did.

This is why they should make it clearer that you lose money by waiting. It's not intuitive.

Your base period is determined by when you file, not when you lost your job. It's usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So filing earlier vs later can affect which wages are included in your calculation.

So if I got a raise recently, waiting might actually help me get higher benefits?

Potentially, but you'd need to wait until that quarter is completed and then another quarter passes. You'd lose months of benefits waiting for a potentially small increase in weekly amount.

Good to hear another positive review. I bookmarked their site just in case I run into issues.

What kind of adjudication issues were you having?

They needed to verify the reason I left my previous job. My employer reported it differently than what I put on my application. Once I talked to an agent and provided documentation, it got resolved pretty quickly.

What do you mean? Like if you're not sure if you have enough work history?

Yeah, or if you're not sure about the reason you left your job, or if you worked part-time, or if you're confused about any of the eligibility rules. The worst they can do is say no, but you might find out you qualify when you thought you didn't.

What's WorkSourceWA? Is that different from the ESD website?

It's the state's job search website. You have to register there and use it for job searching to meet your work search requirements. They're connected but it's a separate site.

How many jobs do you have to apply for each week?

It varies but usually 3 job search activities per week. Can be applications, networking, job fairs, etc. Keep good records of everything you do.

Yeah I'm really glad I listened to everyone here and filed right away. Thanks for all the advice!

This thread should be pinned. So many people lose money by waiting to file.

Seems like a lot of people have had success with that. Good to know it's a real option if I need it.

How quickly did they get you connected?

It was during their busy period but still only took about 45 minutes total. Way better than the 3+ hours I'd been trying on my own with no luck.

That's a great point. I was thinking of it as a bigger commitment than it really is.

Exactly! It's basically insurance for your job search. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Wish this was more clearly explained on the Washington ESD website. Would save people a lot of confusion and lost money.

Agreed. They should have a big banner that says 'FILE IMMEDIATELY' on the front page.